Essays On Freedom

Essays on
reedom
FOUNDATION
LOGOSOPHICAL
Essays on
reedom
Essays on
reedom
st
1 Edition
2011
Belo Horizonte
Essays on
reedom
FOUNDATION
LOGOSOPHICAL
A collection of articles
written by young Logosophy
students from different
cities in Brazil
st
1 Edition
2011
Belo Horizonte
Essays on
reedom
FOUNDATION
LOGOSOPHICAL
written by young Logosophy
students from different
cities in Brazil
This book is especially intended for you,
young reader, in a stage in life in which
you face several options that will
determine your future, mainly in regard to
your moral and spiritual condition.
We hope that you will read it with an
active mind and an open heart, to
extract from each testimony
reflections that will make you think about
life in a deeper way, and thus awaken
your interest towards new knowledge.
Happy reading!
323.4

72 p.

ISBN: 978-85-60232-01-7

Essays on Freedom: a collection of articles written by
young Logosophy students from different cities in
Brazil
st.
1 ed. Logosophical Foundation, Youth Division
Belo Horizonte.
Translated by Gaston Levy a Logosophy student
1-Freedom. 2. Logosophy. 3.Title
This book is especially intended for you,
young reader, in a stage in life in which
you face several options that will
determine your future, mainly in regard to
your moral and spiritual condition.
We hope that you will read it with an
active mind and an open heart, to
extract from each testimony
reflections that will make you think about
life in a deeper way, and thus awaken
your interest towards new knowledge.
Happy reading!
323.4

72 p.

ISBN: 978-85-60232-01-7

Essays on Freedom: a collection of articles written by
young Logosophy students from different cities in
Brazil
st.
1 ed. Logosophical Foundation, Youth Division
Belo Horizonte.
Translated by Gaston Levy a Logosophy student
1-Freedom. 2. Logosophy. 3.Title
1.
Daniel Vieira Braga dos Santos So Paulo/SP
2.
Alan Caldas Simes Guarapari/ES
3. ?
Alex Caldas Simes Guarapari/ES
4.
Ana Luiza Severino Rossi de Oliveira Belo Horizonte/MG
5. ?
Fbio Weikert Bicalho Belo Horizonte/MG
6. ?
Isabela Ferreira Florianpolis/SC
7.
Jakson Guedes Joaaba/SC
8.
Lara Abdo Florianpolis/SC
9.
Lilian Marques Nagem Belo Horizonte/MG
10.
11.
Mariana Linhares Arajo Belo Horizonte/MG
Freedom and its essential concept
Breaking chains
Like sheep, they follow. Will I follow too
Am I a prisoner of my soccer team's campaign?
Who is afraid of freedom
What did school teach me
Freedom, even though delayed
Who should I obey?
Fear of making mistakes An obstacle to
young people's perspectives
All of us are free. Are we really?
To be a teacher with affection
Vanessa Mendona Soares Rio de Janeiro/RJ
Index
13
16
18
20
23
27
29
31
Introduction
9
33
36
38
1.
2.
3. ?
4.
5. ?
Fbio Weikert Bicalho Belo Horizonte/MG
6. ?
7.
8.
9.
Lilian Marques Nagem Belo Horizonte/MG
10.
11.
Freedom and its essential concept
Breaking chains
Like sheep, they follow. Will I follow too
Am I a prisoner of my soccer team's campaign?
Who is afraid of freedom
What did school teach me
Freedom, even though delayed
Who should I obey?
Fear of making mistakes An obstacle to
All of us are free. Are we really?
To be a teacher with affection
Index
13
16
18
20
23
27
29
31
Introduction
9
33
36
38
12. ?
Mateus Fernandes Arajo Curitiba/PR
13.
Maurlio Roriz Dias So Paulo/SP
14.
Morgana Brun Florianpolis/SC
15.
Nicolas Csar Franco Belo Horizonte/MG
16.
Paulo Henrique de Franco Alcntara Braslia/DF
17.
Pedro Henrique de Andrade Corra Braslia/DF
18.
Priscila Chiavelli Pacheco So Paulo/SP
19.
Samira Nagem Lima Belo Horizonte/MG
20.
Shenara Pantaleo Ramadan Curitiba/PR
21.
Talita Franco Uberlndia/MG
22.
Tatiana Maaze Janovitz So Paulo/SP
23. F
Fernanda Rezende Mendona Goinia/GO
Do you say I don't understand
Reaping the benefits
Inner freedom
Freedom and fashion trends
The triangle
Tackling obstacles
The real modern woman
Freedom how many choices have you made so far?
Is your behavior a reflection of what you see on TV?
To be one's own boss
A masquerade ball
reedom to be free
41
43
46
49
51
54
56
59
62
64
67
70
As a subject that has been discussed for
thousands of years within the human,
economical and political circles, freedom was
selected as the topic for study amongst the
young students of Logosophy throughout the
country due to its importance in this phase of
their lives. Some of the results of this study are
published in this book. You are now invited to
share our trials and discoveries that allow us to
feel much freer internally today.
Nothing limits freedom more than one's own
ignorance. Knowledge, therefore, is the great
element that must bestow upon us the deeply
felt need for freedom. It should be noted that we
are referring here to a different type of
knowledge, one that allows us to know ourselves
and our fellowmen, while learning to position
ourselves in the world as active and conscious
elements.
Based on the logosophical conception, the
study addresses the function of the mind, of the
sensitivity and of the instinct elements that
Introduction
12. ?
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23. F
Do you say I don't understand
Inner freedom
Freedom and fashion trends
The triangle
Tackling obstacles
The real modern woman
Freedom how many choices have you made so far?
Is your behavior a reflection of what you see on TV?
A masquerade ball
reedom to be free
41
43
46
49
51
54
56
59
62
64
67
70
As a subject that has been discussed for
thousands of years within the human,
economical and political circles, freedom was
selected as the topic for study amongst the
young students of Logosophy throughout the
country due to its importance in this phase of
their lives. Some of the results of this study are
published in this book. You are now invited to
share our trials and discoveries that allow us to
feel much freer internally today.
Nothing limits freedom more than one's own
ignorance. Knowledge, therefore, is the great
element that must bestow upon us the deeply
felt need for freedom. It should be noted that we
are referring here to a different type of
knowledge, one that allows us to know ourselves
and our fellowmen, while learning to position
ourselves in the world as active and conscious
elements.
Based on the logosophical conception, the
study addresses the function of the mind, of the
sensitivity and of the instinct elements that
Introduction
constitute the human psychology and determine
our way of being and our behavior. Also, one of
the themes investigated was the mental world, or
better said, the world of ideas and thoughts, both
of which are expressed in the environments we
live in. This study unveils the power of the
thoughts psychic entities that, still unknown to
the great majority, have a powerful influence
over the individuals life and in many cases over
his destiny, without him being in the least aware
of what occurs within him.
Essays on Freedom presents through various
points of view, a number of episodes from
young peoples lives. It describes the struggle of
several individuals against the implacable power
that the thoughts exert over our life, showing
that it is possible to get to know and dominate
them, by selecting those that allow us to
experience true freedom: the freedom that
emerges from within.
Paulo Cezar Toms Salles
teacher at the Logosophical Foundation
Essays on
reedom
constitute the human psychology and determine
our way of being and our behavior. Also, one of
the themes investigated was the mental world, or
better said, the world of ideas and thoughts, both
of which are expressed in the environments we
live in. This study unveils the power of the
thoughts psychic entities that, still unknown to
the great majority, have a powerful influence
over the individuals life and in many cases over
his destiny, without him being in the least aware
of what occurs within him.
Essays on Freedom presents through various
points of view, a number of episodes from
young peoples lives. It describes the struggle of
several individuals against the implacable power
that the thoughts exert over our life, showing
that it is possible to get to know and dominate
them, by selecting those that allow us to
experience true freedom: the freedom that
emerges from within.
Paulo Cezar Toms Salles
teacher at the Logosophical Foundation
Essays on
reedom
Freedom The concept that each person is able to form of it
defines the way one understands it and lives by it. Based on the
concept that being free is not being behind bars, we can say that
in the world x millions are in prison and y millions are free. We
can t hi nk of t he t ot al i t ari an regi mes and say
thereforeThinking of those who are not economically self-
supporting, we can affirm that. And yet, I wonder whether
these conditions do in fact define freedom in its essential
meaning, or could it be that the individual who lives under a
totalitarian regime or who is behind bars may experience more
freedom than you or I? As I understand it there is a reality,
which is far more proven than any statistical data already
published and that reveals the true and sure path to broadening
the freedom of those who are seriously determined to acquire
it. The reality to which I am referring is that of the inner world,
which each individual possesses; the reality of his mind and of
his thoughts.
I have observed that an inaccurate concept of freedom is the
major factor for the lack of ability to master one's life: to some,
freedom is not having any commitments, letting things happen
as they may, and not having a schedule or clear objectives. Why
13
reedom and its
essential concept
Essays on Freedom
Freedom The concept that each person is able to form of it
defines the way one understands it and lives by it. Based on the
concept that being free is not being behind bars, we can say that
in the world x millions are in prison and y millions are free. We
can t hi nk of t he t ot al i t ari an regi mes and say
thereforeThinking of those who are not economically self-
supporting, we can affirm that. And yet, I wonder whether
these conditions do in fact define freedom in its essential
meaning, or could it be that the individual who lives under a
totalitarian regime or who is behind bars may experience more
freedom than you or I? As I understand it there is a reality,
which is far more proven than any statistical data already
published and that reveals the true and sure path to broadening
the freedom of those who are seriously determined to acquire
it. The reality to which I am referring is that of the inner world,
which each individual possesses; the reality of his mind and of
his thoughts.
I have observed that an inaccurate concept of freedom is the
major factor for the lack of ability to master one's life: to some,
freedom is not having any commitments, letting things happen
as they may, and not having a schedule or clear objectives. Why
13
reedom and its
essential concept
Essays on Freedom
do we repel the sense of order when seeking freedom? This is
due to our misunderstanding of the scheduled activities we
perform every day, which we undertake by necessity rather
than by recognizing their worth. In essence, this reflects our
lack of understanding about what we should do with our lives.
For example, if I do my work only to comply with the demands
of the company, and I notice there is no connection of my will
with my activities, an inner turmoil makes me want to get away.
On the other hand,
when we have free time, these same thoughts encourage us to
do nothing, because our will won't move unless it is under
pressure. How many times have we heard When I have time,
I will give more attention to my family; when I have time, I will
finish the final project for college; how I wish I had time to do
this or that? And when time is available, we do other things,
we get distracted, or do nothing.
And so, long periods of time are spent doing things that are not
connected to our inner self, followed by periods of doing
nothing, and life ends up being sterilized in a monotonous
repetition, in which we act like puppets driven by the thoughts
inhabiting our own mind.
I struggle fiercely to change this reality, advancing firmly
towards controlling my time and the processes that integrate
my life. By doing so, I have realized that, above all, I have to
face myself, and come to know and get in touch with my own
Quite often, the activity we undertake has a connection
with what we want for our life, but the thoughts we harbor
in our mind dont allow us to notice it.
reality, seeking a continuous self-betterment since I can obtain
discipline and direction in using my time but still continue to be
managed by thoughts. For instance: during my childhood and
adolescence, I was a model student at school. I was never
behind with my homework and distributed my time quite
appropriately. I focused on the lessons in the classroom and
studied them as soon as I got home. I did it in an impressive
consistent way. This was an excellent endeavor that brought
me great benefits. However, the cause was not a formed
conviction on the importance of studying. The dominant
thoughts in these circumstances were: get rid of the obligation
to be able to indulge in the things I liked most and be the first in
my class in order to satisfy my vanity.
Therefore, I repeat, since I have proven it often, that we need
to dig deep until we discover the causes of our actions and then
change them through the free determination of our own
intelligence. Only then, will we stop being led like meek sheep
by the series of thoughts that dominate our life and prevent us
from doing and being what we want the most.
What happened to me
happens to many people in the world who, although
displaying an apparent freedom, find themselves as much
imprisoned, or more, as those who dont have this same
understanding or ability to put their activities in order.
15 14 Essays on Freedom
do we repel the sense of order when seeking freedom? This is
due to our misunderstanding of the scheduled activities we
perform every day, which we undertake by necessity rather
than by recognizing their worth. In essence, this reflects our
lack of understanding about what we should do with our lives.
For example, if I do my work only to comply with the demands
of the company, and I notice there is no connection of my will
with my activities, an inner turmoil makes me want to get away.
On the other hand,
when we have free time, these same thoughts encourage us to
do nothing, because our will won't move unless it is under
pressure. How many times have we heard When I have time,
I will give more attention to my family; when I have time, I will
finish the final project for college; how I wish I had time to do
this or that? And when time is available, we do other things,
we get distracted, or do nothing.
And so, long periods of time are spent doing things that are not
connected to our inner self, followed by periods of doing
nothing, and life ends up being sterilized in a monotonous
repetition, in which we act like puppets driven by the thoughts
inhabiting our own mind.
I struggle fiercely to change this reality, advancing firmly
towards controlling my time and the processes that integrate
my life. By doing so, I have realized that, above all, I have to
face myself, and come to know and get in touch with my own
Quite often, the activity we undertake has a connection
with what we want for our life, but the thoughts we harbor
in our mind dont allow us to notice it.
reality, seeking a continuous self-betterment since I can obtain
discipline and direction in using my time but still continue to be
managed by thoughts. For instance: during my childhood and
adolescence, I was a model student at school. I was never
behind with my homework and distributed my time quite
appropriately. I focused on the lessons in the classroom and
studied them as soon as I got home. I did it in an impressive
consistent way. This was an excellent endeavor that brought
me great benefits. However, the cause was not a formed
conviction on the importance of studying. The dominant
thoughts in these circumstances were: get rid of the obligation
to be able to indulge in the things I liked most and be the first in
my class in order to satisfy my vanity.
Therefore, I repeat, since I have proven it often, that we need
to dig deep until we discover the causes of our actions and then
change them through the free determination of our own
intelligence. Only then, will we stop being led like meek sheep
by the series of thoughts that dominate our life and prevent us
from doing and being what we want the most.
What happened to me
happens to many people in the world who, although
displaying an apparent freedom, find themselves as much
imprisoned, or more, as those who dont have this same
understanding or ability to put their activities in order.
Since I was very young, I imagined that when I grew up and
was economically stable, I would be free to move and do
whatever I wanted. I would not need my parents' permission
to travel since I'd have enough money to pay for my expenses.
I would therefore be free and independent! And yet, many
times, to attend to the clamor of my will, I needed something
beyond that
Quite often, I did have the time, the opportunity and the desire
to express my appreciation or admiration toward a friend or a
relative, but my shyness blocked me from doing so. At times, I
wanted to study a bit harder and dedicate myself to the
university or to work, but my lack of will power and laziness
stopped me. At other times, I tried to be friendly and pleasant
with my classmates and co-workers, but I was unable to do so as
my impatience, intolerance and abruptness prevented me
from doing so.
These and other situations in which I was unable to respect my
will and exercise my freedom as I wish led me to the following
question: Am I free to do what I wish or do I obey what bossy
thoughts order me to do?
16
One day, I noticed a large ship anchored in the harbor. It was
so huge that next to it I was only a small dot on the ground. A
ship that size could sail on any and every ocean. As I observed it
more closely, I saw a huge chain that tied it to the pier. And so,
in order for the ship to be able to move, it was necessary to
remove the chains, otherwise its movements would always be
restricted.
On many occasions, I felt just like this gigantic ship, full of
potential but anchored to the dock and limited by tyrant
thoughts that chained my mind and limited my freedom. Such
thoughts are of a negative nature and can be called
psychological deficiencies, which in spite of exercising strong
pressure over my will can be eliminated through the
logosophical method of individual self-betterment.
Self-knowledge and the knowledge of the thoughts are
essential to acquire freedom, which does not entail simply
to come and go, but rather to conquer the emancipation of
one's mind, leading us to experience life in a totally new
and happier way.
17
Breaking
chains
Essays on Freedom
Since I was very young, I imagined that when I grew up and
was economically stable, I would be free to move and do
whatever I wanted. I would not need my parents' permission
to travel since I'd have enough money to pay for my expenses.
I would therefore be free and independent! And yet, many
times, to attend to the clamor of my will, I needed something
beyond that
Quite often, I did have the time, the opportunity and the desire
to express my appreciation or admiration toward a friend or a
relative, but my shyness blocked me from doing so. At times, I
wanted to study a bit harder and dedicate myself to the
university or to work, but my lack of will power and laziness
stopped me. At other times, I tried to be friendly and pleasant
with my classmates and co-workers, but I was unable to do so as
my impatience, intolerance and abruptness prevented me
from doing so.
These and other situations in which I was unable to respect my
will and exercise my freedom as I wish led me to the following
question: Am I free to do what I wish or do I obey what bossy
thoughts order me to do?
16
One day, I noticed a large ship anchored in the harbor. It was
so huge that next to it I was only a small dot on the ground. A
ship that size could sail on any and every ocean. As I observed it
more closely, I saw a huge chain that tied it to the pier. And so,
in order for the ship to be able to move, it was necessary to
remove the chains, otherwise its movements would always be
restricted.
On many occasions, I felt just like this gigantic ship, full of
potential but anchored to the dock and limited by tyrant
thoughts that chained my mind and limited my freedom. Such
thoughts are of a negative nature and can be called
psychological deficiencies, which in spite of exercising strong
pressure over my will can be eliminated through the
logosophical method of individual self-betterment.
Self-knowledge and the knowledge of the thoughts are
essential to acquire freedom, which does not entail simply
to come and go, but rather to conquer the emancipation of
one's mind, leading us to experience life in a totally new
and happier way.
17
Breaking
chains
Essays on Freedom
Everything began sometime ago. I didn't know what was
happening but the ambiance of the places I usually frequented
didn't satisfy me anymore. You know what it's like when you
feel out of place or you have nothing to talk about in places that
seemed very cool before?
At that time, I lived with a group of friends on a small campus in
the countryside of Minas Gerais. We were all young and were
studying. It was quite hard to learn how to live with people who
were so different from me, but the most difficult task was to
make my own life choices, as I could not depend on my
parents' assistance anymore. This situation frightened me a
little and made me think about the responsibility I have to
conduct my life towards a higher objective.
On weekends, everyone in the house always went out to party.
It was fun, for some time anyway. After a while, I began to
notice that most of the places I went to brought no joy. Some
friends celebrated drinking time as a crowning event, as if the
most important thing of youth was to live in a state of
euphoria. Butif that kind of atmosphere didnt make me
happy, why did I go? What was it that made me hop from one
18
place to the other without having control over my own life?
Later, I noticed that what was guiding my life were not my
thoughts but the thoughts of others.
I began, therefore, to be more attentive. I was once invited to
go somewhere I disliked, even though I had been there
several times. I said that I couldnt go because I had to study. I
felt a little sad, not knowing why. Then it dawned on me that I
felt disloyal to myself. I said that I had to study when in fact I
didn't have to I had made up an excuse so they would leave
me alone.
After a while, the same thing happened and I remembered
how bad I had felt.
At night I went to sleep with a different sensation. I felt cheerful
although no one had told me a joke. This was a new sensation.
It felt so good to defend my values! I discovered that when I
make a choice in my daily life, my conscience says yes.
My friends were going to parties without knowing what took
them there. From that day onward, I began to go to places
knowing the reason why I went. I think this is the feeling we get
when we begin to think for ourselves: if everyone else follows
like sheep, I only follow myself.
I gathered my courage and said to my
friend: Thank you but I am not going because I dislike
that environment. To my surprise, he said that he disliked
it too but that he went because everybody did.
19
Like sheep, they follow.
Will I follow too?

