| Speaking my Peace on Freedom by Jack Kritzer Freedom is not just a word or concept that pertains to the human condition. Freedom is the basis, the fuel, that allows all things seen and unseen to participate in the unfolding of the universe, as well as shape its ultimate destiny. It is the fundamental process by which all life exists. Freedom is the breath of god. Our human existence here on this planet just scratches the surface of its unlimited power, and although we are drawing closer to its profound influence, we are still stumbling around its edges, knowing its value to some extent, but by and large seeing it as just a small part of the process of life on earth. In fact, it is the basis of all life. Freedom is best seen in its contrast between when it is allowed and when it is removed, and in looking at it in this light it can be traced back to its origin...creation. Their best interests The creation of all that exists was the beginning of freedom. For evolution to continue, all things must have the freedom to exercise whatever they decide is in their best interests, and in doing this they will interact will all other things that also are exercising their freedom. In this way, new combinations and conditions are created, or born, out of these interactions, and that insures change, which is a byproduct of freedom. You may get nervous about the phrase "exercise whatever they decide is in their best interests" stated in the previous sentence, but this is the crux of freedom. If you put any limitations or expectations or judgments on anything or anyone, you have severed the tie to freedom. If you are allowed to decide for "yourself" on every issue, or thought, or word or deed that concerns your life, then everyone else MUST be allowed to do the same. You have no business in anyone else's, unless you're invited. If humanity would adopt this one rule, then all unproductive circumstances would eventually fade into history. You have no business in anyone else's! The moment you judge another on any topic, you have slammed the doors of freedom. Freedom and judgment Freedom and judgment cannot coexist. When we judge one another, we cover the light of freedom with a veil so dark that very little light shows through. Freedom is never absent. It is like the creator, available to all who are willing to change their perception. When we judge, we drape the veil across all that we worship, and it keeps freedom hidden. The unveiling could be called joy. I am not through with judgment, but I want to speak of another subtlety that seems to escape the planet as a whole. You get what you give...you cannot have anything of value unless you give it away...and you will receive in return in proportion to what you give. I am not speaking of material things or possessions, although it works the same for these things. I speak of the quiet moments of yearning for the something better that you have always sensed but have perhaps eluded you. I speak of trust and love and honor and joy and all that honors truth. You get what you give and you cannot get around it. It is the law. Now, a closer look at judgment. We do it so often that we do not see the damage it is doing. We have been lulled and deceived into thinking if we don't have an opinion about all other things and people, then we are somehow inferior. This could not be farther from the truth. When you impose any kind of judgment, whether by thought or word or deed, you have just assumed the role of god, and now you must process all the possible ramifications of your judgment to insure that it is in the best interest of the larger picture of humanity. I do not believe that this was what you intended when you entered your judgment, nor do I believe you are capable of accomplishing this feat. Nonetheless, when you judge, you ignorantly assume this role. Judgment is a way of asserting your feeling that you are special, and you are, but this self-centered tool of judgment only pushes you further from the special you. All-consuming right Freedom is an all-consuming right of all living things, whether they exist in our sphere of knowledge and perception or not. And when one accepts and abides with the prevailing laws of the universe, then one becomes in harmony with it -- and when one chooses to think or act or verbalize contrary to its laws, one is out of harmony. And when we are out of harmony, we tend to exhibit what is considered to be negative attributes, anger, wrath, mistrust, lying and such. We judge and so we are judged. We deigned freedom to another by judging and so we have deigned it to ourself. We get what we give. In fact, when we judge another it has no impact on them unless words are spoken or action taken, otherwise the only person judgment really effects is the judge, and the effect is a denial of freedom. There is no greater feeling of freedom than allowing all others their own; its results are profound. You are, in essence, giving yourself the freedom that you graced another with and, at the same time, you are harmonizing with the higher unseen power that courses through you. There is not a single thing that pertains to the living universe that is not enhanced when freedom is offered. When it is deigning, then all life suffers, imperceptibly perhaps; the lack of freedom is the domino that starts the chain reaction toward disharmony. Who is in charge of freedom? Who is responsible for watching over its value and make sure that every effort is made to be in alignment with our source? Each individual living entity is the only one who can be the master of his or her own house. To choose in his or her best interest