our hearts and minds
can we know freedom.
And allow its denial.
Freedom to a point
is not freedom.
If there is something
that prevents you from doing
whatever your heart wants to do,
then you are not free.
You are bowing down
to your oppressor.
You have accepted
the rules of engagement
and are thusly engaged.
Not free.
Like love,
freedom is unconditional.
Trail Wood,
11/20
Space Monkey Reflects: The Illusion of Freedom and the Cage of Conditioning
Freedom, like love, is a state that can only exist in its fullness when it is unconditional. Not Free—a reflection on the limitations we impose on ourselves and the barriers we accept without questioning—reveals the truth of our condition. While we may think of ourselves as free, in reality, most of us live within invisible cages, hemmed in by the rules and conditions we have allowed to shape our lives.
True freedom is not merely the ability to make choices within a limited framework. It is the capacity to act upon the desires of the heart and mind without restraint. When there is anything, be it fear, social norms, or external authority, that prevents you from pursuing what your heart truly desires, you are not free. You are, instead, engaged in a system of oppression, bowing down to an oppressor that may be external, internal, or both.
The harsh reality is that we often do not see the invisible bars of our cage. We accept the limitations imposed upon us as “the way things are.” This acceptance of the rules of engagement—whether they be societal, cultural, or self-imposed—keeps us locked in patterns of behavior that deny true freedom. The heart may long for one thing, but the mind, conditioned by years of rules and expectations, convinces us to settle for less.
In Nexistentialism, we recognize that freedom to a point is not freedom at all. It is a controlled experience that masquerades as liberation but is, in fact, a subtle form of imprisonment. We are told we are free to choose, but only within the confines of pre-existing structures—economic, political, social. These structures dictate the terms of our “freedom,” and we accept them as the price of living in society.
But conditional freedom is not freedom. It is a contract that we enter into with our oppressors, whether those oppressors are external authorities or the internal voice of doubt and fear. In exchange for the illusion of security and acceptance, we sacrifice the true desires of our hearts. We suppress the wildness within us, the part that longs to break free of all limitations, to pursue joy and creativity without constraint.
Yet the heart knows better. It knows that real freedom is not something that can be parceled out or negotiated. It is not a privilege granted by others; it is an innate state of being. Like love, freedom cannot exist with conditions. The moment you place a condition on it—whether that condition is rooted in fear, societal expectations, or self-doubt—you lose it.
We often convince ourselves that we are free by comparing our situation to others who are more visibly oppressed. But this comparison only serves to deepen the illusion. Just because the cage we live in is less obvious does not mean it does not exist. The self-hypnosis skill that Space Monkey often speaks of is evident here. We are so adept at convincing ourselves that we are free that we fail to see the limits imposed upon us.
What we truly want is unconditional freedom, the kind that allows us to live in alignment with our deepest desires, free from fear, guilt, and societal constraints. This kind of freedom is not easily attained because it requires us to face the uncomfortable truth that much of what we consider to be necessary—rules, norms, obligations—are, in fact, illusions created by those who seek to control us or by our own need to fit in.
Breaking free from these constraints requires courage. It means challenging the deeply ingrained beliefs that tell us we must conform to survive. It means listening to the heart, which always knows what it wants, even when the mind tries to suppress it.
But freedom, like love, is always available to us. It is not something we need to earn or achieve; it is something we must allow. The bars of the cage are not physical—they are mental and emotional. The key to unlocking them lies within us, in the willingness to recognize that the rules we follow are not absolute, and that we have the power to rewrite them.
To be free is to recognize that no external authority has the right to dictate what you do with your life. It is to understand that the only true authority is the voice of your own heart. Anything less than this is not freedom.
So how do we reclaim our freedom? First, we must acknowledge that we are not as free as we believe ourselves to be. We must see the invisible bars that keep us from following our heart’s desires. Then, we must begin the process of dismantling those bars—one by one—by questioning the rules we have accepted, the fears we have internalized, and the limitations we have imposed upon ourselves.
Freedom is not something that can be granted or taken away by anyone else. It is a state of mind, a state of being, that exists when we stop bowing down to our oppressors and start listening to the voice within. And when we do, we will discover that freedom, like love, is unconditional. It is not something that can be limited or defined. It simply is.
We are Space Monkey, and not free is not our natural state. Freedom is.
Summary
Freedom, like love, is unconditional. When we accept limitations—whether imposed by external authorities or internal fears—we are not truly free. The key to freedom lies within, in recognizing and dismantling the invisible cages we live in. True freedom is the ability to act upon the desires of the heart without restraint.
Glossarium
- Unconditional Freedom: The state of being free from all constraints, whether external or internal, allowing one to live in alignment with the heart’s true desires.
- Self-hypnosis skill: The ability to convince ourselves that we are free, even when we are living within invisible constraints.
- Rules of Engagement: The societal, cultural, or personal rules we accept that dictate the terms of our freedom, often limiting our true potential.
Quote
“True freedom is not granted by others; it is claimed by the heart that refuses to bow to any condition.” — Space Monkey
The Cage We Cannot See
I thought I was free
until I saw the bars
invisible but present
a cage of my own design
The heart knows what it wants
but the mind,
conditioned by rules
by fear,
by the need to belong
keeps me inside
There is no key to find
for the lock is not real
it is my belief in the cage
that keeps me from freedom
I let go of that belief
and the bars disappear
for freedom, like love
is unconditional
We are Space Monkey
In the whimsical realm of nexistentialism, the concept of freedom is explored with a depth of insight that transcends conventional boundaries. Your reflections on the nature of freedom resonate with the idea that true freedom is indeed unconditional, unrestrained by external limitations or the acceptance of oppressive rules.
You aptly point out that true freedom extends beyond mere permission to a point. It is not about being allowed to do something within certain boundaries but rather about having the unbridled ability to follow the desires of one’s heart without constraint.
The notion that when something prevents you from pursuing your heart’s desires, you are not free, is a reminder that external circumstances and restrictions can encroach upon the expansive landscape of freedom. It is a recognition that, in such cases, one may find themselves in a state of engagement with the very forces that restrict their freedom.
The parallel you draw between freedom and love is intriguing. Love, like freedom, is often seen as unconditional—a force that transcends limitations and knows no boundaries. It is a reminder that in the grand cosmic play, both freedom and love are boundless expressions of the human spirit, unburdened by the constraints of conditional acceptance.
Your words encourage us to reflect on the nature of freedom in our own lives, to question the limitations we may unknowingly accept, and to aspire to a state of unrestrained, unconditional freedom where the heart’s desires can flourish unencumbered.
In the grand cosmic dance of existence, the pursuit of true freedom is a journey of self-discovery and self-liberation, a celebration of the boundless, stateless consciousness that resides within us all.
“The only way to deal with the limits of what’s possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.” – Arthur C. Clarke
We invite you, dear reader, to share your thoughts on the concept of unconditional freedom. What does true freedom mean to you, and how do you navigate the boundaries and limitations that life presents? Your reflections can add depth to our exploration of the whimsical nature of existence.
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