Essays on Freedom
Everything began sometime ago. I didn't know what was
happening but the ambiance of the places I usually frequented
didn't satisfy me anymore. You know what it's like when you
feel out of place or you have nothing to talk about in places that
seemed very cool before?
At that time, I lived with a group of friends on a small campus in
the countryside of Minas Gerais. We were all young and were
studying. It was quite hard to learn how to live with people who
were so different from me, but the most difficult task was to
make my own life choices, as I could not depend on my
parents' assistance anymore. This situation frightened me a
little and made me think about the responsibility I have to
conduct my life towards a higher objective.
On weekends, everyone in the house always went out to party.
It was fun, for some time anyway. After a while, I began to
notice that most of the places I went to brought no joy. Some
friends celebrated drinking time as a crowning event, as if the
most important thing of youth was to live in a state of
euphoria. Butif that kind of atmosphere didnt make me
happy, why did I go? What was it that made me hop from one
18
place to the other without having control over my own life?
Later, I noticed that what was guiding my life were not my
thoughts but the thoughts of others.
I began, therefore, to be more attentive. I was once invited to
go somewhere I disliked, even though I had been there
several times. I said that I couldnt go because I had to study. I
felt a little sad, not knowing why. Then it dawned on me that I
felt disloyal to myself. I said that I had to study when in fact I
didn't have to I had made up an excuse so they would leave
me alone.
After a while, the same thing happened and I remembered
how bad I had felt.
At night I went to sleep with a different sensation. I felt cheerful
although no one had told me a joke. This was a new sensation.
It felt so good to defend my values! I discovered that when I
make a choice in my daily life, my conscience says yes.
My friends were going to parties without knowing what took
them there. From that day onward, I began to go to places
knowing the reason why I went. I think this is the feeling we get
when we begin to think for ourselves: if everyone else follows
like sheep, I only follow myself.
I gathered my courage and said to my
friend: Thank you but I am not going because I dislike
that environment. To my surprise, he said that he disliked
it too but that he went because everybody did.
19
Like sheep, they follow.
Will I follow too?

Essays on Freedom
We all know someone who is a fan of a band, a celebrity or a
soccer team. It is quite common that this sensation, felt
wholeheartedly, emerges as an unconditional passion often
influenced since childhood by the father, the grandfather or the
uncle. This fan's mood changes according to the performance
of his team. If his team wins, he is happy and enthusiastic while
mocking others who root for another team. However, if his
team loses, there begins his torment; he does not accept to be
made the laughing stock and becomes irritated and sad.
I used to be stuck in this reality. Something, however, bothered
me a lot.
One day, my friends and I decided to get together in a
restaurant to catch up. Everything was going well, we were
joking and laughing a lot until a friend of one of the girls arrived
and sat down with us.
But what was the problem? What was wrong? I discovered that
he was a fan of a team rival to mine. We soon began talking
about soccer, each defending his team and ridiculing the other
team. Our tone of voice began to rise as each one wanted to
impose his opinion on the other, thus creating a negative
atmosphere around the table.
After a while, one of the girls said: That's enough. Let's end this
discussion. Her friend immediately stood up and left the table.
My mind was in a whirlwind and, at the same time, I felt upset
for what had occurred. I wanted to hide under the table.
Moments later, with a more serene mind I began
contemplating my own attitude, within my inner world, trying to
identify the cause of feeling so uneasy in such situations. It had
not been the first time that I behaved that way. After all, since
many people act this way I believed it to be a normal attitude.
This thought belongs to a negative mental
force that utilizes the minds with similar thoughts in order to
gain strength and act out. The greater the number of minds that
it can take over, the faster it will expand.
This thought was so dominant in me that many people
identified me with my team and only wanted to talk about
soccer with me. As a result, I missed many opportunities to get
to know people better, to express my way of thinking and to
generate pleasant discussions that would allow me to bond with
them through other positive thoughts.
Having clearly noticed the damage I was inflicting on myself
made me happy. As I now discovered the cause of so many
I identified something important within me: the existence
of a thought that deprives me of the freedom to feel and
think fanaticism.
21 20
Am I a prisoner of my
soccer team's campaign?

Essays on Freedom
We all know someone who is a fan of a band, a celebrity or a
soccer team. It is quite common that this sensation, felt
wholeheartedly, emerges as an unconditional passion often
influenced since childhood by the father, the grandfather or the
uncle. This fan's mood changes according to the performance
of his team. If his team wins, he is happy and enthusiastic while
mocking others who root for another team. However, if his
team loses, there begins his torment; he does not accept to be
made the laughing stock and becomes irritated and sad.
I used to be stuck in this reality. Something, however, bothered
me a lot.
One day, my friends and I decided to get together in a
restaurant to catch up. Everything was going well, we were
joking and laughing a lot until a friend of one of the girls arrived
and sat down with us.
But what was the problem? What was wrong? I discovered that
he was a fan of a team rival to mine. We soon began talking
about soccer, each defending his team and ridiculing the other
team. Our tone of voice began to rise as each one wanted to
impose his opinion on the other, thus creating a negative
atmosphere around the table.
After a while, one of the girls said: That's enough. Let's end this
discussion. Her friend immediately stood up and left the table.
My mind was in a whirlwind and, at the same time, I felt upset
for what had occurred. I wanted to hide under the table.
Moments later, with a more serene mind I began
contemplating my own attitude, within my inner world, trying to
identify the cause of feeling so uneasy in such situations. It had
not been the first time that I behaved that way. After all, since
many people act this way I believed it to be a normal attitude.
This thought belongs to a negative mental
force that utilizes the minds with similar thoughts in order to
gain strength and act out. The greater the number of minds that
it can take over, the faster it will expand.
This thought was so dominant in me that many people
identified me with my team and only wanted to talk about
soccer with me. As a result, I missed many opportunities to get
to know people better, to express my way of thinking and to
generate pleasant discussions that would allow me to bond with
them through other positive thoughts.
Having clearly noticed the damage I was inflicting on myself
made me happy. As I now discovered the cause of so many
I identified something important within me: the existence
of a thought that deprives me of the freedom to feel and
think fanaticism.
21 20
Am I a prisoner of my
soccer team's campaign?

