Freedom is the only state of mind that expresses itself differently when experiencing with different situations, events, or emotions. This expression dramatically varies when you say "Freedom to...", "Freedom of...", or "Freedom from...", yes? Of course, it does. Think... When you say "Freedom to...", it means you are seeking your right or deservingness for something, when you say "Freedom from...", it means you are seeking utter liberation from something, but when you say "Freedom of...", it means you are seeking self-appraisal and value!

Exploring the Concept of Freedom | What Does It Really Mean

So what is Freedom to you? But what do you think, in decoding its exact sequence, which expression should come first and which should come last, so we can comprehend how exactly Freedom evolves in the first place? 

In fact, not only in the sequence they occur but also the presence of all three types of expressions are pivotal in fully establishing the concept of Freedom. Are you truly free if at least one among these is missing? For example, if you have "Freedom from..." and "Freedom of...", but you don't have "Freedom to...", are you still Free? 

Fascinating, yes? A single state of mind with many expressions!

What I believe is this: First comes "Freedom from...", then "Freedom of...", and lastly comes "Freedom to...", because you cannot revolt for something unless you are free from the fear of consequences of your actions, for which you already have the freedom of executing them as per your choice.

#Exemplifying the Freedom

Example 1_ Eating Donuts: 

If we put it in other words, Freedom is also about enjoying the wholesomeness of a product. It means, that enjoying the absolute freedom of eating Donuts needs freedom from any physical or mental hindrance to eating it, you must be able to cast your vote as if you liked it or not, and further you must have a choice/right/ or deservingness to decide its variety and where to eat. If you are a case of uncontrolled Diabetes, you still might have the freedom to choose the place and variety, even the freedom of reviewing it, but you are not free from the fact that your blood sugar is going to skyrocket in the next two hours.

Example 2_ Watching Media:

In a country like North Korea, you are allowed to watch television, but, the dictator will decide when, what, and how will you watch it. So, as long as watching the media is concerned you as considerably free, is it not? But you have no freedom from the security guards who might execute you, you have no freedom of expressing your willingness to watch or dodge it, and besides, you certainly have no right to choose what to watch! Is this the wholesomeness of Freedom?

Example 3_ Trekking Himalaya: 

You have all that is needed to trek the Himalayas: The time, the money, all the gears, the weather, the support, and the perfect physique. It means you are free to enjoy the wholesomeness of the trekking, yes? Let's check; you have the right to trek, you are free to choose which Himalayan peak you want to conquer, and you have the freedom of deciding whether to continue or stop midway or even cancel the entire venture, but what if you are fearful to start with? If so, then "Freedom from..." is missing here. Again, not the wholesomeness of Freedom!             

This was me, but what do leaders have to say about Freedom?

       

“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” —Nelson Mandela

“Freedom is never dear at any price. It is the breath of life. What would a man not pay for living?”--- Mahatma Gandhi

#Freedom in Simplest Words

It is one's ability to make choices without being controlled, restricted, or held in chains, that is to live life at its fullest potential while confirming its ownership. 

#Why Freedom is the first ever intrinsic emotion? 

It is much more likely that when we phrase the term "Freedom", we often feel its exact opposite, Slavery, Imprisonment, Confinement, and Restraint quite effortlessly. We immediately remember our freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh, Veer Savarkar, Mahatma Gandhi, and even some international leaders like Nelson Mandela who spent 27 years in prison. Practically, we misunderstand Freedom as Independence, where it is not! 

In the human body, Freedom is molecular! How? Every cell longs for freedom: freedom from intoxication, infection, and regulation. They have freedom of self-repair, self-healing, rejection and regeneration. In fact, they have the right to choose killing, engulfing, and transmitting to the next generation.

This molecular Freedom ultimately transmutes into the expression of life, where ever since we take birth, Freedom is the emotion we always want to consume wholly.          

#Freedom is not equal to Liberty

Liberty is an internal force that forces us to do the right things and makes us work in a just and responsible way, while Freedom is an external force that enables us to do what we want.

