If you identify as male in this world, it is very likely that at the base of everything you do there is a longing for freedom.
On the surface, it might appear as a desire for more money, more time, or the ability to travel and explore the world. But underneath is the urge to break free from the constraints that we have – quite literally – chosen.
Every man that I have worked with or closely known has demonstrated this deep longing in some form or another.
In the moment it might appear as a desire for truth, or love, or clarity, but for most of us the essential ingredient in our seeking is that extraordinary expansive vibration of freedom.
The challenge is that in this world, we are surrounded by constraints. Whether it be a relationship, a job, or a seeming real world “requirement”, we are bombarded by boundaries constantly. The art then of being a man is to reconcile these two extreme polarities.
Upon encountering these limits, one’s impulse might be to quit the job, or leave a relationship, or sell the house. These are fine actions to take, should they feel truly relevant in that stage of living, but they don’t scratch the ultimate itch. You see, being a man in this world, serving, living, learning, expanding is to agree to these external constraints so that one might eventually look within for the ultimate prize.
Hopefully the longing for freedom will eventually transcend the earthly plane and drive us deeper within, past the city limits of the world and into the vast domain of deep Self inquiry.
I write not about the self of the mind or personality, not the one who is constantly trying to wiggle out of the trap of the world, figuring out what to do next. No, the real Self which lies behind these expressions and is constantly and relentlessly sending the quiet whispered message of…”this way”.
For you see, it is here that true freedom resides, and it is why any sincere seeker will ultimately land in this domain. The impulse for freedom might be tricked into trying to rearrange the world, but once it matures, it will be left with no other option but to find that which was always and already powerful, luminous, and yes – truly free.
You.
