The five faces of freedom

The five faces of freedom

August 2023

The five faces of freedom With the 15th of August round the corner, Megha Bajaj celebrates by sharing what freedom means to her 

Come August, my mind tunes  

in to Independence Day. I  keep wondering what it took  our countrymen to claim freedom.  I am taken back to times of revolts,  revolutions, and yes, Mahatma  Gandhi. As August approaches, I  can’t help but wonder what freedom  means to me. I realise it has a  different connotation in each aspect  of my life. 

• Freedom of Health 

True freedom in any form can be  experienced with a healthy body.  Unless the body is free of aches,  pains, and diseases, at some point  or the other, it will enslave us. I’ve  found that eating consciously and  getting enough physical activity as  well as deep sleep is not a luxury but  a necessity. Strangely, giving some  time, energy, and love to the body  frees me of it because, consequently,  it does not remind me of its niggling  presence the whole day long. This  August, I determine to treat my body  with even greater respect, so that, in  turn, it can gift me true freedom.  From itself.  

• Financial freedom 

Financial security offers financial  freedom. What gives you this feeling  of security is extremely subjective:  for some, even a little may be  enough, and for others, even having  a lot may not. I was someone who  never consciously thought of money.  It was something that came and  went, and something that I used.  

Sometimes, it did cause me worry.  However, about five years ago, I  met a mentor who started guiding  me about financial freedom and  made me understand my assets,  my liabilities, my expenses, and  my income, and made me come  up with a proper plan that tracks  how I’m doing month on month.  Somehow, the kind of security  that this has given me has been  so immense, that for once, I feel  that money is no longer an anxiety  in my mind. Rather, it’s a kind  of freedom, and I have this sense  that I have more than enough at  all times. It feels good. Very good. 

• Freedom to do what you love What you do from the time you  wake up to the time you sleep  defines your life. Each one of  us is on a journey of our own,  and the soul finds its succour in  different ways. For me, I realised  early enough that writing is  something that gives me the  deepest happiness. Despite being  told by everyone that writers don’t  earn money and being guided to  make it a hobby, I chose it as a  purpose. Today (as I touch eight figure turnovers and have found a  voice through it), I can happily say  that when you follow your passion,  other things automatically follow;  when you take up a job only  because it gives you money, you  feel incomplete. 

Freedom in relationships 

Freedom in relationships, to me,  is being able to sustain myself  as I am while allowing the other  to remain their authentic self.  Freedom is when there’s room for  disagreement without disrespect. In  a relationship marked by freedom  love keeps growing, and enables me  to become a better me. While this  area is constantly in progress, I’m  happy to say that a few little shifts— like becoming a lot more accepting  towards myself and the other,  and cherishing differences—have  brought about much peace. 

• Spiritual Freedom  

The true meaning of life is to discover  who I am. Who is Megha Bajaj and  what is she here to do? Each day  that I live, filled with purpose and  peace, I feel a sense of deeper and  growing freedom. Meditation has  been an integral part of my life, and  those few minutes of connecting to  the Higher has kept me anchored  through life and all its vagaries.This  August, I urge each one of you to ask  as our country walks into the 77th  year of freedom: What does freedom  mean to me? Happy Independence  Day to you and to me. 

Megha Bajaj is a bestselling  author, film script writer and  poet.  An ardent seeker at heart, she  also runs her online writing and  healing workshops called WoW.  You can read more about her on  www.MeghaBajajWoW.com. 

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