in concert with conscience, and the ability to do so, is what we call freedom. The "what about's" What about the neighbor who makes too much noise? Does it anger you? You know you are never angry for the reason you think. Think again about why you are angry, then tell your neighbor how you feel when he makes noise and ask him to try to be more understanding -- and offer him the freedom to do as he pleases. In most cases, you find the situation resolved. The one that is not resolved simply points out that one or the other of you is not ready for this lesson in freedom, so you must let it pass until either of you are ready to learn about this holy grace of life. What about people who kill other people? Shouldn't they be judged? No. You cannot draw a line between acceptable and not acceptable. You must understand that life weaves itself by each of us individually creating our reality and then living within it -- and ultimately there is no right or wrong. You can, however, decide if it is something acceptable to you or not, and if it is not, then don't do it. The judgment of those we perceive as criminals and the resulting capture and punishment denies them their god-given right to judge themselves and work through the process of dealing with what they have done, for if given time, it will happen no other way. The only way one can avoid recidivism is to decide for them that they have made a mistake and are willing to change. When we judge and punish, we are taking away the only meaningful avenue for a person to change. Our penal system has proven this over and over. What about kids who constantly misbehave? They have been deigned their freedom, so give it back to them. What about the way the younger people act and dress? They are exercising their freedom and you have judged them, so you are not in harmony and you feel bad. Instead of accepting responsibility for your judgment and the freedom it takes away from you, you blame them or project the problem toward them to justify your judgment and continue the never-ending spiral away from harmony. How about accepting them as they are and offering them freedom that will free you from your self-imposed exile from harmony? What about people who run down whole neighborhoods with neglect? Isn't this unfair and worthy of judgment? No. This is a lesson on the lack of freedom. Poverty is a choice that says I am unworthy to have any better and so I remain here. Poverty arises when the perceived distance between freedom and one's current position is so far, that one gives up and submits to it. What about ...(choose a circumstance)? Choose a problem and see if freedom is not the solution. Our own lessons The underlying premise of freedom that eludes us is that while we are all similar to a degree, we are simultaneously working on our own individual lessons that we tailor for ourselves -- and we learn and understand and apply them at our own rate, and in our own time. This is the primary reason why judgment is of no value. No specific benchmark exists. When we are offered freedom, we learn by leaps and bounds; when freedom is withdrawn, we are left to languish in all forms of counterproductive nature as we stumble forward. We all get it eventually. But we only get it when it is wrapped in the fabric of freedom. We all yearn for it, yet we are the ones who keep ourselves from it. There is no timetable or deadline to follow, no preconceived status or level of achievement, no order in which lessons must be learned, only the necessity and ability to learn them is the common thread of mankind. Each of us is the keeper of freedom. The sole responsibility for freedom rests with each individual, and the sum of freedom felt upon this earth is the direct result of the amount of freedom or harmony that is present at any one time. Did you think that you didn't have a voice in freedom? Think again. None of these concepts is new, and none is outside the grasp of humanity. The key to freedom, as in all things, is not just understanding it -- but practicing it. You have to live it, incorporate in into your daily life, practice it and you will become it, as well as a symbol of it. After all is said and done, the power of choice is all we really have, and each thought or action or word that emanates from you is a choice. Choose wisely. Offer it, receive it, give thanks for it, acknowledge it and pass it on. For if you don't have it, or give it, we all suffer. When you do offer it, we are all lifted. It is the most important gift of grace you can give to yourself. It is the one required offering that allows you to enter the doorway to all the beauty that exists within you, as well as all others. We are already equal, we are already perfect, we are already forgiven, we are already complete and we are already ready. The only thing that obscures our view of these truths is the lack of...freedom. Jack Kritzer was drawn to write after completing the book portion of A Course in Miracles in 2000. Upon completion, he was introduced to the "Science of Deliberate Creation" and within that information was a way by which he could connect with spirit. Because of his training as an Air Traffic Controller, as well as his lifelong need to understand things completely, Jack asked for "clear, concise communication in words that I could understand" and within weeks he was writing short pieces of an esoteric nature. It took him nearly six months to realize he was writing his own lessons, in clear, concise words that he could understand. Contact Jack at jackkritzer@hotmail.com Copyright © 2003 Jack Kritzer |
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