Essays on Freedom
unhappy moments, I perceived the possibility of changing this
characteristic. From that day onwards, I started to intensify my
studies on self-knowledge and to analyze my experiences
scientifically. I was now able to fight this psychological
shortcoming by creating and strengthening positive thoughts,
which helped me in my daily struggles, such as: affability,
restraint and self- confidence. I practiced them in my new way
of thinking, talking and acting.
There was no need to give up rooting for my team. I learned
that I must train this thought in order to overcome it, and not
allow the opposite to occur.
Please sit down. I have bad news for you.
My God! What is it, doctor?
I just went through your tests and
And what, doctor? Please tell me!
I am sorry to say that you suffer from eleuterophobia.
Eleuterowhat?
Eleuterophobia. In other words, you are afraid of freedom.
Afraid of freedom? Are you sure doctor? And what should I
do about it?
***
Even though it may seem somewhat unlikely at least regarding
the way it was presented the scene in which the patient hears a
diagnosis of fear of freedom is not impossible. Although this
sounds absurd maybe because it is in fact absurd it is not
uncommon to meet people who are afraid of being free. Quite
often, such situations occur with us due to the fear of freedom.
To my surprise, I identified in me the fear of being free. Is it
possible to fear, even unconsciously, something regarded by
Fbio Weikert Bicalho Belo Horizonte /MG
23 22
Who is afraid
of freedom?
Essays on Freedom
unhappy moments, I perceived the possibility of changing this
characteristic. From that day onwards, I started to intensify my
studies on self-knowledge and to analyze my experiences
scientifically. I was now able to fight this psychological
shortcoming by creating and strengthening positive thoughts,
which helped me in my daily struggles, such as: affability,
restraint and self- confidence. I practiced them in my new way
of thinking, talking and acting.
There was no need to give up rooting for my team. I learned
that I must train this thought in order to overcome it, and not
allow the opposite to occur.
Please sit down. I have bad news for you.
My God! What is it, doctor?
I just went through your tests and
And what, doctor? Please tell me!
I am sorry to say that you suffer from eleuterophobia.
Eleuterowhat?
Eleuterophobia. In other words, you are afraid of freedom.
Afraid of freedom? Are you sure doctor? And what should I
do about it?
***
Even though it may seem somewhat unlikely at least regarding
the way it was presented the scene in which the patient hears a
diagnosis of fear of freedom is not impossible. Although this
sounds absurd maybe because it is in fact absurd it is not
uncommon to meet people who are afraid of being free. Quite
often, such situations occur with us due to the fear of freedom.
To my surprise, I identified in me the fear of being free. Is it
possible to fear, even unconsciously, something regarded by
Fbio Weikert Bicalho Belo Horizonte /MG
23 22
Who is afraid
of freedom?
Essays on Freedom
all as good and desirable? Would it not be more reasonable to
detect within oneself the fear of heights or of being in closed
quarters, of flying cockroaches or maybe fear of the legendary
Boogeyman?
The first of these causes is related to the fact that freedom
continues to be, by and large, an unknown reality. It is
important to clarify, at this point, that we are not referring here
to the freedom of an act within the law or the freedom related
to political, economical or legal aspects. We are referring to the
inner scope of this concept, that is, the freedom of thinking and
making decisions, which bestow upon our life a moral and
spiritual value.
The second cause highlights the different meanings and forms
of fear of freedom: fear of duties, of failure, of other peoples'
opinions, of change of habits, of regrets, and of new challenges.
As the great Irish playwright Bernard Shaw once stated:
freedom means responsibility. And this is why so many
people fear it. In other words, freedom constitutes a power
and, as such, it demands that one be prepared to use it. One
must admit that, for the same reason, there are those who have
great interest in maintaining others behind the bars of
ignorance and fear.
I signed my own eleuterophobia certificate, when, during my
adolescence and youth, I found myself constantly faced with
Could there actually be reasons to fear
freedom? I came to understand that such a reality does
exist and, in order to overcome it, one must first find out
why it exists.
the fear of saying no, which was an expression of fear of
freedom. During most of my life, I accepted willingly a lot of
what was proposed to me. This way, I did not have to struggle to
make decisions and I would not run the risk of offending
anyone. I sought in others the convictions I lacked, yet, many
times at the expense of going against my own way of thinking
and feeling.
Furthermore, at the
same time as I bestowed upon others the responsibility of a
possible failure, I also credited them with the merits of possible
triumphs during my learning stages.
No doubt it is easier to walk along the only path available no
matter how obscure or sinuous it may be. Nevertheless, what
would be the excuse for the individual to avoid exercising one's
capability of thinking and making decisions intelligently?
Would the waters of a river interrupt their flow when faced with
a fork on their course? Would a bird refuse to leave its nest for
fear of heights or of the hunger of predators?
It is precisely in the young person's life that the path to follow
splits into multiple and determining crossroads. These
choices do not only relate to the one we want to marry or to the
career we want to follow. Many of the possibilities young
people face imply, not necessarily in a clear manner, the
option between the transitory and the permanent, between
what is superfluous and what is essential to one's existence. In
The fear of saying no to others implied, in many cases,
saying no to my values, to my feelings and to everything
that I held as most noble within me.
all as good and desirable? Would it not be more reasonable to
detect within oneself the fear of heights or of being in closed
quarters, of flying cockroaches or maybe fear of the legendary
Boogeyman?
The first of these causes is related to the fact that freedom
continues to be, by and large, an unknown reality. It is
important to clarify, at this point, that we are not referring here
to the freedom of an act within the law or the freedom related
to political, economical or legal aspects. We are referring to the
inner scope of this concept, that is, the freedom of thinking and
making decisions, which bestow upon our life a moral and
spiritual value.
The second cause highlights the different meanings and forms
of fear of freedom: fear of duties, of failure, of other peoples'
opinions, of change of habits, of regrets, and of new challenges.
As the great Irish playwright Bernard Shaw once stated:
freedom means responsibility. And this is why so many
people fear it. In other words, freedom constitutes a power
and, as such, it demands that one be prepared to use it. One
must admit that, for the same reason, there are those who have
great interest in maintaining others behind the bars of
ignorance and fear.
I signed my own eleuterophobia certificate, when, during my
adolescence and youth, I found myself constantly faced with
Could there actually be reasons to fear
freedom? I came to understand that such a reality does
exist and, in order to overcome it, one must first find out
why it exists.
the fear of saying no, which was an expression of fear of
freedom. During most of my life, I accepted willingly a lot of
what was proposed to me. This way, I did not have to struggle to
make decisions and I would not run the risk of offending
anyone. I sought in others the convictions I lacked, yet, many
times at the expense of going against my own way of thinking
and feeling.
Furthermore, at the
same time as I bestowed upon others the responsibility of a
possible failure, I also credited them with the merits of possible
triumphs during my learning stages.
No doubt it is easier to walk along the only path available no
matter how obscure or sinuous it may be. Nevertheless, what
would be the excuse for the individual to avoid exercising one's
capability of thinking and making decisions intelligently?
Would the waters of a river interrupt their flow when faced with
a fork on their course? Would a bird refuse to leave its nest for
fear of heights or of the hunger of predators?
It is precisely in the young person's life that the path to follow
splits into multiple and determining crossroads. These
choices do not only relate to the one we want to marry or to the
career we want to follow. Many of the possibilities young
people face imply, not necessarily in a clear manner, the
option between the transitory and the permanent, between
what is superfluous and what is essential to one's existence. In
The fear of saying no to others implied, in many cases,
saying no to my values, to my feelings and to everything
that I held as most noble within me.
all these situations, it is necessary to be free to think, and from
there choose the most favorable path leading to the
achievement of the life one wants to build. It is precisely to this
freedom that Logosophy bestows the highest hierarchy.
Nevertheless, so as to yield to the greatest benefits, it must be
sustained by self-knowledge and by the resources that one
possesses in order to make the journey and reach the
objective that one wishes to reach and that can be expressed in
synthesis in the pointed dialogue between the Cheshire Cat
and young Alice, one of Lewis Carroll's characters If you
don't know where you are going, any path will take you there.
At this point, the reader must be wondering what the outcome
was of the meeting between the psychiatrist and the
eleuterophobic patient. We dont deem it relevant to get
back to the dialogue. Returning to the doctor's office would
mean to grant someone else the prerogatives of diagnosing
one's inner reality and identifying the possibilities of self-
betterment that it entails.
Let's allow our protagonist to experience the benefits a free
person can enjoy, and develop, like I do, the desire that in
the near future, the glimpse of freedom may prevent
awakening the fear. For now, at the most, accept the
stimulating feeling of a few butterflies in his stomach.
Most people have good memories of their time in school. And
yet when they are asked what concept or value marked their
journey through life, what will their answer be?
After a brief analysis of the current educational system used in
the elementary, secondary and college levels, one can notice
mostly the exclusive study of basic concepts pertaining to each
discipline. The student learns the alphabet, then the
polynomials and even the division of the human cell. But are
these subjects sufficient to form free human beings, capable of
creating their own thoughts, ideas, opinions, and become
masters of their own will?
We can observe that many children and young people of our
day and age have as their primary objective to obtain a passing
grade in the final exams in order to move on to the next level
the following school year. Once there, the same objective
repeats itself during the secondary period and sometimes even
all the way to college. Unfortunately, once this process is over,
human beings suffer a gradual paralysis of one part of their
mind responsible for the function of studying, since the
motivation for learning used in school stopped there.
27 26
What did school
teach me?
Essays on Freedom
all these situations, it is necessary to be free to think, and from
there choose the most favorable path leading to the
achievement of the life one wants to build. It is precisely to this
freedom that Logosophy bestows the highest hierarchy.
Nevertheless, so as to yield to the greatest benefits, it must be
sustained by self-knowledge and by the resources that one
possesses in order to make the journey and reach the
objective that one wishes to reach and that can be expressed in
synthesis in the pointed dialogue between the Cheshire Cat
and young Alice, one of Lewis Carroll's characters If you
don't know where you are going, any path will take you there.
At this point, the reader must be wondering what the outcome
was of the meeting between the psychiatrist and the
eleuterophobic patient. We dont deem it relevant to get
back to the dialogue. Returning to the doctor's office would
mean to grant someone else the prerogatives of diagnosing
one's inner reality and identifying the possibilities of self-
betterment that it entails.
Let's allow our protagonist to experience the benefits a free
person can enjoy, and develop, like I do, the desire that in
the near future, the glimpse of freedom may prevent
awakening the fear. For now, at the most, accept the
stimulating feeling of a few butterflies in his stomach.
Most people have good memories of their time in school. And
yet when they are asked what concept or value marked their
journey through life, what will their answer be?
After a brief analysis of the current educational system used in
the elementary, secondary and college levels, one can notice
mostly the exclusive study of basic concepts pertaining to each
discipline. The student learns the alphabet, then the
polynomials and even the division of the human cell. But are
these subjects sufficient to form free human beings, capable of
creating their own thoughts, ideas, opinions, and become
masters of their own will?
We can observe that many children and young people of our
day and age have as their primary objective to obtain a passing
grade in the final exams in order to move on to the next level
the following school year. Once there, the same objective
repeats itself during the secondary period and sometimes even
all the way to college. Unfortunately, once this process is over,
human beings suffer a gradual paralysis of one part of their
mind responsible for the function of studying, since the
motivation for learning used in school stopped there.
27 26
What did school
teach me?
Essays on Freedom
We found that on many occasions an adult does not utilize
all the potential of the faculties of his intelligence such as
reasoning, thinking and judging. This adult has limited
freedom to think and is stuck to the habit of studying in a
mnemonic modality, in which only the faculty of memory is
activated. This individual has been used to studying for short-
term objectives.
It should be said that the education of children and adolescents
must be based upon concepts that strengthen their minds and
create in them defenses to help face the struggles of adult life.
Some of the topics that could be included are: the value of
one's effort, the importance of friendship and its development,
and the need for affection in human relationships. What kind
of adults will they turn out to be when raised within these
concepts? Will they know how to defend themselves against
the fears inculcated in them by extremist ideologies and
illusions of all types? Will this increase their freedom?
In this scenario, there is a true and useful need to include these
values in the educational program of children and adolescents.
These concepts will stimulate the usage of all the faculties of
their intelligence, contributing towards the shaping of freer
individuals, psychologically empowered. And only then, when
asked the question of this article, will many be able to respond:
Yes, at school I was introduced to a new concept that has
marked my journey through life.
Since man first inhabited this world, freedom has been the
human condition most sought after. But where is true
freedom, since man continues his quest?
Everyone seeks freedom for one's own life. What kind of life
do they visualize with the freedom they seek? Do they relate it
to the economical, social, family or individual drawbacks that
are common to any human being?
What currently most imprisons man and especially young
people is the lack of will power, particularly regarding the act of
thinking. The key to true freedom resides precisely in man's
mind, where the process of self-knowledge begins. It is not only
a question of freedom of opinion true freedom is freedom of
thinking without the influence of beliefs, prejudices or other
people's opinions.
One day, as I was walking down the street, I began to observe
the places around me. Passing by a bakery, I smelled the aroma
of freshly baked bread. I imagined how crunchy it would be
and in a fraction of a second this thought was already lodged in
my mind. I resisted the thought and continued to walk. Later
29 28
reedom,
even though delayed
Essays on Freedom
We found that on many occasions an adult does not utilize
all the potential of the faculties of his intelligence such as
reasoning, thinking and judging. This adult has limited
freedom to think and is stuck to the habit of studying in a
mnemonic modality, in which only the faculty of memory is
activated. This individual has been used to studying for short-
term objectives.
It should be said that the education of children and adolescents
must be based upon concepts that strengthen their minds and
create in them defenses to help face the struggles of adult life.
Some of the topics that could be included are: the value of
one's effort, the importance of friendship and its development,
and the need for affection in human relationships. What kind
of adults will they turn out to be when raised within these
concepts? Will they know how to defend themselves against
the fears inculcated in them by extremist ideologies and
illusions of all types? Will this increase their freedom?
In this scenario, there is a true and useful need to include these
values in the educational program of children and adolescents.
These concepts will stimulate the usage of all the faculties of
their intelligence, contributing towards the shaping of freer
individuals, psychologically empowered. And only then, when
asked the question of this article, will many be able to respond:
Yes, at school I was introduced to a new concept that has
marked my journey through life.
Since man first inhabited this world, freedom has been the
human condition most sought after. But where is true
freedom, since man continues his quest?
Everyone seeks freedom for one's own life. What kind of life
do they visualize with the freedom they seek? Do they relate it
to the economical, social, family or individual drawbacks that
are common to any human being?
What currently most imprisons man and especially young
people is the lack of will power, particularly regarding the act of
thinking. The key to true freedom resides precisely in man's
mind, where the process of self-knowledge begins. It is not only
a question of freedom of opinion true freedom is freedom of
thinking without the influence of beliefs, prejudices or other
people's opinions.
One day, as I was walking down the street, I began to observe
the places around me. Passing by a bakery, I smelled the aroma
of freshly baked bread. I imagined how crunchy it would be
and in a fraction of a second this thought was already lodged in
my mind. I resisted the thought and continued to walk. Later
29 28
reedom,
even though delayed
Essays on Freedom
on, I saw a store that sold everything from pens to kitchen
appliances. I didn't need anything but I flirted with the thought
of buying, which was very agile, seductive and as powerful as
the first one. When I reached my original destination, the
market, I purchased what I had intended to get and returned
home feeling freer than ever, as I had not succumbed to any of
the thoughts that were extraneous to my will.
Understanding how the thoughts act makes it possible to
gradually reach the conquest of true freedom. There will be no
more engrained beliefs or prejudices, nor suggestive opinions
that make man follow the masses and lose his individuality. As
he learns how to guide his steps according to his own will, man
will no longer need to imagine Eden since he will be able to
build his own real paradise, where his mind, now free, will
become conscious of everything it does and of everything that
moves within it.
Freedom, man! Even though delayed.
Could I have found what man had been seeking for
centuries and centuries? Could it be that what he has
searched for so long in others was actually inside his own
self? Could I have found true freedom?
When I was younger, to me obedience was doing what my
parents asked me to do. As I was growing up and observed
what happened around me, I realized that I had to be obedient
not only at home but in many other places and situations. For
example: to wait for my turn to be seated in a restaurant, to stop
at a red traffic light or to get to my appointments on time.
One day, I wondered what would happen if I didnt obey the
rules in similar situations. I then realized that such rules exist
for my own good and that when I follow them, it benefits me
and others as well.
During my adolescent years, I spent one year abroad, and that's
when I had my first important experience with freedom. My
parents, who had until then guided me about what I could and
could not do, were thousands of miles away and could not be
called upon at every step I took. I was forced therefore to make
my own choices and set the limits to my freedom.
As I experienced events in my life, I noticed that I didnt act
any differently than I would if my parents had been
present. Based on the results of my decisions, I came to
understand why my parents' guidance was truly the best.
31 30
Who should I obey?
Essays on Freedom
on, I saw a store that sold everything from pens to kitchen
appliances. I didn't need anything but I flirted with the thought
of buying, which was very agile, seductive and as powerful as
the first one. When I reached my original destination, the
market, I purchased what I had intended to get and returned
home feeling freer than ever, as I had not succumbed to any of
the thoughts that were extraneous to my will.
Understanding how the thoughts act makes it possible to
gradually reach the conquest of true freedom. There will be no
more engrained beliefs or prejudices, nor suggestive opinions
that make man follow the masses and lose his individuality. As
he learns how to guide his steps according to his own will, man
will no longer need to imagine Eden since he will be able to
build his own real paradise, where his mind, now free, will
become conscious of everything it does and of everything that
moves within it.
Freedom, man! Even though delayed.
Could I have found what man had been seeking for
centuries and centuries? Could it be that what he has
searched for so long in others was actually inside his own
self? Could I have found true freedom?
When I was younger, to me obedience was doing what my
parents asked me to do. As I was growing up and observed
what happened around me, I realized that I had to be obedient
not only at home but in many other places and situations. For
example: to wait for my turn to be seated in a restaurant, to stop
at a red traffic light or to get to my appointments on time.
One day, I wondered what would happen if I didnt obey the
rules in similar situations. I then realized that such rules exist
for my own good and that when I follow them, it benefits me
and others as well.
During my adolescent years, I spent one year abroad, and that's
when I had my first important experience with freedom. My
parents, who had until then guided me about what I could and
could not do, were thousands of miles away and could not be
called upon at every step I took. I was forced therefore to make
my own choices and set the limits to my freedom.
As I experienced events in my life, I noticed that I didnt act
any differently than I would if my parents had been
present. Based on the results of my decisions, I came to
understand why my parents' guidance was truly the best.
31 30
Who should I obey?
Essays on Freedom
When I simply obeyed in a passive way, I did not think, and for
this reason I had difficulty in obeying.
I first have to obey myself,
that is, obey the will that is dictated by my thinking and feeling.
Since then I feel freer. To obey myself does not
prevent me from obeying other people or circumstances. It is
simply an invitation to experience the same situations in a
conscious manner. The possibility of thinking, reflecting and
reasoning when facing situations is an opportunity that has
contributed to expand my own freedom and my life.
As soon as I began to
reflect upon what I really thought and felt about the
situations, I started to perceive what was truly correct and
to whom I owed my obedience.
Some may think that it is determined by God, others believe
that it is simply a social convention. But, regardless of the
concept that each person has of MISTAKES, the fact is that the
great majority does not like making mistakes and even fears it.
What are the consequences of the fear of making mistakes in
the life of young people who are trying to build their future?
A youngster, who moves out of childhood and with time begins
to acquire more control, empowerment, and responsibility in
regard to his future, is constantly concerned about making the
right decisions in order to reach his goals. However, as there
are so many new situations demanding specific knowledge,
which he does not possess, two sensations emerge: insecurity
regarding how to act and the fear of making mistakes.
It is natural for the teenager to feel insecure and uncomfortable
in the process of building his confidence, which must be based
on the experience he will acquire. The problem is that when
insecurity is transformed into fear of making mistakes, it can
Llian Marques Nagem Belo Horizonte/MG
33 32
ear of making mistakes
An obstacle to
Essays on Freedom
When I simply obeyed in a passive way, I did not think, and for
this reason I had difficulty in obeying.
I first have to obey myself,
that is, obey the will that is dictated by my thinking and feeling.
Since then I feel freer. To obey myself does not
prevent me from obeying other people or circumstances. It is
simply an invitation to experience the same situations in a
conscious manner. The possibility of thinking, reflecting and
reasoning when facing situations is an opportunity that has
contributed to expand my own freedom and my life.
As soon as I began to
reflect upon what I really thought and felt about the
situations, I started to perceive what was truly correct and
to whom I owed my obedience.
Some may think that it is determined by God, others believe
that it is simply a social convention. But, regardless of the
concept that each person has of MISTAKES, the fact is that the
great majority does not like making mistakes and even fears it.
What are the consequences of the fear of making mistakes in
the life of young people who are trying to build their future?
A youngster, who moves out of childhood and with time begins
to acquire more control, empowerment, and responsibility in
regard to his future, is constantly concerned about making the
right decisions in order to reach his goals. However, as there
are so many new situations demanding specific knowledge,
which he does not possess, two sensations emerge: insecurity
regarding how to act and the fear of making mistakes.
It is natural for the teenager to feel insecure and uncomfortable
in the process of building his confidence, which must be based
on the experience he will acquire. The problem is that when
insecurity is transformed into fear of making mistakes, it can
Llian Marques Nagem Belo Horizonte/MG
33 32
ear of making mistakes
An obstacle to
Essays on Freedom
entail severe consequences in the young person's life, limiting
his freedom to act, and even to think.
A closer look shows that this fear
can even prevent the young person from undertaking new
projects and building great plans, because he already anticipates
that they will be interrupted by the inevitable error.
Another consequence of this fear is the tendency to follow
what others have done or what others think, instead of trusting
one's own intelligence and choosing the path one deems to be
the best. It is quite common for young people to let go of
choices they believe are right -- and could be excellent for their
life,-- in order to follow a common path for fear of going
wrong by doing things differently.
We know only too well the importance of the advice and
observations given by elders or others. But we also know that
the process of analyzing an advice or using other peoples'
experience in order to make a decision must be made
consciously and be based on the individual's reflection and
understanding, and not on the fear of making a mistake, or on
laziness to think for oneself.
No one in his right mind would make a mistake or would be
wrong on purpose. Nor would anyone make a mistake and
For instance, if a mistake, which was the final result of a
great effort, is regarded as failure, then the adolescent loses
energies and believes it means he is incapable of reaching
his goals. In this case, the mistake becomes a limiting factor
and nullifies his objective to do more, to achieve more and
to conquer greater things.
remain indifferent to it. But certainly there is a more intelligent
and freer manner to deal with mistakes.
For Logosophy, the error resides in one's mind and is the result
of the lack of knowledge or of consciousness concerning the
elements that intervene in each situation. Considering that no
human being possesses all the knowledge that exists in
Creation, would it not be logical to consider error as a natural
thing and even as something necessary to our lives? Quite
often, through the analysis of an error, we discover exactly what
was missing to make something right.
Hence, from the moment the young person wants to reach a
new reality, as for example to acquire aptitudes and cognitions
that he does not possess yet, it is logical to think that a process
through which he will learn and develop the skills he lacks is
necessary. In doing so, he will know that in this path errors will
be the natural consequence of this new attempt. This is why it
becomes necessary to turn the fear of making mistakes into the
joy of fighting, into the courage to know one's own reality and
by one's efforts achieve what each conquest demands.
To be free to make mistakes, to be free to correct them and to
be free to learn from these mistakes is a right that we all have.
Nevertheless, each one is responsible for constructing this right
successfully within oneself.

