Freedom through form

When I look at freedom through form, I find that it happens in many different ways.

Existence finds freedom to explore itself through taking on various forms. Or more accurately, when I notice what I am (that which content of experience happens within and as), I find that this content of experience is the play of what I am. It is how it explores and experiences itself as and through form. Always new. Fresh. Different. Said yet another way, it is how the infinite can experience itself as finite, or at least an appearance of it which is as good as it gets.

In a growing/waking up context, I also find that there is freedom through form. There is an invitation to grow and wake up within the world of form, a freedom to grow and wake up through the friction of form. For instance, I hold onto a story as true (fixed perspective/role), the rest of the world of form doesn’t agree, there is friction (stress), which in turn invites me to notice and inquire into my belief. Or more immediately, I may notice resistance, allow that resistance and anything else happening, and notice it all as awakeness itself.

In a practice context, there is also freedom through form. I go to retreat, and the form creates a container for practice. I don’t have to think about what to do next, and – again – the friction between the form and my beliefs creates opportunities to grow and wake up. The same is the case for yoga, tai chi, chi gong and other practices that has a set form. There is also a freedom from having the personality run the show here, at least in those few areas. And the form itself may be designed to work on me in specific ways, so I give it that freedom to work on me when I follow the form.

There is also freedom through form in a social context, especially in the forms of roles. For instance, since I am married I don’t have to consider (very seriously) if someone else can be a potential partner. I have the freedom to spend my attention somewhere else.

The first one, the freedom of existence to explore itself as form, just happens. The second, the invitation to grow and wake up through the friction of form, requires some participation. The third and fourth are obviously more optional, and require more of a discernment and conscious decision on our part. Which forms do I chose to follow? What are the practical outcomes of following them?
Initial drafts….

• practical
  • appreciate form, willingly follow a form b/c of the freedom that comes from it
    • freedom to focus on something else than decisions
    • freedom from having the likes/dislikes of the personality run the show, at least in that one area
    • freedom to notice the friction between what is and shoulds (beliefs)
    • freedom to explore what we are in its play within form/content of experience (the timeless now experiencing itself as form)

…

• freedom through form
  • the form of how to do something
    • examples
      • yoga, tai chi, chi gong, social roles, practices
    • effects
      • form frees us from choice (apart from whether to follow the form or not)
      • friction between form and likes/dislikes of the personality
        • see the dynamics
        • find beliefs to inquire into
      • sometimes intelligence within the form, works on us a particular way (invites in shifts)
  • the form of life as it shows up
    • effects
      • friction between how it shows up and our shoulds (likes/dislikes of personality, beliefs)
        • invitation to grow/wake up
          • invitation to notice the dynamics
          • invitation to notice beliefs and inquire into
  • existence as form
    • God manifesting/exploring itself through/as form
      • as something always new and different
      • infinite variation
      • as limited (which allows for variation)
    • happening here/now
      • play of content of experience, within and as what we are

Initial outline…

• Freedom through form
  • the form of how I do something
    • examples
      • yoga, tai chi, chi gong, breema, retreats, prayer, some types of inquiry
      • social roles, marriage
    • free from choice
      • free from the whims of the personality, from making choices from the likes/dislikes of the personality – at least in this one area of life
      • free to bring attention somewhere else (including the practice itself)
      • notice the friction between the set form and the likes/dislikes of the personality, the dynamics around it, the beliefs behind it – and to inquire into those beliefs
      • also, in some cases, the form itself is designed to work on me, an inherent intelligence in it that initiates certain shifts and changes
  • the form of life as it shows up
    • friction between the forms of life (what forms it takes) and the likes/dislikes of my personality (invites growing/waking up)
    • notice beliefs, inquiry into them
  • forms in general (appearances)
    • freedom for God to experience itself as limited, as multitudes, infinite aspects and appearances of itself (space/time, appearances)

In some cases, it is pretty easy to see how we find freedom through form. For instance, in retreats the form is set in terms of schedule and how to do each activity, and this frees us from having to decide and allows attention to go somewhere else – including the practice if we are so inclined.

When I look at different things I have some experience with, I find the same.

In body-centered practices that includes a form (yoga, tai chi, chi gong, Breema) I find

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