#What happens if there is no Freedom? When a person lacks autonomy he suffers from a range of mental, social, and physical downfall.

1. Dizziness of Freedom: It is like feeling a paralyzing sense of Freedom where you know you can choose to jump off the cliff but have the fear of falling down and dying. 
2. Reactive behavior: It is like constantly seeking approval from others and reacting impulsively without using the power of inner autonomy.
3. No Psychic Freedom: It is like feeling unworthy of love since you have negative beliefs about it, which limits your freedom to connect with meaningful relationships.
4. Stress: It is like a feeling of burnout, anxiety, and depression when you have no say in any form of decision-making.
5. Physical degradation: Let us say it is loneliness, a form of lack of Freedom- this would generate alteration in brain function, heart diseases, and lack of memory plus learning.   

#How the act of Freedom by leaders led the illuminating ways for society: 

• Mahatma Gandhi's commitment to nonviolence and civil disobedience inspired people and achieve independence.
• Rosa Parks's act of defiance ignited the Montgomery Bus Boycott which became the pivotal moment in the struggle for freedom and equality. 
• Susan B Anthony's purpose was the pursuit of equal rights and individual agency for all, regardless of gender.

#Domains/ Types of Freedom

1. Physical Freedom: It is a person's undisputed right to protect, preserve, prevail, and prosper in his body. Restricting the human moment, simply as in confinement, detention, imprisonment, or chain-bound are all forms of violation of Freedom.    
2. Psychological Freedom: It is a person's unrestricted mental ability to live with autonomy, manage control, and choose his emotions, uninfluenced.   
3. Social Freedom: It is a person's infinite liberty to be a part of a group, institution, or any communal gathering, concurrently being able to act without being coerced or forced. 

#Freedom is Subjective!

Did I use more liberty in using this phrase? It may seem so, but if you think carefully, you will realize that no matter how many different angles and ways we try to decode Freedom, when it comes to individuality, it always becomes subjective. 

If I am asked to opine about Bhagat Singh, then I would say he never lacked Freedom, neither did Nelson Mandela, nor Mahatma Gandhi! Why? Because the wholesomeness of Freedom for them was never to get a release from their imprisonments. Their motive never was vengeance, hence they were truly free! Apparently, it is not Freedom if you are not free from your vengeance once you are out of bounds of any form! 

For Bhagat Singh, Freedom was his ability to sustain the fire amongst the youth for the independence of India, inside the prison or outside the prison mattered nothing to him.

For Nelson Mandela, Freedom was his unperishable doggedness in achieving equality for colored people and his unimaginable power of forgiveness. (When he was released after 27 years from prison and became president of South Africa, the person who hated him tremendously and had assured his confinement in jail for 27 years was still alive. But when he was asked about that person, of what he thought about him, Mandela only replied, "He was a Decent Man!" 

Likewise, for a student, Freedom is not having homework, for a slave, it could be his release, for a father, it may be a day with no responsibilities, for a housewife, it simply will be to dine out, for a peon, it would his boss's leave, for a teenager, it should be sleeping over to his friend's home, for a mother, it must be uninterrupted, peaceful sleep of his young one, for a newspaper boy, it has to be a day of severe weather, for a vendor, it is a day with no waiting for a customer at his shop, for a volunteer, the opportunity is Freedom, for a soldier on the border, it is a night without fear of death, for a poor, food is freedom, for a policeman, a day with no FIR is freedom, for a middle-class man, no extra expense in his family is Freedom, and for a man injured in war, the Freedom is a shot of Morphin injection!

There are millions of such examples to understand the complex nature of Freedom, but I guess, I have been effective enough in presenting this complex emotion with my best efforts.

Do comment, your insights about Freedom will only enhance its expanse.              

Further Reading: 

Social Media Megnatism 

Laws of Karma

What is Comfort Zone 

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LONG WALK TO FREEDOM