Making mistakes is part of life and is, naturally part of the
path that we have to cover to reach our objectives.
entail severe consequences in the young person's life, limiting
his freedom to act, and even to think.
A closer look shows that this fear
can even prevent the young person from undertaking new
projects and building great plans, because he already anticipates
that they will be interrupted by the inevitable error.
Another consequence of this fear is the tendency to follow
what others have done or what others think, instead of trusting
one's own intelligence and choosing the path one deems to be
the best. It is quite common for young people to let go of
choices they believe are right -- and could be excellent for their
life,-- in order to follow a common path for fear of going
wrong by doing things differently.
We know only too well the importance of the advice and
observations given by elders or others. But we also know that
the process of analyzing an advice or using other peoples'
experience in order to make a decision must be made
consciously and be based on the individual's reflection and
understanding, and not on the fear of making a mistake, or on
laziness to think for oneself.
No one in his right mind would make a mistake or would be
wrong on purpose. Nor would anyone make a mistake and
For instance, if a mistake, which was the final result of a
great effort, is regarded as failure, then the adolescent loses
energies and believes it means he is incapable of reaching
his goals. In this case, the mistake becomes a limiting factor
and nullifies his objective to do more, to achieve more and
to conquer greater things.
remain indifferent to it. But certainly there is a more intelligent
and freer manner to deal with mistakes.
For Logosophy, the error resides in one's mind and is the result
of the lack of knowledge or of consciousness concerning the
elements that intervene in each situation. Considering that no
human being possesses all the knowledge that exists in
Creation, would it not be logical to consider error as a natural
thing and even as something necessary to our lives? Quite
often, through the analysis of an error, we discover exactly what
was missing to make something right.
Hence, from the moment the young person wants to reach a
new reality, as for example to acquire aptitudes and cognitions
that he does not possess yet, it is logical to think that a process
through which he will learn and develop the skills he lacks is
necessary. In doing so, he will know that in this path errors will
be the natural consequence of this new attempt. This is why it
becomes necessary to turn the fear of making mistakes into the
joy of fighting, into the courage to know one's own reality and
by one's efforts achieve what each conquest demands.
To be free to make mistakes, to be free to correct them and to
be free to learn from these mistakes is a right that we all have.
Nevertheless, each one is responsible for constructing this right
successfully within oneself.

