True Freedom Begins with Letting Go
True Freedom Begins with Letting Go
We may never fully rid ourselves of envy, jealousy, greed, anger, or ego. Yet, that does not mean we should stop trying. In Sanskrit, anartha refers to "things no one wants," and anartha-nivritti means the process of removing these unwanted things.
We often mistake freedom for the ability to say whatever we want or pursue every desire. However, as Jay Shetty aptly puts it, "True freedom is letting go of the indulgent desires that lead to unwanted outcomes." The key to that freedom is awareness.
For a long time, I lived by chasing what I desired, convinced that achieving my goals would transform my world. Yet, the emptiness that followed those achievements was profound. I believed that by gaining what I wanted, my inner shadows would naturally fade away. But I was mistaken; even after achieving my goals, those negative emotions and memories remained. In fact, they felt even more suffocating in the wake of that hollow victory.
Sometimes, we indulge in unbridled behaviors—excessive food, distractions, or oversleeping—under the guise of "treating ourselves." But this is merely covering our inner turmoil with a blanket. It may feel good momentarily, but the things we don't want—our inner anxieties—always crawl back out from beneath.
If we seek true freedom, we must practice awareness every day. We must look inward to understand what lies within us and recognize the roots of our emotions. Letting go of what burdens us may be more important than anything we could ever strive to achieve.
I am choosing to set aside five minutes of silence each day to look within. I ask myself: What must I let go of today? How can I release it more gracefully? If I practice this small act of letting go every day, I trust that I will move one step closer to true freedom than I was yesterday. I pray that you, too, may find a deeper sense of peace in your heart today.
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