Actual Freedom Library

Every human is born with a primitive sense of self complete with a set of instinctual reactions (fear, aggression, nurture and desire) meant to ensure the survival of the species. Further we are imbibed with a social identity from early age consisting of the particular morals and ethics of the tribe we are born into. We further develop an individual identity within the tribe consisting mainly of the particular beliefs, customs and behaviour that appeal to us and that we take as our own.

This collection of hard-wiring and programming we fondly call ‘me’ and we then proceed into the world to make our way as best we can. No wonder everyone feels lost, lonely and frightened and develops a very, very cunning nature. This created ‘persona’ is then so dense, so convincing, so instinctually perceived as to be ‘real’, that it is taken to be ‘set in concrete’ as it were.

One has had two alternatives as a human being to date – remaining ‘normal’, accepting ‘one’s lot in life’ and doing ‘the best one can to cope with a tough life’ – or becoming religious or spiritual, joining in or believing in a particular god-based belief system that espouses that there is a better life after death.

Many came to Eastern Religions from the 60’s onwards after experiencing Pure Consciousness Experiences or similar glimpses of something other than ‘normal reality’, or as a genuine search for personal peace and a desire for global peace. These experiences and desires appeared to fit neatly with the Altered State of Consciousness of the eastern tradition of spiritual experiences. The eastern tradition also pointed to the ego, or personal self, as the ‘problem’ and was condemnatory both of the ‘real’ world and Western monotheist religions, all of which was appealing to the new converts. Thus it is that the current fad for meditation, spiritual and other feel-good experiences, denial of the physical as merely illusionary, condemnation of the body/ mind, affective imagination and Guru-worship has blossomed to epidemic proportions.

All common sense, sensate experience and sensibility are sacrificed for the utterly selfish cultivation of a ‘higher’ spiritual identity. The Eastern religions also tag on the delusionary state of Enlightenment, an extreme Altered State of Consciousness, wherein one can become God or ‘at one with God’ while still ‘in the body’. In this massive delusion one believes oneself to be Immortal, Timeless, Spaceless, Eternal and Divine. So it is that one accepts that humans are to forever fight it out and suffer or seek a fantasy fuelled imaginary escape into a ‘spirit’-ual world – a sort of ‘Beam me up, Scottie’ scenario. To call this act of denial and pseudo-transcendence ‘freedom’ is to abuse the word and make a mockery of common sense and intelligent observation.

That this whole ancient mythical scenario has lasted so long is very strange but, then again, it is only this century that has seen radical advances in technology. The amazing developments in transport, communications, health, agriculture, information technology and education, are bringing unprecedented levels of comfort, security, and well-being to an increasing number of people. It is high time that peace and harmony replace the endemic ceaseless wars and conflicts, suffering and sorrow on the planet.