Making mistakes is part of life and is, naturally part of the
path that we have to cover to reach our objectives.
If I am free, why do I in certain situations do the exact opposite
of what I wanted to do? I never feel free in these occasions.
How can this be possible? How can I be free if, in many cases, I
don't control my mind? Wouldn't it be the same as if I gave my
car for someone else to drive and expected him or her to take
me wherever I wished?
One day, I was in an overcrowded subway station, trapped in a
long line to buy tickets. More people started to arrive after me
and stood in line. The guy behind me, impatient with the
slowness of the only employee on duty, began complaining and
grumbling. At a certain point he burst out: It is absurd to have
only one employee working during rush hour. And even
worse, an inexperienced one.. My first impulse was to turn
around and agree with his indignation, when something
stopped me. Before the thought that impelled me to agree with
him could be expressed, another thought emerged in my mind
and presented some logical reflections: All right, it is not ideal
to have only one employee during rush hourbut what will
change if you empower the thought expressed by the person
behind you? Could another employee appear by work of
magic? Would the line move faster? No! Don't you agree?
Then it is better to refrain from saying anything. The only thing
you would achieve would be to get other people to also voice
their indignation, and then there would be a riot. The solution
to this problem requires other initiatives.
And so I waited patiently for my turn. It did not take more than
three minutes, and I was on my way.
This simple experience taught me that we cannot be free until
we get control of our thoughts, until we command them and
not the other way round.
This is the true freedom: to think for oneself. This is what
moves us to make the choices we need or want. I used to think
that freedom was to do whatever came to my mind at any given
moment. Seeing a hole, I could for example, choose between
jumping over it or falling into it. Today I understand that true
freedom is to jump over the hole because I know that if I fall
into it I can hurt myself. The person who does not know that
the hole exists cannot decide whether to jump over it or not,
better said, he does not have the freedom to choose. The one
who has the knowledge is able to make the choice.
By knowing how the thoughts act
and training our mind to identify and select them, we create
our mental defenses, which are fundamental to form
convictions based on our own analysis, instead of being led,
without thinking, by the thoughts and the opinions of others.
37 36
All of us are free.
Are we really?
Essays on Freedom
If I am free, why do I in certain situations do the exact opposite
of what I wanted to do? I never feel free in these occasions.
How can this be possible? How can I be free if, in many cases, I
don't control my mind? Wouldn't it be the same as if I gave my
car for someone else to drive and expected him or her to take
me wherever I wished?
One day, I was in an overcrowded subway station, trapped in a
long line to buy tickets. More people started to arrive after me
and stood in line. The guy behind me, impatient with the
slowness of the only employee on duty, began complaining and
grumbling. At a certain point he burst out: It is absurd to have
only one employee working during rush hour. And even
worse, an inexperienced one.. My first impulse was to turn
around and agree with his indignation, when something
stopped me. Before the thought that impelled me to agree with
him could be expressed, another thought emerged in my mind
and presented some logical reflections: All right, it is not ideal
to have only one employee during rush hourbut what will
change if you empower the thought expressed by the person
behind you? Could another employee appear by work of
magic? Would the line move faster? No! Don't you agree?
Then it is better to refrain from saying anything. The only thing
you would achieve would be to get other people to also voice
their indignation, and then there would be a riot. The solution
to this problem requires other initiatives.
And so I waited patiently for my turn. It did not take more than
three minutes, and I was on my way.
This simple experience taught me that we cannot be free until
we get control of our thoughts, until we command them and
not the other way round.
This is the true freedom: to think for oneself. This is what
moves us to make the choices we need or want. I used to think
that freedom was to do whatever came to my mind at any given
moment. Seeing a hole, I could for example, choose between
jumping over it or falling into it. Today I understand that true
freedom is to jump over the hole because I know that if I fall
into it I can hurt myself. The person who does not know that
the hole exists cannot decide whether to jump over it or not,
better said, he does not have the freedom to choose. The one
who has the knowledge is able to make the choice.
By knowing how the thoughts act
and training our mind to identify and select them, we create
our mental defenses, which are fundamental to form
convictions based on our own analysis, instead of being led,
without thinking, by the thoughts and the opinions of others.
37 36
All of us are free.
Are we really?
Essays on Freedom
What do you want to be when you grow up? What will be your
profession? I heard these questions over and over again during
my childhood. My career choice, which was filled with doubts
and uncertainties, was always on my mind.
When I was a little girl, I answered that I wanted to be a teacher,
perhaps because of the joy I felt teaching my dolls, or because of
my mothers example since she herself was a teacher.
For a time, this choice remained firm and present but as I came
into adolescence, submerged in a universe of many influences,
the criticisms I heard were not sparse: teachers are poorly paid,
their universe is very small and their life is limited to giving classes,
taking work home, and nothing else. This profession is for people
who are not too skilled youve always been in a good private
school and youll have wasted years of studies. In face of such
discouraging comments, my objective had lost its veneer in my
mind and had remained dormant for a while.
And yet, as the date of the college entrance exams approached, a
friend said: Mariana, were you really the one who abandoned
this profession, dropping that important choice in your life
because of the influence of people who undermine it?
To be a teacher
with affection
This question made me think and suddenly I remembered
something I had learned when I was young: that I must be the
master of myself! But how?
The benefits and joys that the profession could bring to my life
were very clear in my mind and my heart. However, the external
influence had been so powerful that I had lacked sufficient inner
defenses to have the courage to decide for myself.
What was leading me to discard that choice when I knew quite
clearly the benefits this profession would bring me? Was I acting
according to my own thoughts and concepts? Was I being free to
think and act?
To know the thoughts, identify, select
and utilize them in the best manner is the key to lead my life
more consciously.
What I am is the precise reflection of what goes on in my inner
world. All things in my life, all my actions, emerge primarily from
this individual immaterial world that consists of my thoughts,
feelings, concepts, virtues and deficiencies. How can I therefore
claim to be free to think and act according to my own will without
truly knowing myself or being able to distinguish my own thoughts
from those of others?
I needed to be firm and convinced of my option when facing
many criticisms a product of the inverted values in the current
The knowledge of the reality of the thoughts was of
fundamental importance for this experience, whose main
characters are my own thoughts and concepts and not those
of society in general.
What do you want to be when you grow up? What will be your
profession? I heard these questions over and over again during
my childhood. My career choice, which was filled with doubts
and uncertainties, was always on my mind.
When I was a little girl, I answered that I wanted to be a teacher,
perhaps because of the joy I felt teaching my dolls, or because of
my mothers example since she herself was a teacher.
For a time, this choice remained firm and present but as I came
into adolescence, submerged in a universe of many influences,
the criticisms I heard were not sparse: teachers are poorly paid,
their universe is very small and their life is limited to giving classes,
taking work home, and nothing else. This profession is for people
who are not too skilled youve always been in a good private
school and youll have wasted years of studies. In face of such
discouraging comments, my objective had lost its veneer in my
mind and had remained dormant for a while.
And yet, as the date of the college entrance exams approached, a
friend said: Mariana, were you really the one who abandoned
this profession, dropping that important choice in your life
because of the influence of people who undermine it?
To be a teacher
with affection
This question made me think and suddenly I remembered
something I had learned when I was young: that I must be the
master of myself! But how?
The benefits and joys that the profession could bring to my life
were very clear in my mind and my heart. However, the external
influence had been so powerful that I had lacked sufficient inner
defenses to have the courage to decide for myself.
What was leading me to discard that choice when I knew quite
clearly the benefits this profession would bring me? Was I acting
according to my own thoughts and concepts? Was I being free to
think and act?
To know the thoughts, identify, select
and utilize them in the best manner is the key to lead my life
more consciously.
What I am is the precise reflection of what goes on in my inner
world. All things in my life, all my actions, emerge primarily from
this individual immaterial world that consists of my thoughts,
feelings, concepts, virtues and deficiencies. How can I therefore
claim to be free to think and act according to my own will without
truly knowing myself or being able to distinguish my own thoughts
from those of others?
I needed to be firm and convinced of my option when facing
many criticisms a product of the inverted values in the current
The knowledge of the reality of the thoughts was of
fundamental importance for this experience, whose main
characters are my own thoughts and concepts and not those
of society in general.
culture. I ask, therefore, in what evolved culture could one
accept that teachers are less capable individuals with substandard
psychological and intellectual aptitudes? Can those who have the
most impact on shaping children the future of humanity really
have this profile? No!
When
acting with discretion and sharing our objective only with a
handful of those we trust, we have elements to discuss it
reasonably without weakening.
Today, as a teacher, I experience blissful moments and feel
immense gratitude realizing that I chose this option based on my
own thoughts and feelings. Becoming a teacher has granted me
countless opportunities, which are intrinsically connected to my
life's objective, and to the archetype that I have built for myself
and for the mother I want to be.
I have learned a secret and that is, when you have an
objective you must be discreet. When I reveal this objective
to several people I am subjecting myself to criticisms of all
kinds, since each person thinks in a different way.
41 40
Have you ever wanted to say that you didn't understand
something but refrained from speaking up for fear of being the
object of prejudice? Or on the contrary, have you ever
criticized someone for not knowing something? When in the
face of sneering, criticism or just a simple facial expression that
can be more eloquent than actual words, can you claim
freedom of expression?
I have been on both sides of the fence. Throughout my
adolescence and youth, I abated such traits mainly in their
external manifestations, but the inner change, which is
responsible for such behavior, was more difficult to achieve.
One day, I decided to discover the causes of such attitudes. I
started to express myself when I didn't understand an issue. As
I practiced this, I began to realize that the lack of understanding
was due, obviously, to my ignorance, or to my surprise to
not consider valuable what the other person was saying, which
produced inattention. At times, I also noticed a thought,
engrained since childhood, that making a mistake or not
knowing something was shameful and it had to be concealed so
that others would not think badly of me.
Do you say
I don't understand?
Essays on Freedom
culture. I ask, therefore, in what evolved culture could one
accept that teachers are less capable individuals with substandard
psychological and intellectual aptitudes? Can those who have the
most impact on shaping children the future of humanity really
have this profile? No!
When
acting with discretion and sharing our objective only with a
handful of those we trust, we have elements to discuss it
reasonably without weakening.
Today, as a teacher, I experience blissful moments and feel
immense gratitude realizing that I chose this option based on my
own thoughts and feelings. Becoming a teacher has granted me
countless opportunities, which are intrinsically connected to my
life's objective, and to the archetype that I have built for myself
and for the mother I want to be.
I have learned a secret and that is, when you have an
objective you must be discreet. When I reveal this objective
to several people I am subjecting myself to criticisms of all
kinds, since each person thinks in a different way.
41 40
Have you ever wanted to say that you didn't understand
something but refrained from speaking up for fear of being the
object of prejudice? Or on the contrary, have you ever
criticized someone for not knowing something? When in the
face of sneering, criticism or just a simple facial expression that
can be more eloquent than actual words, can you claim
freedom of expression?
I have been on both sides of the fence. Throughout my
adolescence and youth, I abated such traits mainly in their
external manifestations, but the inner change, which is
responsible for such behavior, was more difficult to achieve.
One day, I decided to discover the causes of such attitudes. I
started to express myself when I didn't understand an issue. As
I practiced this, I began to realize that the lack of understanding
was due, obviously, to my ignorance, or to my surprise to
not consider valuable what the other person was saying, which
produced inattention. At times, I also noticed a thought,
engrained since childhood, that making a mistake or not
knowing something was shameful and it had to be concealed so
that others would not think badly of me.
Do you say
I don't understand?
Essays on Freedom
I have not permanently changed my attitude regarding
freedom of expression, but with each victory, this characteristic
gets stronger, and encourages me to face other psychological
defects that I have and which, for years, I hadn't the faintest
conscience they existed.
Feel free to understand or not what I have tried to convey here,
and similarly, to agree or not.
For me, individual freedom consists mainly in thinking
and acting on my own, knowing and accepting who I am,
so that I can become a better person.
43 42
What are the greatest objectives of life of the majority of
human beings? To have the will to live, attain happiness and
inner peace. But how can these be achieved? I will describe
here how I have struggled to live this reality.
Inner peace. I try to attain it gradually and on a daily basis by
being conscious every moment of the thoughts that are
present in my mind. Being attentive to the sensations that
these produce anxiety, sadness, happiness, peace, the will to
live, the determination to do good to myself and to others I
try not to allow the thoughts that conspire against my inner
peace to settle in my mind. Concurrently, I create and
maintain, through my memory, thoughts that favor this long
sought peace.
It should be noted that the word thought used here, means
the psychological entity that is born in the human mind where
it develops and even reaches its independent life* Should this
definition seem absurd to you, close your eyes for a few
minutes and try not to think about anything. It's difficult, isn't
it? When doing this exercise we can observe and experience
the existence of the thoughts confirming that not all of them are
*Logosophical Conception. Please refer to the books Logosophy- Science and Method and
The Mechanism of Conscious Life.
Essays on Freedom
I have not permanently changed my attitude regarding
freedom of expression, but with each victory, this characteristic
gets stronger, and encourages me to face other psychological
defects that I have and which, for years, I hadn't the faintest
conscience they existed.
Feel free to understand or not what I have tried to convey here,
and similarly, to agree or not.
For me, individual freedom consists mainly in thinking
and acting on my own, knowing and accepting who I am,
so that I can become a better person.
43 42
What are the greatest objectives of life of the majority of
human beings? To have the will to live, attain happiness and
inner peace. But how can these be achieved? I will describe
here how I have struggled to live this reality.
Inner peace. I try to attain it gradually and on a daily basis by
being conscious every moment of the thoughts that are
present in my mind. Being attentive to the sensations that
these produce anxiety, sadness, happiness, peace, the will to
live, the determination to do good to myself and to others I
try not to allow the thoughts that conspire against my inner
peace to settle in my mind. Concurrently, I create and
maintain, through my memory, thoughts that favor this long
sought peace.
It should be noted that the word thought used here, means
the psychological entity that is born in the human mind where
it develops and even reaches its independent life* Should this
definition seem absurd to you, close your eyes for a few
minutes and try not to think about anything. It's difficult, isn't
it? When doing this exercise we can observe and experience
the existence of the thoughts confirming that not all of them are
*Logosophical Conception. Please refer to the books Logosophy- Science and Method and
The Mechanism of Conscious Life.
Essays on Freedom
dependent on our will. Hence, they are autonomous, or in
other words, they possess a life of their own. If we try to remain
an entire day attentive to the thoughts that wander in our mind,
we will easily see that nearly all of them act independently of
our free will, or better said, are created by the most diverse
stimuli regardless of our will. For example: if at this very
moment, I told you, dear readers, not to imagine a blue sky
with the sun shining, many of you would not be able to avoid
imagining this scene. The same occurs with many people who
are not able to get rid of a thought of anger, for example, when
waiting in line for more than five minutes or when stuck in
traffic.
One can perceive, logically, that possessing the
knowledge and the mastery of the thoughts, it is possible to use
all the potential we have in creating the life we want.
A stronger will to live and more happy moments. A few
years ago, I was unhappy with my life. I didn't find it interesting
and wasn't very keen on living it. During that time, were it not
for feelings towards family and friends, life to me would only
consist of material objectives. I confirmed the inefficiency of
searching exclusively in the areas of material things to feel
happy and to have the will to live my life. After studying this
subject, I began to understand that the reason of human
existence on Earth is to evolve and also to help our fellowmen
in their evolution. Equipped with this new concept of life, I
began to have the will to live.
Yes! We do not fully master our minds when we
allow our thoughts to materialize, and consequently we do
not master the acts that determine, in general, the life we
lead.
45 44
This new life consists of a comprehensive self-betterment and
of searching and attaining answers that satisfy my reasoning and
sensitivity about every element that is part of my existence.
Today I feel the satisfaction of being alive, with a great will
to live, and I have more moments of inner peace. These are
the results of the change in my life's objectives and of the
countless benefits that the process of conscious evolution
brings about.
Essays on Freedom
dependent on our will. Hence, they are autonomous, or in
other words, they possess a life of their own. If we try to remain
an entire day attentive to the thoughts that wander in our mind,
we will easily see that nearly all of them act independently of
our free will, or better said, are created by the most diverse
stimuli regardless of our will. For example: if at this very
moment, I told you, dear readers, not to imagine a blue sky
with the sun shining, many of you would not be able to avoid
imagining this scene. The same occurs with many people who
are not able to get rid of a thought of anger, for example, when
waiting in line for more than five minutes or when stuck in
traffic.
One can perceive, logically, that possessing the
knowledge and the mastery of the thoughts, it is possible to use
all the potential we have in creating the life we want.
A stronger will to live and more happy moments. A few
years ago, I was unhappy with my life. I didn't find it interesting
and wasn't very keen on living it. During that time, were it not
for feelings towards family and friends, life to me would only
consist of material objectives. I confirmed the inefficiency of
searching exclusively in the areas of material things to feel
happy and to have the will to live my life. After studying this
subject, I began to understand that the reason of human
existence on Earth is to evolve and also to help our fellowmen
in their evolution. Equipped with this new concept of life, I
began to have the will to live.
Yes! We do not fully master our minds when we
allow our thoughts to materialize, and consequently we do
not master the acts that determine, in general, the life we
lead.
45 44
This new life consists of a comprehensive self-betterment and
of searching and attaining answers that satisfy my reasoning and
sensitivity about every element that is part of my existence.
Today I feel the satisfaction of being alive, with a great will
to live, and I have more moments of inner peace. These are
the results of the change in my life's objectives and of the
countless benefits that the process of conscious evolution
brings about.
Essays on Freedom
I have always heard the following saying: At the end,
everything will be all right. If continues not being all right, it's
because it's not the end yet. And I wondered: - Does this imply
that I shouldn't do much and just wait for time to go by and
