Although we live in the freest society on earth, one that claimed its independence from a powerful oppressor long ago, most of us today are slaves in a free society.
How so? We're enslaved by our habits. We're enslaved by our beliefs. We're enslaved by our past. And we're enslaved by our own and others' expectations.
If you look honestly at your life, you'll probably notice much of it is not actually governed by your free choice -- despite your apparent external freedom. For example, all of us act in ways we later regret, even when we know better. We stop ourselves from excelling, even if we have the talent and the know-how to succeed. We accept less than what is possible because we've allowed ourselves to be enslaved by our own mental constructs.
Our Society Is Based on Slavery
In fact, our society is based on slavery, even today. Not the horrific slavery that we practiced over 100 years ago, but something else. Take a look at your work life. Whether you work for yourself or for someone else, do you ever feel enslaved by your work or your career? Most people don't feel as though they have a choice but to be a slave to their profession. We work to live, instead of living to work -- and our society encourages us in this belief.
The people who hold political power also depend upon our slave consciousness and our desire to be told what to do and what to think. Have you ever noticed that our politicians are more than happy to give us what we want? And by this I mean that most of them are more skillful in telling us what to do and what to think than they are in genuinely representing the will of the people.
Even if we're fiercely independent, we find ourselves being enslaved to past beliefs and negative emotions. Slave consciousness is everywhere in our society, held in place by the tyranny of the subconscious mind and all of its fears and beliefs and conflicting habit patterns.
It Doesn't Have to Be this Way
You may be interested to discover it doesn't have to be like this. If you're willing to challenge your inner enslavement, a whole new world naturally opens up to you -- a world of true inner independence that's already right here, right now, waiting to be rediscovered.
Just noticing how you're enslaved and starting to see that it's not the only possibility will begin a process of unfoldment that will bring new vistas of freedom into your life. As you notice your slave consciousness without judgment, as best you can, it will naturally start to dissolve. And, so you don't lose perspective, remember to also notice the freedom that already exists, here and now, both internally and externally.
Abolish Inner Slavery Now
Here's a simple exercise you can do to start letting go of your inner slavery:
Letting go of slave consciousness is not a substitute for taking right action in your life to fulfill your obligations and break down the patterns in our world that hold us all back. As you let go of being an inner slave, you'll discover it's much easier to do what's right and what's appropriate in any situation. And that's true freedom.
As you let go of slave consciousness, you'll discover that you can have a higher standard of living with less effort. You can live life more fully and joyously. You can make choices not based on the past but based on what is real and true for your -- and everyone's -- highest good. You can feel a sense of joy even when things do not always go your way. Like the brilliance of fireworks against the night sky, you can light up your own awareness and discover what's truly possible for you, and for our great society, when every day is Independence Day.
Happy Fourth of July everyone!
To further your inner independence, be sure to download Money Now, a new, free Letting Go app for iPhone and Android phones and tablets. Click here to find out how to ensure financial independence from the inside out.
This post is based on the principles explored in the new movie, "Letting Go: Transform Your Life, Transform the World." It is the culmination of over three decades of experience with a simple, powerful, elegant and easy-to-learn technique that shows you how to tap your natural ability to let go instantaneously of any uncomfortable or unwanted feeling, thought or belief. For more information, visit www.LettingGo.tv or Sedona.com.
Follow Hale Dwoskin on Twitter: www.twitter.com/sedonamethod
I am sort of assuming both the role of the prisoner and the jailor who is holding the keys to freedom and the prisoner.
The only "slavery" I can think of with mine is that of needing to earn a living. Rent to pay, utilities, food ... they don't allow anyone on a low income with little savings the luxury of taking time off to get a further education, or dump an unlovely job to search for a new one, let alone do what so many people reflexively say to the unemployed - "start your own business". I'm in my late forties and in a niche job; I live in an outer suburb and don't drive. If this job goes I'm going to be in serious trouble finding another. So to that extent, I feel trapped, if not enslaved, despite liking the job for itself - and there is not a thing I can do about it.
I think the sentence "We work to live, instead of living to work -- and our society encourages us in this belief" might be back to front. One is usually advised that we should work to live, not live to work. The enforcement of the slave mentality would indeed tell us that we live only to work.
We are indeed enslaved to anything we believe we can not live without or are dependant on. However, also need to live in the world and do what is best for us moment to moment. It is that we live to work instead of allowing ourselves to work so that we can a full rich life.
Love,
Hale
I have the book and CD's of the Sedona Method and believe that it works, but for some reason, I am not getting the results that I want for myself. I have been enslaved by the idea that if I don't get the relationship I want, I will not be happy. If I could let this go, my life would be a lot easier. It seems as though if I did ever let it go, I would tend to pick it right back up again. I appreciate any thoughts you may have on this...Thank you!
just live and don't worry about the relationship aspect so much, let it go, the right person will come along eventually.....have a good holiday!
Great name by the way! Great suggestion! As we simply show up and live your life we tend to let go naturally and allow for whatever is right for us. Obsessing over relationships or anything else just leads to contraction.
Love,
Hale
Happiness is your basic nature. If you delay your happiness until you achieve any any goal including having a relationship that only leads to experiencing unhappiness. I would recommend that you allow yourself to love yourself as you are now and allow yourself to feel whole and complete as you are with or without a relationship. Then you will feel more of the happiness that you are make yourself more available for the right person in your life.
Love,
Hale
I can not please everyone, including myself. Once you free yourself from all the crap you would not believe the peace you have. Happy 4th Hale and keep writing great stories!
Thanks! Congratulations for breaking free of your inner slavery. Happy Independence Day every day.
Love,
Hale
Write the book. Welcome the fear of what others think and then let it go and then. Go for it! If you follow your heart you will support not just you but everyone.
Love,
Hale
However, my experience is that taking chances empowers us. I've seen people burn out , lose their self-esteem because of bad jobs. It's just not worth it, there's always an opportunity somewhere else,
as hard as the economy is, it's worth trying.
I know it's not gonna work out for all of us, but, for the ones it will work out, it's worth trying.
When we stay in dead in situations it hurts not just us but it is a hold back for everyone. As we all let go of what is not working and break free of being slaves to what binds us everyone benefits.
Love,
Hale
In this context, there is no "slavery" - only a story one tells oneself (makes up) and then chooses - at some level - to play out - to get some kind of payoff - avoid responsibility - make parents/ authority figure wrong, etc. And then one gets so into the "juice" of the payoff - being a victim - that one loses the connection that its all made up by ones self in the first place. As are all dramas.
As someone once said "Pain is part of life. Suffering is optional." In this case - all there is - is just the suffering.
dunkinbbb
Slavery is just a concept. What is beyond is simply what is. Yet if we all use that concept to dissolve the other ones that are holding us back we set our selves free. Suffering is truely optional!
Love,
Hale