From Oppression to Freedom

One of the oldest recurring stories throughout the world is that of liberation from oppression. Countless foreign occupying armies have been driven out and oppressive rulers overthrown around the world in almost every century. In recent history, Simon Bolivar, El Libertador, freed Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, and Bolivia from Spanish colonial rule during the 19^th Century. Slaves in the United States were freed a bit later by Abraham Lincoln; and in the next century racial discrimination was finally outlawed under the leadership of Martin Luther King. Colonial rule was pushed out in India, Africa, and China during the 20th Century. European nations were also freed from Hitler; and later Eastern Europe was freed from Soviet rule.

These liberations brought ecstatic celebration by immense crowds in the streets, in cafes and private homes; normal life now seemed possible again for all the oppressed people. Liberation stories are endlessly wonderful. They are the stuff of legend, song and film.

But there are in fact different kinds of oppression. One type is the exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner. This would include foreign domination, economic exploitation, misrule in companies and in other institutions, unhealthy media influence over our minds, and even extortion by criminal gangs, to mention just a few. This kind of oppression is usually caused externally.

The other kind of oppression is usually on a smaller, more personal scale. It the feeling of being heavily burdened, mentally or physically, by troubles, adverse conditions, anxiety, etc. It may involve mental and emotional oppression, often self imposed, such as addiction to drugs and alcohol. It may occur in families and in other important relationships. Whether oppression is due to large external circumstances, or to more subjective internal causes, it can be equally debilitating.

One of the recurring themes in liberation stories is powerful outside help. Nearly every story points to a Moses, a Gandhi, a Mother Teresa, or some other person or group who rescues people lost in helpless despair. Frequently these stories have religious themes. For instance, when Jesus began his mission of spiritual liberation, he quoted from the Prophet Isaiah:

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Spirituality is almost always linked to this quest for freedom from oppression, involving liberation both for ourselves and also for our friends and families. This quest for freedom may be expressed in political and economic terms, or in psychological, emotional and spiritual language, or often by a combination of these.

There is a powerful desire in the human heart to break free from whatever enslaves us, from whatever is holding us back, in order to soar to the heights like an unfettered eagle. Often, we can recall our spirits soaring at a younger age, perhaps in childhood. But now they seem so heavy and constrained by overpowering circumstances that liberation seems only a distant dream.

Spiritual wisdom has always taught that freedom is reachable, particularly freedom of the heart, soul and mind. Not every struggle for political or economic liberation will succeed during the lifetime of those who struggle. Nor can we all find perfect health and the physical freedom that allows us to run effortlessly. But there is a kind of inner freedom that is reachable despite oppressive outer circumstances.

This is the kind of freedom that Helen Keller discovered despite her blindness and her inability to hear any normal sounds; she reached out of her darkness and found a source of joy and normal functioning notwithstanding these drastic physical limitations. Of course, she had powerful help through a teacher (liberator) who showed her how to train her mind and spirit to thrive despite her seemingly helpless condition.

That is our situation today. No matter how rich or poor we may be, we all face struggles to survive, particularly in our inner world. We face sickness, loneliness, despair, anxiety, loss of direction, old age, and fear of death. So we should all seek spiritual healing and liberation.

Our spiritual quest will involve finding wisdom and powerful help along the way, since it is too difficult to achieve within our own limited resources. But the first step is an aspiration to find freedom of the soul.

As long as the dream of freedom is alive, we have good reason for hope. One day we too may sail to new heights like the eagles that I often see flying outside of my windows. Never give up this quest to go from oppression to freedom!