everything will be all right?
Throughout time, we all face situations where we must make
decisions such as, what college we will attend, what city we want
to live in and what professional path we want to pursue. These
are major resolutions that later imprint visible changes in life.
There are also the less significant decisions, namely to say what
you think, to go or not to certain places, to determine whether or
not it is beneficial to befriend certain peopleThese decisions
apparently do not change much our way of life, however if they
are not made wisely, they may give life an unexpected turn.
When we build a friendship, we also build amiability, respect
and trust; we discover common tastes, affinities, etc. With those
who are closest, we often establish among friends what I used to
call freedom, which allowed me to say whatever I felt like.
I had a friend whom I liked so much that I may say I trusted her
more than I trusted myself. Unnoticed by me, this great trust led
47 46
me down a path that did not please me: what the other person
said was more important than what I was thinking. If she said I
would not make it, I did not even try; if she said that a specific
way was better, then I would follow. I found myself more and
more tied down to decisions and thoughts that were not my
own.
Unlike what I had initially thought, I realized as time went by
that I was not all right in various aspects of my life.
I did not need to be free
just to utter impulsively what I thought and, yes, to be free to act
in the way I considered to be the correct one.
If I were to continue living like that, looking only at what
surrounded me, I would continue seeing what others did and
nothing would change. Therefore, I realized that I had to look
at my inner world and trust what my mind and sensitivity said.
Self-confidence can be built. I started to develop mine by
getting to know myself and asking: - Who do I want to be?
What have been my accomplishments until now? What am I
capable of doing? As I turned my attention towards my inner
self, I perceived the existence of a courageous being with
disposition to face the struggles necessary for her to become a
better and more capable individual, having to confront
difficulties but also knowing where to find the necessary
resources.
Questions
began to emerge: What do I want for my future? Is this the
right way to go? Can I do things differently? I realized that
I needed to be free to become what I wanted to be and not
what others wanted me to become.
Essays on Freedom
Inner freedom
I have always heard the following saying: At the end,
everything will be all right. If continues not being all right, it's
because it's not the end yet. And I wondered: - Does this imply
that I shouldn't do much and just wait for time to go by and
everything will be all right?
Throughout time, we all face situations where we must make
decisions such as, what college we will attend, what city we want
to live in and what professional path we want to pursue. These
are major resolutions that later imprint visible changes in life.
There are also the less significant decisions, namely to say what
you think, to go or not to certain places, to determine whether or
not it is beneficial to befriend certain peopleThese decisions
apparently do not change much our way of life, however if they
are not made wisely, they may give life an unexpected turn.
When we build a friendship, we also build amiability, respect
and trust; we discover common tastes, affinities, etc. With those
who are closest, we often establish among friends what I used to
call freedom, which allowed me to say whatever I felt like.
I had a friend whom I liked so much that I may say I trusted her
more than I trusted myself. Unnoticed by me, this great trust led
47 46
me down a path that did not please me: what the other person
said was more important than what I was thinking. If she said I
would not make it, I did not even try; if she said that a specific
way was better, then I would follow. I found myself more and
more tied down to decisions and thoughts that were not my
own.
Unlike what I had initially thought, I realized as time went by
that I was not all right in various aspects of my life.
I did not need to be free
just to utter impulsively what I thought and, yes, to be free to act
in the way I considered to be the correct one.
If I were to continue living like that, looking only at what
surrounded me, I would continue seeing what others did and
nothing would change. Therefore, I realized that I had to look
at my inner world and trust what my mind and sensitivity said.
Self-confidence can be built. I started to develop mine by
getting to know myself and asking: - Who do I want to be?
What have been my accomplishments until now? What am I
capable of doing? As I turned my attention towards my inner
self, I perceived the existence of a courageous being with
disposition to face the struggles necessary for her to become a
better and more capable individual, having to confront
difficulties but also knowing where to find the necessary
resources.
Questions
began to emerge: What do I want for my future? Is this the
right way to go? Can I do things differently? I realized that
I needed to be free to become what I wanted to be and not
what others wanted me to become.
Essays on Freedom
Inner freedom
As we build our own being with confidence, with what we think
and feel, the chains that bind us to the opinions of others break,
and the prerogatives of choosing our own future and destiny
increase. To me, to live according to what the thoughts of
others dictate, doesn't make sense anymore. .
In order to do the right thing, we can't simply wait for time to go
by thinking that our problems will be solved on their own. To
attain freedom and act according to our thinking and feelings
we must be active as we face he future we want to live.
49 48
To be or not to be free? This may seem like a very simple and
even obvious question. However, I am not referring to
freedom of expression, or to the one regarding the citizens'
right to come and go, or to other victories recorded by human
history, but to the inner freedom of each human being. I have
observed that in many instances, and due to different reasons, I
do not exercise my freedom to act according to what I think or
want for myself.
Am I truly free when, following the latest fashion, beauty
standards or trendy haircuts, I observe the pressure of thoughts
that urge me to follow prescribed molds or adopt certain
behaviors, even when they contradict my personal taste? And
regarding my professional achievements, do I really know what
my financial goals are, or am I following a mental flow that only
overrates work and monetary gains?
Sometime ago, influenced by a friend, I began to be overly
concerned with the clothes I wore - these had to be, or so I
believed, of designer labels. Although I knew that in order to
obey that thought which had taken over my mind, my parents
would have to make an effort to afford these expensive clothes,
Essays on Freedom
reedom and
fashion trends
As we build our own being with confidence, with what we think
and feel, the chains that bind us to the opinions of others break,
and the prerogatives of choosing our own future and destiny
increase. To me, to live according to what the thoughts of
others dictate, doesn't make sense anymore. .
In order to do the right thing, we can't simply wait for time to go
by thinking that our problems will be solved on their own. To
attain freedom and act according to our thinking and feelings
we must be active as we face he future we want to live.
49 48
To be or not to be free? This may seem like a very simple and
even obvious question. However, I am not referring to
freedom of expression, or to the one regarding the citizens'
right to come and go, or to other victories recorded by human
history, but to the inner freedom of each human being. I have
observed that in many instances, and due to different reasons, I
do not exercise my freedom to act according to what I think or
want for myself.
Am I truly free when, following the latest fashion, beauty
standards or trendy haircuts, I observe the pressure of thoughts
that urge me to follow prescribed molds or adopt certain
behaviors, even when they contradict my personal taste? And
regarding my professional achievements, do I really know what
my financial goals are, or am I following a mental flow that only
overrates work and monetary gains?
Sometime ago, influenced by a friend, I began to be overly
concerned with the clothes I wore - these had to be, or so I
believed, of designer labels. Although I knew that in order to
obey that thought which had taken over my mind, my parents
would have to make an effort to afford these expensive clothes,
Essays on Freedom
reedom and
fashion trends
I could not grasp that my behavior was caused by a
psychological deficiency I could not control. I was still lacking
mental defenses to protect me from the pressures of these or
other thoughts that forced me to escape reality and easily
affected my emotional inner state.
This belief has hurt me greatly in several
situations, causing me to waste opportunities and make
mistakes, which eventually restricted my individual freedom.
Today, I am learning that true freedom starts within de
individual and is based on knowledge. The greater the
knowledge I possess in a given field, the greater the possibilities
of acting the right way. Knowledge bestows upon me freedom
of action and helps me move forward with assurance, knowing
where I stand.
In fact, the freedom that
I imagined that I possessed was nothing more than a blind
belief in me.
By knowing my inner reality, and the
resources on which I can count on to face the difficulties
that life presents, I can be free and certainly happier.
What would be different in our lives if we were totally free?
I immediately envisioned myself enjoying life with no
commitments whatsoever. Assuming this was real, could I still
claim that I was free? Well... I thought I could.
The first time I stopped to think about my freedom, I was 15
years old, and as all teenagers, I imagined how great it would be
if my parents gave me more freedom to go to parties, concerts,
etc. At that time, in a conversation with friends, I started
discussing this issue in a tone of complaint and I was surprised
when I heard: Your parents already give you a lot of
freedom You are very lucky to have cool parents.
In fact, compared to other youngsters, I did enjoy a certain
freedom, which up to that moment I was not aware of. How
could I have freedom, benefit from it and not even know I had
it? Why were my parents giving me freedom? And from the
moment I knew I had it, what was I supposed do with it?
To begin with, the thing to do would be to stop complaining
and use it consciously. I began to appreciate the small and
frequent demonstrations of trust deposited in me by my
The triangle
I could not grasp that my behavior was caused by a
psychological deficiency I could not control. I was still lacking
mental defenses to protect me from the pressures of these or
other thoughts that forced me to escape reality and easily
affected my emotional inner state.
This belief has hurt me greatly in several
situations, causing me to waste opportunities and make
mistakes, which eventually restricted my individual freedom.
Today, I am learning that true freedom starts within de
individual and is based on knowledge. The greater the
knowledge I possess in a given field, the greater the possibilities
of acting the right way. Knowledge bestows upon me freedom
of action and helps me move forward with assurance, knowing
where I stand.
In fact, the freedom that
I imagined that I possessed was nothing more than a blind
belief in me.
By knowing my inner reality, and the
resources on which I can count on to face the difficulties
that life presents, I can be free and certainly happier.
What would be different in our lives if we were totally free?
I immediately envisioned myself enjoying life with no
commitments whatsoever. Assuming this was real, could I still
claim that I was free? Well... I thought I could.
The first time I stopped to think about my freedom, I was 15
years old, and as all teenagers, I imagined how great it would be
if my parents gave me more freedom to go to parties, concerts,
etc. At that time, in a conversation with friends, I started
discussing this issue in a tone of complaint and I was surprised
when I heard: Your parents already give you a lot of
freedom You are very lucky to have cool parents.
In fact, compared to other youngsters, I did enjoy a certain
freedom, which up to that moment I was not aware of. How
could I have freedom, benefit from it and not even know I had
it? Why were my parents giving me freedom? And from the
moment I knew I had it, what was I supposed do with it?
To begin with, the thing to do would be to stop complaining
and use it consciously. I began to appreciate the small and
frequent demonstrations of trust deposited in me by my
The triangle
parents and concluded that I was truly lucky to belong to such a
family.
There is no freedom if
there is a lack of responsibility or of knowledge. This is
obvious! But I had never even fathomed this truth. On the
contrary, I considered myself to be free when I acted
irresponsibly and did not need to account to anyone of my
actions. It became clear to me, then, that the freedom I had was
a credit granted by my parents, and it was up to me to expand it
through an adequate behavior. This entailed taking things
more seriously until I developed a trustworthy concept which
would earn me an even broader scope of freedom.
These were the experiences of a teenager who yearned to
become independent from his parents, but which served as a
starting point to begin to understand the greatness of the
concept of freedom. Nowadays, having already conquered
part of this independence, new situations make me question
whether I am truly free. However, differently from what
happened in the past, these situations no longer seem to be a
complaint nor do they make me feel rebellious. This time, they
seem more like intimate inquietudes. Now the aim is to be free
from the whims, which take hold of me daily and which are
clearly contrary to my objectives.
One day, although I wasn't tired, I found myself lying in bed
trying hard to sleep. It may sound silly, but I was wasting time
rather than carrying out some of the several tasks I had for the
day. I still had to listen to the excuse in my mind: Relax now so
The image of a triangle came to mind correlating
one word in each of its three vortexes: freedom,
responsibility and knowledge.
that later you will be in better shape to comply with your
duties. It sounded so logical that I couldn't even sit up and
guess what! I fell asleep. Needless to say how much I had to
rush to compensate for the delay. All in all, this was the
outcome after the many choices I made.
Going back the image of the triangle, I now concluded that in
addition to developing responsibility, I needed knowledge to
attain free will. I found a concept that defines this will as
being the expression of the power of a thought. I dared to list
the various thoughts that entered my mind in one day. I then
classified them into positive and negative and there was no
doubt: I needed to improve the way I selected my thoughts.
And I used to believe I was free! How naive I had been! By
repeating for several days the experience of writing down the
thoughts that appeared in my mind, I noticed that I was
becoming so much more attentive that I can say I made my
choices more consciously and, I can say, with more freedom.
Some may
even question whether it is worthwhile to dedicate so much
effort to it. Well, if we consider that, according to statistics, our
life expectancy is much longer than 73.2 years, and if we can
anticipate the happiness experienced with the feeling of being
totally free, I deem the investment worthwhile.
This conscious search for my inner freedom has been going
on for ten years and should last until the last day of my life.
It appears to be quite a long process, doesn't it?
parents and concluded that I was truly lucky to belong to such a
family.
There is no freedom if
there is a lack of responsibility or of knowledge. This is
obvious! But I had never even fathomed this truth. On the
contrary, I considered myself to be free when I acted
irresponsibly and did not need to account to anyone of my
actions. It became clear to me, then, that the freedom I had was
a credit granted by my parents, and it was up to me to expand it
through an adequate behavior. This entailed taking things
more seriously until I developed a trustworthy concept which
would earn me an even broader scope of freedom.
These were the experiences of a teenager who yearned to
become independent from his parents, but which served as a
starting point to begin to understand the greatness of the
concept of freedom. Nowadays, having already conquered
part of this independence, new situations make me question
whether I am truly free. However, differently from what
happened in the past, these situations no longer seem to be a
complaint nor do they make me feel rebellious. This time, they
seem more like intimate inquietudes. Now the aim is to be free
from the whims, which take hold of me daily and which are
clearly contrary to my objectives.
One day, although I wasn't tired, I found myself lying in bed
trying hard to sleep. It may sound silly, but I was wasting time
rather than carrying out some of the several tasks I had for the
day. I still had to listen to the excuse in my mind: Relax now so
The image of a triangle came to mind correlating
one word in each of its three vortexes: freedom,
responsibility and knowledge.
that later you will be in better shape to comply with your
duties. It sounded so logical that I couldn't even sit up and
guess what! I fell asleep. Needless to say how much I had to
rush to compensate for the delay. All in all, this was the
outcome after the many choices I made.
Going back the image of the triangle, I now concluded that in
addition to developing responsibility, I needed knowledge to
attain free will. I found a concept that defines this will as
being the expression of the power of a thought. I dared to list
the various thoughts that entered my mind in one day. I then
classified them into positive and negative and there was no
doubt: I needed to improve the way I selected my thoughts.
And I used to believe I was free! How naive I had been! By
repeating for several days the experience of writing down the
thoughts that appeared in my mind, I noticed that I was
becoming so much more attentive that I can say I made my
choices more consciously and, I can say, with more freedom.
Some may
even question whether it is worthwhile to dedicate so much
effort to it. Well, if we consider that, according to statistics, our
life expectancy is much longer than 73.2 years, and if we can
anticipate the happiness experienced with the feeling of being
totally free, I deem the investment worthwhile.
This conscious search for my inner freedom has been going
on for ten years and should last until the last day of my life.
It appears to be quite a long process, doesn't it?
If I were asked whether I'm free, the first answer that would
probably come to mind would be: Definitely! Why wouldn't I
be free? In our society, the concept of freedom is so vast and
variable that it is difficult to determine what is to be free or not
to be free.
Some of the limiting factors to freedom are blind beliefs and
superstitions. I had an experience that will serve as an example.
Right after I had been in a car accident, I wanted to sell my car
and avoided driving on that same road where it had happened.
Interestingly enough, when people told me that I had to request
a blessing or ask a priest to bless my car, I thought: How silly it is
to believe that this would solve my problem. After a while, I
began to reflect on this experience and noticed that my
approach in that circumstance was also based on beliefs, since
the car had not decided to cause the accident, nor could the road
be blamed. I ended up identifying in my inner being a fear that
was a negative influence on my freedom, as it was sustained by
superstitions, which a simple reflection was able to eliminate.
These psychological deficiencies are negative
thoughts that are embedded in the mind of human beings. As a
Other factors that strongly oppose freedom are the
deficiencies.
first example, I'll mention shyness, which prevents the individual
from expressing what he thinks and feels. Another example is
the lack of will power that blocks his efforts to achieve objectives
and resolutions, as it decreases the necessary motivation to do
so.
In addition to the above aspects, we have traditions and
prejudices that also constitute traps against freedom as they don't
allow us to review recurrent mistakes, which are never studied.
How can I obtain the freedom of being who I really am? In my
view, one of the first points to make is that freedom is not an end
in itself.
Freedom must be
based on knowledge, which is the legitimate element to fight
beliefs and eliminate fear, as well as, achieve, in the best possible
manner, the review and renewal of the concepts governing each
person's life.
There is no freedom without the exercise of one's
conscience in reaching a set objective.
Tackling obstacles
If I were asked whether I'm free, the first answer that would
probably come to mind would be: Definitely! Why wouldn't I
be free? In our society, the concept of freedom is so vast and
variable that it is difficult to determine what is to be free or not
to be free.
Some of the limiting factors to freedom are blind beliefs and
superstitions. I had an experience that will serve as an example.
Right after I had been in a car accident, I wanted to sell my car
and avoided driving on that same road where it had happened.
Interestingly enough, when people told me that I had to request
a blessing or ask a priest to bless my car, I thought: How silly it is
to believe that this would solve my problem. After a while, I
began to reflect on this experience and noticed that my
approach in that circumstance was also based on beliefs, since
the car had not decided to cause the accident, nor could the road
be blamed. I ended up identifying in my inner being a fear that
was a negative influence on my freedom, as it was sustained by
superstitions, which a simple reflection was able to eliminate.
These psychological deficiencies are negative
thoughts that are embedded in the mind of human beings. As a
Other factors that strongly oppose freedom are the
deficiencies.
first example, I'll mention shyness, which prevents the individual
from expressing what he thinks and feels. Another example is
the lack of will power that blocks his efforts to achieve objectives
and resolutions, as it decreases the necessary motivation to do
so.
In addition to the above aspects, we have traditions and
prejudices that also constitute traps against freedom as they don't
allow us to review recurrent mistakes, which are never studied.
How can I obtain the freedom of being who I really am? In my
view, one of the first points to make is that freedom is not an end
