Spiritual Freedom

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

These words are familiar to us, yet do we recognize all of what they are saying?

The freedom that the drafters of the Declaration of Independence were declaring and claiming for this country had already been given; already were the inalienable rights of everyone created in the image and likeness of God.

It is vital to recognize that our right to be free, unlimited, under no bonds, or binds, or restraints, nor limitations was not something that was created when men put pen to that document but arose in our Being when we were created in the image and likeness of God. We are first and foremost spiritual beings, with the birthright of freedom.

And while freedom is inalienable from our true self, it is often separate from our awareness, apart from our experience, lost upon the false self that is caged by self deception.

As we celebrate freedom which came from the Declaration of Independence in 1776, consider how this historical event is an insightful metaphor for our own internal pursuit of liberty.

Just as the men and women of those original 13 colonies sought to establish self-determination, is it not equally essential to our spiritual awakening that we dissolve the tie with any other external power that has held sway over our lives?

Like the King of England, our ego mind often reigns supreme over our thoughts and affairs and we have suffered the tyranny of a long train of (its) abuses and usurpations. We have placed the crown upon our senses that they might have the last word on reality. In return, we have been given a meager appraisal of life's possibilities. We are taxed without representation by levies of fear and doubt. Yet the truth is that we have assented to these oppressive practices, even while railing against them.

These truths are self-evident when we come to know our true spiritual nature. Created in God's image and likeness, we have always had the inalienable right to self-determination. Our free will empowers us to cast the deciding vote on every issue. We enjoy the liberty to find peace and enjoy a land of plenty upon the very ground of our being. Yes, we can live in freedom. No revolution is necessary. We have had it all the time. Each of us is free to dethrone false authority, declare dominion over our lives and reclaim rights guaranteed by Heaven's authority.

Let us remember the Declaration of Independence, not only as a reminder of the freedom that came to a nation, but the inalienable freedom that is Divinely gifted and inseparable from us. We can make this declaration of freedom each moment to remind ourselves of our right to choose to live in liberation or bondage.

This Sunday we conclude our Ways and Means of Spiritual Mastery series of lessons, with the focus on freedom, with a lesson entitled, Breaking the Ties That Bind Us. We will look at all the ways that we give up our freedom, such as fear and anxiety over the past, the future, and delusion of self in the present moment. Jesus said the Truth will set us free. If we are willing to declare independence from the mind that binds and blinds, we will see the greater truth beyond the limitations that our physical eyes show us. We will be able to lift up our eyes to the inner gaze of Spirit.