in itself.
Freedom must be
based on knowledge, which is the legitimate element to fight
beliefs and eliminate fear, as well as, achieve, in the best possible
manner, the review and renewal of the concepts governing each
person's life.
There is no freedom without the exercise of one's
conscience in reaching a set objective.
Tackling obstacles
I belong to the 80's generation and I have followed the great
changes that the role of women has undergone within the family
and the society. I grew up hearing about equality of rights
between men and women and how women were gradually
gaining more independence to eventually transform themselves
into what we call a modern woman.
As an adult, I aimed to be the model of a modern woman by
focusing all my energies on my professional life in order to
become strong and successful. I was not too concerned about
whether I would get married or not. Although I felt a great desire
to build a family, I had not prepared myself to be a good wife or
a mother. What I did know was that I refused to do dishes
because modern women didn't do that, and certainly I would
never know how to cook because this was a housewifes chore.
As I based my life on this conception, I witnessed the
generation of modern women being transformed; women
suffered under excessive workloads, they lacked preparation
to act with the altruism required in a couple's relationship, they
always felt they were in debt with their children and were
dissatisfied for not fulfilling their spiritual needs. In an effort to
fight against these inequities, neither costly spas nor other
diverse therapies and entertainment were efficient. I began to
question myself whether I really wanted all this.
Before, I used to tell people that I didn't know whether or not I
would get married and have children. Nevertheless, one day,
someone introduced me to a new concept of women. I initially
judged this with some prejudice because it referred to values
that I no longer cherished and which had been poorly
transmitted to my generation.
I realized something great in all this: that my thought was tied to
the social thought that women had to be modern. The
freedom of thinking I had regarding this topic was so minute
that my words were mere reproductions of what I heard from
other women. In addition, they didn't correspond to what I
most yearned for, or even worse, I didn't know precisely what I
should be seeking in life. This resulted in setting my escape
routes of not wanting to get married or having children. yet,
I felt if this were to occur it would be wonderful!
However, I was feeling
internally that the new concepts I was learning were true.
When I applied them to my life, the results I obtained made
my heart beat faster with joy and made me see a great
affinity with what I was searching for: a sense of balance in
the most prominent aspects of life.
I realize today that it is not a matter of becoming the
woman of the 20's, 30's, 40's or 90's, but of becoming the
woman I want to be.
The real
modern woman
I belong to the 80's generation and I have followed the great
changes that the role of women has undergone within the family
and the society. I grew up hearing about equality of rights
between men and women and how women were gradually
gaining more independence to eventually transform themselves
into what we call a modern woman.
As an adult, I aimed to be the model of a modern woman by
focusing all my energies on my professional life in order to
become strong and successful. I was not too concerned about
whether I would get married or not. Although I felt a great desire
to build a family, I had not prepared myself to be a good wife or
a mother. What I did know was that I refused to do dishes
because modern women didn't do that, and certainly I would
never know how to cook because this was a housewifes chore.
As I based my life on this conception, I witnessed the
generation of modern women being transformed; women
suffered under excessive workloads, they lacked preparation
to act with the altruism required in a couple's relationship, they
always felt they were in debt with their children and were
dissatisfied for not fulfilling their spiritual needs. In an effort to
fight against these inequities, neither costly spas nor other
diverse therapies and entertainment were efficient. I began to
question myself whether I really wanted all this.
Before, I used to tell people that I didn't know whether or not I
would get married and have children. Nevertheless, one day,
someone introduced me to a new concept of women. I initially
judged this with some prejudice because it referred to values
that I no longer cherished and which had been poorly
transmitted to my generation.
I realized something great in all this: that my thought was tied to
the social thought that women had to be modern. The
freedom of thinking I had regarding this topic was so minute
that my words were mere reproductions of what I heard from
other women. In addition, they didn't correspond to what I
most yearned for, or even worse, I didn't know precisely what I
should be seeking in life. This resulted in setting my escape
routes of not wanting to get married or having children. yet,
I felt if this were to occur it would be wonderful!
However, I was feeling
internally that the new concepts I was learning were true.
When I applied them to my life, the results I obtained made
my heart beat faster with joy and made me see a great
affinity with what I was searching for: a sense of balance in
the most prominent aspects of life.
I realize today that it is not a matter of becoming the
woman of the 20's, 30's, 40's or 90's, but of becoming the
woman I want to be.
The real
modern woman
This means having freedom to think, to reflect effectively and
to acquire knowledge in order to find my role in life and in that
of others, as a woman. In order to undertake this, I need a
process of intelligent self-betterment, which can enrich my
conscience with new cognitions, because those I had until then
did not satisfy me anymore. Many of those had already turned
into obsolete prejudices.
As a woman, during this process of self-knowledge, I identified
many aspects of extreme importance, such as the excessive
concern about my looks, at the expense of the true attention I
had to develop internally to be truly beautiful. It was also
important to identify the negative characteristics that were so
active in me and deeply unbalanced my life, such as
indiscretion, amongst others, which were replaced by virtues
such as generosity, tactfulness, amiability, kindness, etc.
Today I yearn to become a different woman and I see that in
order to be truly modern, I have to become a free thinking
woman, knowing what is right for me, for my family, for my
professional life, for my friends, all according to my own
conscience. And this means living to the fullest each one of
these aspects until they reach their magnitude.
Youth is a very productive phase of life because it is when some
of the major choices for the future are made and start their path
to accomplishment. What college will I choose? What subjects
will I pick? Should I follow an academic career or work in the
corporate world? What about dating? Should I start thinking
about marriage? Do I already know what love is yet? How does
one go about starting a family? All these queries surfaced when
I was a teenager and I presume that, in some way, they will be
present my whole life. Inevitably, they will participate in
building my future.
Our world is filled with opportunities. We can choose the
paths we want to follow. Still, does this guarantee my individual
freedom?
I've always believed that my freedom could be restrained by
others: by parental control during adolescence; by the violence
in the streets that locks me down at home, or by my superior
who doesn't free up my vacation days. In sum, I never believed
that I could work against my own freedom.
reedom how many
choices have you
made so far?
This means having freedom to think, to reflect effectively and
to acquire knowledge in order to find my role in life and in that
of others, as a woman. In order to undertake this, I need a
process of intelligent self-betterment, which can enrich my
conscience with new cognitions, because those I had until then
did not satisfy me anymore. Many of those had already turned
into obsolete prejudices.
As a woman, during this process of self-knowledge, I identified
many aspects of extreme importance, such as the excessive
concern about my looks, at the expense of the true attention I
had to develop internally to be truly beautiful. It was also
important to identify the negative characteristics that were so
active in me and deeply unbalanced my life, such as
indiscretion, amongst others, which were replaced by virtues
such as generosity, tactfulness, amiability, kindness, etc.
Today I yearn to become a different woman and I see that in
order to be truly modern, I have to become a free thinking
woman, knowing what is right for me, for my family, for my
professional life, for my friends, all according to my own
conscience. And this means living to the fullest each one of
these aspects until they reach their magnitude.
Youth is a very productive phase of life because it is when some
of the major choices for the future are made and start their path
to accomplishment. What college will I choose? What subjects
will I pick? Should I follow an academic career or work in the
corporate world? What about dating? Should I start thinking
about marriage? Do I already know what love is yet? How does
one go about starting a family? All these queries surfaced when
I was a teenager and I presume that, in some way, they will be
present my whole life. Inevitably, they will participate in
building my future.
Our world is filled with opportunities. We can choose the
paths we want to follow. Still, does this guarantee my individual
freedom?
I've always believed that my freedom could be restrained by
others: by parental control during adolescence; by the violence
in the streets that locks me down at home, or by my superior
who doesn't free up my vacation days. In sum, I never believed
that I could work against my own freedom.
reedom how many
choices have you
made so far?
Can I do that? How? How can I be responsible for suppressing
my own freedom? Just imagine living in a world like ours, filled
with opportunities, but being subjected to other peoples'
choices. Well, this was the situation in which I found myself
and in which, I observed, many other people do as well.
For a long time I didn't manage my own life but kept on
believing that I did. It is easy to understand how this could
happen. How many times were you ready to make an
important decision and refrained from it until you first
consulted someone else not necessarily an expert or anyone
versed on the subject but a friend or a family member? How
little we think about what we need in order to achieve our goals!
We don't think about the resources we already possess for that
endeavor, nor about do those that we still need to acquire. We
often wonder: who can help me? And we always end up with a
survey about what the other person would choose if he/she
were in our situation. The approval of others gives us a false
sense of assurance that we are on the right track. The choice
may or may not be accurate in view of the consequences it
brings, but it was not I who chose it. I don't even need to ask or
consult anyone for his/her opinion for the interference to take
place. The interference is not always verbalized. Many people
happen to make certain choices just because a friend would do
it, or their father did it. Others happen to believe that they
What is the use of having so many choices if I am not the
one who makes them? To be free is not to have a thousand
possibilities, but surely to have the capability of choosing
them without the interference of others.
desperately need the latest state-of-the-art cell phone with a
thousand features, just like his colleague at work has.
Quite often I believe to be in control when in fact other
peoples' thoughts are the ones taking care of everything. In my
inner self, the thoughts that used up most of the space in my
mind were those of insecurity and fear about my future. These
ended up causing a lot of damage as they led me away from my
responsibilities, and subjected them to the will of others. Even
simple decisions concerning physical or practical issues grew to
become huge doubts in my eyes. I allowed the thought of fear
about my future to inhibit my actions. I ended up creating bad
consequences for myself.
It is inside our own mind that such thoughts dictate our actions.
How then could I take over the reins of my life?
This will only be feasible if I first get to know the mechanism of
my mental system. This has been one of my great challenges. It
is a practical exercise in which I make use of the faculties of
thinking, reflecting and observing, among others. The efforts,
as well as the practice, are carried out with great joy. Nowadays,
whenever Im faced with a decision, I try to identify the
thoughts that will be useful and those that will be useless in this
endeavor. I need to exert myself considerably to manage to
fight the most recurrent ones before they cause any damage.
Through the acquisition of knowledge, I expand my
conscience and therefore the possibility to be free - free and
responsible for my own choices, and for as many options as
necessary to build a solid future for myself.
Can I do that? How? How can I be responsible for suppressing
my own freedom? Just imagine living in a world like ours, filled
with opportunities, but being subjected to other peoples'
choices. Well, this was the situation in which I found myself
and in which, I observed, many other people do as well.
For a long time I didn't manage my own life but kept on
believing that I did. It is easy to understand how this could
happen. How many times were you ready to make an
important decision and refrained from it until you first
consulted someone else not necessarily an expert or anyone
versed on the subject but a friend or a family member? How
little we think about what we need in order to achieve our goals!
We don't think about the resources we already possess for that
endeavor, nor about do those that we still need to acquire. We
often wonder: who can help me? And we always end up with a
survey about what the other person would choose if he/she
were in our situation. The approval of others gives us a false
sense of assurance that we are on the right track. The choice
may or may not be accurate in view of the consequences it
brings, but it was not I who chose it. I don't even need to ask or
consult anyone for his/her opinion for the interference to take
place. The interference is not always verbalized. Many people
happen to make certain choices just because a friend would do
it, or their father did it. Others happen to believe that they
What is the use of having so many choices if I am not the
one who makes them? To be free is not to have a thousand
possibilities, but surely to have the capability of choosing
them without the interference of others.
desperately need the latest state-of-the-art cell phone with a
thousand features, just like his colleague at work has.
Quite often I believe to be in control when in fact other
peoples' thoughts are the ones taking care of everything. In my
inner self, the thoughts that used up most of the space in my
mind were those of insecurity and fear about my future. These
ended up causing a lot of damage as they led me away from my
responsibilities, and subjected them to the will of others. Even
simple decisions concerning physical or practical issues grew to
become huge doubts in my eyes. I allowed the thought of fear
about my future to inhibit my actions. I ended up creating bad
consequences for myself.
It is inside our own mind that such thoughts dictate our actions.
How then could I take over the reins of my life?
This will only be feasible if I first get to know the mechanism of
my mental system. This has been one of my great challenges. It
is a practical exercise in which I make use of the faculties of
thinking, reflecting and observing, among others. The efforts,
as well as the practice, are carried out with great joy. Nowadays,
whenever Im faced with a decision, I try to identify the
thoughts that will be useful and those that will be useless in this
endeavor. I need to exert myself considerably to manage to
fight the most recurrent ones before they cause any damage.
Through the acquisition of knowledge, I expand my
conscience and therefore the possibility to be free - free and
responsible for my own choices, and for as many options as
necessary to build a solid future for myself.
Having majored in Social Communication, I had the
opportunity to review various forms of winning over the public
and transform certain brands into a lifestyle. If you want to
convey the image of a surfer or a playboy, you must have
certain preferences, but if you want to convey that of an
intellectual, you need others. In sum: am I a surfer or an
intellectual? Can I be neither or be one of the two? Why is it
fashionable to be like this? Other doubts also spring up
regarding our actions, for example, should I dedicate my life to
building a family just like the one in the margarine ad or should I
explore the world with a backpack on my shoulders like many
travel logs show?
The starting point to define my identity is to know who I want to
be. All the above options can be considered, as long as I know
exactly who I am. No one can claim that it is wrong to adopt a
certain lifestyle, but it must be in accordance with what is truly
authentic in each one.
Eventually I realized that my life wasnt as harmonious as the
margarine advertisement, and that the backpackers who go out
into the world are not as secure or frugal as they seem.
Concurrently, I began to focus on my relationships aiming to
become more pleasant, not necessarily like the people in the
margarine ads, but satisfied with my conscious achievement.
As for my trips, when they are consciously planned, they may
become as fantastic as those shown on TV. After all, I learned
that happiness is not found only at the end of each project.
When traveling to a given place, it is not only reaching my
destination that will make me happy. I can learn a great deal
when searching for hotels, choosing transportation or
determining my itinerary. We have to given in to the other
travelers' opinions and pick the most suitable date for the whole
group, , review our financial resources and even overcome our
fears. Ultimately, to be free is to learn how to let go of our
outdated thoughts, of our prejudices and of some of our dreams
that cannot be adapted to reality.
This way, one
can enjoy the many opportunities offered by life and can make
each moment lived a lot more beneficial than those seen in the
commercials, which are perfect because they only last one
minute.
To be free is much more pleasant than to live according to
the parameters the media offers. It is to be able to choose
based on what you are and on your dreams.
Is your behavior a reflection
of what you see on TV ?
Having majored in Social Communication, I had the
opportunity to review various forms of winning over the public
and transform certain brands into a lifestyle. If you want to
convey the image of a surfer or a playboy, you must have
certain preferences, but if you want to convey that of an
intellectual, you need others. In sum: am I a surfer or an
intellectual? Can I be neither or be one of the two? Why is it
fashionable to be like this? Other doubts also spring up
regarding our actions, for example, should I dedicate my life to
building a family just like the one in the margarine ad or should I
explore the world with a backpack on my shoulders like many
travel logs show?
The starting point to define my identity is to know who I want to
be. All the above options can be considered, as long as I know
exactly who I am. No one can claim that it is wrong to adopt a
certain lifestyle, but it must be in accordance with what is truly
authentic in each one.
Eventually I realized that my life wasnt as harmonious as the
margarine advertisement, and that the backpackers who go out
into the world are not as secure or frugal as they seem.
Concurrently, I began to focus on my relationships aiming to
become more pleasant, not necessarily like the people in the
margarine ads, but satisfied with my conscious achievement.
As for my trips, when they are consciously planned, they may
become as fantastic as those shown on TV. After all, I learned
that happiness is not found only at the end of each project.
When traveling to a given place, it is not only reaching my
destination that will make me happy. I can learn a great deal
when searching for hotels, choosing transportation or
determining my itinerary. We have to given in to the other
travelers' opinions and pick the most suitable date for the whole
group, , review our financial resources and even overcome our
fears. Ultimately, to be free is to learn how to let go of our
outdated thoughts, of our prejudices and of some of our dreams
that cannot be adapted to reality.
This way, one
can enjoy the many opportunities offered by life and can make
each moment lived a lot more beneficial than those seen in the
commercials, which are perfect because they only last one
minute.
To be free is much more pleasant than to live according to
the parameters the media offers. It is to be able to choose
based on what you are and on your dreams.
Is your behavior a reflection
of what you see on TV ?
Born in a democratic country, in a period of freedom of
expression and respect for every human being's right to come
and go freely, I used to see the lack of freedom as something that
was part of old History books. Therefore, I had always I
believed I was free.
However, as time went by, something seemed to contradict this.
Later I understood that I had accepted this as a belief, or better
said, without thinking or reasoning. The reason is that during
my entire adolescence and also as a young woman, I was
influenced and involved by other peoples' ideas and thoughts,
among them the extreme effort to follow to the letter the beauty
standards dictated by the media and the search for financial
success at any cost. I felt anguished many times, being pressured
to reach goals that had not even been set by me.
Freedom neither enslaves nor depresses. How could I consider
myself free when I felt in debt with myself, or paying a bill that
didnt belong to me?
I began to understand what thoughts are and how they act in the
human mind. I realized that thoughts have a life of their own and
they act with autonomy over the will of the person who does not
master them. I can perceive them; and every time, their reality
becomes more tangible, because they move within the mind
defining correct or incorrect attitudes.
I also began making notes of daily facts. For example, having
planned to study one night, I got home and turned on the TV,
totally forgetting my purpose to study. Other times, when the
reason wasn't forgetfulness, I experienced the battle between my
will and the power of an insistent thought, which led me to waste
time, energy and disposition.
Once, I set myself a purpose to help carry out a task that would
greatly embellish my home environment. However, such a task
demanded part of my free time on weekends. I clearly observed
the movements of the thoughts in my mind where a struggle
took place between the thoughts of goodness, dictated by my
purpose, and some other negative thoughts whose objective was
to crush the initiative. As I identified what went on, I was able
after some effort to fight against the latter and carry out the
proposed task. This simple experience brought deep joy to my
family and me. I felt very happy to have been able to act
according to my own will and for having done it consciously.
Every human being owes a part of himself to others: friends,
family, fellow workers, etc. Certainly then, adopting a more
tolerant attitude when dealing with others, yielding in this or that
circumstance, is a sign of good sense. Nevertheless, doing some-
thing just because everybody does it or not doing it due to the fear
of contradicting the general thought, is to merge into an anony-
mous mass, increasing the number of those who dont think.
Born in a democratic country, in a period of freedom of
expression and respect for every human being's right to come
and go freely, I used to see the lack of freedom as something that
was part of old History books. Therefore, I had always I
believed I was free.
However, as time went by, something seemed to contradict this.
Later I understood that I had accepted this as a belief, or better
said, without thinking or reasoning. The reason is that during
my entire adolescence and also as a young woman, I was
influenced and involved by other peoples' ideas and thoughts,
among them the extreme effort to follow to the letter the beauty
standards dictated by the media and the search for financial
success at any cost. I felt anguished many times, being pressured
to reach goals that had not even been set by me.
Freedom neither enslaves nor depresses. How could I consider
myself free when I felt in debt with myself, or paying a bill that
didnt belong to me?
I began to understand what thoughts are and how they act in the
human mind. I realized that thoughts have a life of their own and
they act with autonomy over the will of the person who does not
master them. I can perceive them; and every time, their reality
becomes more tangible, because they move within the mind
defining correct or incorrect attitudes.
I also began making notes of daily facts. For example, having
planned to study one night, I got home and turned on the TV,
totally forgetting my purpose to study. Other times, when the
reason wasn't forgetfulness, I experienced the battle between my
will and the power of an insistent thought, which led me to waste
time, energy and disposition.
Once, I set myself a purpose to help carry out a task that would
greatly embellish my home environment. However, such a task
demanded part of my free time on weekends. I clearly observed
the movements of the thoughts in my mind where a struggle
took place between the thoughts of goodness, dictated by my
purpose, and some other negative thoughts whose objective was
to crush the initiative. As I identified what went on, I was able
after some effort to fight against the latter and carry out the
proposed task. This simple experience brought deep joy to my
family and me. I felt very happy to have been able to act
according to my own will and for having done it consciously.
Every human being owes a part of himself to others: friends,
family, fellow workers, etc. Certainly then, adopting a more
tolerant attitude when dealing with others, yielding in this or that
circumstance, is a sign of good sense. Nevertheless, doing some-
thing just because everybody does it or not doing it due to the fear
of contradicting the general thought, is to merge into an anony-
mous mass, increasing the number of those who dont think.
The more man thinks the more he is his own master, and
consequently he becomes freer. The pleasant sensation of
being able to move my body in whichever space I choose is
as gratifying as the sublime emotion of belonging to myself.
In order to guide my steps and truly be my own boss, I must first
get to know and control these psychological forces called
thoughts. It is possible to select those I want, or those I don't
want as mental companions in a way to only allow to remain in
my mind those that are useful and serve the purposes that I have
set for my life.
Destiny is forged by one's own hands. The difference is that
when the individual knows the mental reality that surrounds
him, he'll no longer be led blindly and, through efficient and
successful action, and he'll begin imprinting on his own a
powerful drive on the wheel of life.
One day I asked myself why I was so concerned about my
mistakes since it was not always to correct them and why was
I always excusing myself to people at the first sign of a faulty act -
and the answer came in an unusual way.
As I was walking down a busy street in So Paulo, I slipped and
stumbled over a hole I hadnt noticed. I didn't fall. I regained
my balance and in a quick involuntary impulse, I glanced
around to check if anyone had witnessed the scene. That was
necessary for me to measure the shame I would feel.
What a relief! No one had noticed!
Since nobody noticed it was as if nothing had happened and
that was what gave me great relief. But, why did I feel relieved? I
could have fallen down and hurt myself, right?
With an attentive mind, I realized that I was mostly concerned
about other peoples' opinions. If someone had seen me, he
would probably have laughed his heart out and I, or something
in me, definitively didnt appreciate this idea.
The heart of the matter was not to have stumbled. This same
apprehension occurs with any mistake that I make, such as
A masquerade ball
The more man thinks the more he is his own master, and
consequently he becomes freer. The pleasant sensation of
being able to move my body in whichever space I choose is
as gratifying as the sublime emotion of belonging to myself.
In order to guide my steps and truly be my own boss, I must first
get to know and control these psychological forces called
thoughts. It is possible to select those I want, or those I don't
want as mental companions in a way to only allow to remain in
my mind those that are useful and serve the purposes that I have
set for my life.
Destiny is forged by one's own hands. The difference is that
when the individual knows the mental reality that surrounds
him, he'll no longer be led blindly and, through efficient and
successful action, and he'll begin imprinting on his own a
powerful drive on the wheel of life.
One day I asked myself why I was so concerned about my
mistakes since it was not always to correct them and why was
I always excusing myself to people at the first sign of a faulty act -
and the answer came in an unusual way.
As I was walking down a busy street in So Paulo, I slipped and
stumbled over a hole I hadnt noticed. I didn't fall. I regained
my balance and in a quick involuntary impulse, I glanced
around to check if anyone had witnessed the scene. That was
necessary for me to measure the shame I would feel.
What a relief! No one had noticed!
Since nobody noticed it was as if nothing had happened and
that was what gave me great relief. But, why did I feel relieved? I
could have fallen down and hurt myself, right?
With an attentive mind, I realized that I was mostly concerned
about other peoples' opinions. If someone had seen me, he
would probably have laughed his heart out and I, or something
in me, definitively didnt appreciate this idea.
The heart of the matter was not to have stumbled. This same
apprehension occurs with any mistake that I make, such as
A masquerade ball
being late, having an argument with someone or an
inappropriate behavior someplace. Well any fault makes me
a captive of the old question: What will others think of me?
The reason is that inside of me something tells me: Worse than
the act of making the mistake is to have someone witness it.
But, let's think about it. Does this make any sense at all?
If I expected a visit and my room was a mess, I would quickly
bundle up all that was visible, thrusting everything into my
closet. In fact, it was the BEING that sometimes makes
mistakes- versus the chains of the PRETENDING that wants
to be invulnerable and perfect. The worst part is that the
PRETENDING prevents me from being the person I really
am, with the clear understanding of what I still need to improve
in myself.
More than once have I wondered who truly misses out when I
commit a blunder. In fact, other than being overly concerned
with appearances, I observed that Ive been repeating certain
mistakes and actions for years, and I have done nothing to
change. If I am only concerned about correcting the mistakes
that affect others, to protect appearances, and if I avoid fixing the
ones that only hurt me, it is because I ignore the consequences
I understand that this position is related to wanting to be
seen in a way that in reality I am not. It is as if I wanted to
wear a mask to convey a good image to others, regardless of
what I truly do.
of each undesirable attitude, and those undermine my future
purposes and goals in life.
I felt I needed to be less indifferent to my mistakes; not blaming
myself but seeking the cause that led me to make them,
transforming this into the first step to getting it right. Nor can I
continue accepting my inner position that it is all right to repeat
the mistake saying, Thats the way I am. Im hopeless.
Having discovered how to position myself regarding my
mistakes has freed me from the shackles of appearances, and
has contributed to the development of what I really want to be.
being late, having an argument with someone or an
inappropriate behavior someplace. Well any fault makes me
a captive of the old question: What will others think of me?
The reason is that inside of me something tells me: Worse than
the act of making the mistake is to have someone witness it.
But, let's think about it. Does this make any sense at all?
If I expected a visit and my room was a mess, I would quickly
bundle up all that was visible, thrusting everything into my
closet. In fact, it was the BEING that sometimes makes
mistakes- versus the chains of the PRETENDING that wants
to be invulnerable and perfect. The worst part is that the
PRETENDING prevents me from being the person I really
am, with the clear understanding of what I still need to improve
in myself.
More than once have I wondered who truly misses out when I
commit a blunder. In fact, other than being overly concerned
with appearances, I observed that Ive been repeating certain
mistakes and actions for years, and I have done nothing to
change. If I am only concerned about correcting the mistakes
that affect others, to protect appearances, and if I avoid fixing the
ones that only hurt me, it is because I ignore the consequences
I understand that this position is related to wanting to be
seen in a way that in reality I am not. It is as if I wanted to
wear a mask to convey a good image to others, regardless of
what I truly do.
of each undesirable attitude, and those undermine my future
purposes and goals in life.
I felt I needed to be less indifferent to my mistakes; not blaming
myself but seeking the cause that led me to make them,
transforming this into the first step to getting it right. Nor can I
continue accepting my inner position that it is all right to repeat
the mistake saying, Thats the way I am. Im hopeless.
Having discovered how to position myself regarding my
mistakes has freed me from the shackles of appearances, and
has contributed to the development of what I really want to be.
What if today, with all the pomp and circumstance, I was
offered the freedom I have been dreaming of for so long? If I
was granted, free of charge, all the possibilities to become the
master of myself, to be free to worship, to express myself and
to acquire whatever I want ? What if today I could speak up,
act, and think freely? If by the end of the day I found myself as
the master of this wonderful possibility, would I be totally free?
Sometimes I am the queen of the situation. Facing a huge
chocolate cake when nobody is near except my intelligence,
that knows only too well what the limits of my body are, I find
myself free to do what I want. And usually, I eat until I think
that I will never again in my life want to face another
temptation like that. I satisfy my impulses to the point of not
wanting ever to be the master of this freedom. No, no! I can
do without that!
How many times was I granted the freedom of choice be it of
a profession, or of somebody to be with and I made the wrong
decision or simply felt paralyzed by the number options
offered! How many times was I allowed to do what I wanted
and simply didnt know what to do, or even worse, I chose to
do nothing! Knowing myself, I can assure you that even if all
the rules and conventions were abolished today, I would still be
a slave to my mind.
I live in a democratic country, in a well structured city, I
socialize with people from all walks of life, I have free access to
all the sources of technical and scientific knowledge, and I have
a family that teaches me everything I need to stand on my own
two feet. And in spite of that, I am not free.
I am learning that true freedom cant be bestowed by anybody
but me. If we were to abolish all the social rules, it would
certainly create the greatest problem of all for us because the
current culture has not taught us to think freely, it hasn't taught
us to defend ourselves against the enemies of our objectives,
nor to be humble enough to understand that in order to
possess something, it is necessary to deserve it.
How enslaved we, young people, are by conventionalism and
by the thoughts of the masses! How fragile is our will power
I am a hostage to fear, I am afraid to make mistakes, of not
succeeding and of being frustrated. I am a hostage to
ignorance, to the lack of knowledge, to the difficulty in
knowing the path to take. I am a hostage to prejudices, to
refusing to learn, to having an inert mind. I a am hostage to
what will others say?, to conventions and to thoughts of
the masses. I am a hostage to inertia and to the lack of will
power. And finally, I am a hostage to a series of
psychological deficiencies that confuse me shooting down
my best objectives. In fact, I am a hostage to myself.
reedom to be free
What if today, with all the pomp and circumstance, I was
offered the freedom I have been dreaming of for so long? If I
was granted, free of charge, all the possibilities to become the
master of myself, to be free to worship, to express myself and
to acquire whatever I want ? What if today I could speak up,
act, and think freely? If by the end of the day I found myself as
the master of this wonderful possibility, would I be totally free?
Sometimes I am the queen of the situation. Facing a huge
chocolate cake when nobody is near except my intelligence,
that knows only too well what the limits of my body are, I find
myself free to do what I want. And usually, I eat until I think
that I will never again in my life want to face another
temptation like that. I satisfy my impulses to the point of not
wanting ever to be the master of this freedom. No, no! I can
do without that!
How many times was I granted the freedom of choice be it of
a profession, or of somebody to be with and I made the wrong
decision or simply felt paralyzed by the number options
offered! How many times was I allowed to do what I wanted
and simply didnt know what to do, or even worse, I chose to
do nothing! Knowing myself, I can assure you that even if all
the rules and conventions were abolished today, I would still be
a slave to my mind.
I live in a democratic country, in a well structured city, I
socialize with people from all walks of life, I have free access to
all the sources of technical and scientific knowledge, and I have
a family that teaches me everything I need to stand on my own
two feet. And in spite of that, I am not free.
I am learning that true freedom cant be bestowed by anybody
but me. If we were to abolish all the social rules, it would
certainly create the greatest problem of all for us because the
current culture has not taught us to think freely, it hasn't taught
us to defend ourselves against the enemies of our objectives,
nor to be humble enough to understand that in order to
possess something, it is necessary to deserve it.
How enslaved we, young people, are by conventionalism and
by the thoughts of the masses! How fragile is our will power
I am a hostage to fear, I am afraid to make mistakes, of not
succeeding and of being frustrated. I am a hostage to
ignorance, to the lack of knowledge, to the difficulty in
knowing the path to take. I am a hostage to prejudices, to
refusing to learn, to having an inert mind. I a am hostage to
what will others say?, to conventions and to thoughts of
the masses. I am a hostage to inertia and to the lack of will
power. And finally, I am a hostage to a series of
psychological deficiencies that confuse me shooting down
my best objectives. In fact, I am a hostage to myself.
reedom to be free
when faced with the opinion of other people who are
sometimes as unprepared as we are to pass judgments! How
unprotected are our minds when facing the numerous stimuli
from diverse sources! One needs to be truly brave to be really
different, in a society that imposes concepts laden with
violence as well as with subtleties.
One needs a lot of knowledge to possess true freedom, the
knowledge that bestows upon us the possibility to live
peacefully amongst our fellowmen and to evolve without
breaking the main laws, i.e. the Laws of Creation. First, it is
necessary for me to learn how to use my intelligence, so that
later I can aspire to be free to think. I must learn to want with
my conscience so that I can be free to do what I want. It is
necessary to know clearly where am I heading and why, so that
I can then follow my path. And finally it is necessary to have a
lot of courage to accept the responsibility of being free in order
to be worthy of conducting my life the way my conscience
indicates.
Freedom, which is a natural prerogative of the human
being, must not be sought due to a whim, but with the
knowledge of its true meaning and of the marvelous
possibilities that it offers when it is used towards the
individual self-betterment and for the good of mankind!
This is true freedom!
72
when faced with the opinion of other people who are
sometimes as unprepared as we are to pass judgments! How
unprotected are our minds when facing the numerous stimuli
from diverse sources! One needs to be truly brave to be really
different, in a society that imposes concepts laden with
violence as well as with subtleties.
One needs a lot of knowledge to possess true freedom, the
knowledge that bestows upon us the possibility to live
peacefully amongst our fellowmen and to evolve without
breaking the main laws, i.e. the Laws of Creation. First, it is
necessary for me to learn how to use my intelligence, so that
later I can aspire to be free to think. I must learn to want with
my conscience so that I can be free to do what I want. It is
necessary to know clearly where am I heading and why, so that
I can then follow my path. And finally it is necessary to have a
lot of courage to accept the responsibility of being free in order
to be worthy of conducting my life the way my conscience
indicates.
Freedom, which is a natural prerogative of the human
being, must not be sought due to a whim, but with the
knowledge of its true meaning and of the marvelous
possibilities that it offers when it is used towards the
individual self-betterment and for the good of mankind!
This is true freedom!
72
The Logosophical Foundation For self-betterment
is a private institution created to make an ample
diffusion of the logosophical cognitions possible. Its
worthy actions in man's benefit have earned
recognition as a public service Institution by the
Governments in the countries where its Student
Centers are located. A vast number of lectures,
presentations to small groups and courses on topics of
interest have contributed to spread the objectives, the
method and the contents of the logosophical science.
More information about Logosophy and the
Logosophical Foundation at www.logosophy.info.
Created in 1930 by the thinker and humanist
Carlos Bernardo Gonzlez Pecotche, Logosophy
is a science that reveals to the human being a new
way of feeling and conceiving life in every one of
its aspects: the physical, the psychological and the
spiritual. Logosophy expands the contents of the
currently used words revealing their metaphysical
content and presenting a new conception of God,
of His Laws, of man and of the Universe. It leads
man to self-knowledge and offers the means to
fight against the deficiencies and flaws that
prevent him or make it more difficult to improve
his inner world, which will occur as a result of the
individual effort.
What is Logosophy? The Logosophical
oundation
The Logosophical Foundation For self-betterment
is a private institution created to make an ample
diffusion of the logosophical cognitions possible. Its
worthy actions in man's benefit have earned
recognition as a public service Institution by the
Governments in the countries where its Student
Centers are located. A vast number of lectures,
presentations to small groups and courses on topics of
interest have contributed to spread the objectives, the
method and the contents of the logosophical science.
More information about Logosophy and the
Logosophical Foundation at www.logosophy.info.
Created in 1930 by the thinker and humanist
Carlos Bernardo Gonzlez Pecotche, Logosophy
is a science that reveals to the human being a new
way of feeling and conceiving life in every one of
its aspects: the physical, the psychological and the
spiritual. Logosophy expands the contents of the
currently used words revealing their metaphysical
content and presenting a new conception of God,
of His Laws, of man and of the Universe. It leads
man to self-knowledge and offers the means to
fight against the deficiencies and flaws that
prevent him or make it more difficult to improve
his inner world, which will occur as a result of the
individual effort.
What is Logosophy? The Logosophical
oundation
-
A publication of the
Logosophical
Foundation in
Belo Horizonte,
Brazil
written by young
Logosophy
students from
different
cities in Brazil
-
A publication of the
Logosophical
Foundation in
Belo Horizonte,
Brazil
written by young
Logosophy
students from
different
cities in Brazil
E s s a y s o n F r e e d o m
presents, through different points
of view, a number of episodes
from young peoples life. It
describes the struggle of various
individuals against the implacable
power that the thoughts exert over
our life, showing that it is possible
to get to know and dominate them,
by selecting those that allow us to
experience true freedom: the
freedom that emerges from within.

Essays On Freedom

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