By 
The universe we live in is bipolar. It has two sides. Electric current, for example, operates on positive and negative charges, two aspects of a current of energy. In fact, what is there in this creation that does not have its reverse? Coins are a great analogy for this bipolar aspect of creation because they are so familiar to us and we all use them as part of our monetary exchange system. Coins obviously have two sides: heads [obverse] and tails [reverse]. Freedom also has two faces. One we know about, but what about its opposite side? What is the other side of the coin of freedom? Let’s take a look because not knowing what lies behind freedom can actually enslave us…or worse.
Freedom is normally thought of as a “carte blanche license”. In other words, the authorization of people to do what they please as long as they do not break municipal, state, federal and national laws. But what about spiritual laws? Rarely do men think of them. However, they triumph over human laws and are hardly taken into account in the exercise of freedom.
One aspect of this bipolar world is the law of action and reaction or cause and effect. Very simply illustrated, if we throw a ball against a wall, the ball bounces back. The throwing is the action and the cause; the bounce of the ball is the reaction and spin. This fundamental law of cause and effect, action and reaction, is also called karma. The religiously and spiritually minded understand this as the law of sowing and reaping that every Saint and Mystic has taught and will continue to teach.
When we create an action, even if it is a thought, the energy of that thought or action is placed in the energetic Circle of Life. Eventually, that energy comes back to surround us with positive or negative outcomes. It can free us or enslave us. Garbage in garbage out; health inside, health outside; I hate inside, I hate outside; love inside, love outside.
So here’s the problem: If we create actions that violate spiritual laws, those actions come back to us in the form of reactions. What goes around comes around. Therefore, in consideration of karmic law, uncontrolled freedom is an immense responsibility and potential danger. Freedom should not be defined as a “carte blanche license”, but as an action taken in consideration of the consequences. “Cause and consequence” is just another way of saying “cause and effect”. In reality, there is no such thing as freedom defined as doing what we want, especially in relation to spiritual laws, rules and regulations because every action has a consequence. By its very definition, discipline and self-control are fundamental to freedom. As the famous mathematician, scientist and philosopher Pythagoras said: No man is free if he can’t control himself. In other words, if we allow ourselves to get out of control, we will not be free, and we may even become slaves to our own uncontrolled and undisciplined actions.
For example, people are free to consume as much alcohol as they want. There are civil laws against its intoxication, but what about karmic effects that extend beyond civil laws, such as spiritual laws and health-oriented laws? Continued consumption of alcohol without [without] discipline and moderation may well lead to alcohol addiction. A person can say to himself: “I am free. I will drink as much as I want.” However, drinking too much will create potentially harmful, negative and destructive physical, mental, financial, emotional, family and social conditions. The person who was once free to consume this freely available destructive and deadly poison now becomes a slave to it with the potential to not only harm themselves, but to harm, harm, destroy, and even kill others. All this due to an unenlightened understanding of freedom. Although this misuse of alcohol is just one example, it is easy to draw on to understand how an incomplete perception of freedom can, in fact, lead to slavery. We may be free to act, but we are not free to escape the consequences of our actions. In effect, our actions bind us and can potentially enslave us. How difficult is it, for example, for an alcoholic to break free from the chains of his alcoholic slavery, chains that were acquired under the guise of freedom of choice?
In short, no one is truly free in the sense that they can do whatever they want. Why? Because every cause has a consequence; every action has a reaction. Acting too freely will ultimately lead to bondage of one kind or another. Therefore, discipline and self-control are mandatory when it comes to that beautiful ideal and state of being that we call freedom. So what do we need to know about freedom to prevent us from being enslaved?
Answer: The opposite side of freedom is slavery. We enslave ourselves when we don’t show enough wisdom to consider the consequences of our actions. prior to we execute those actions or with enough temperance when executing them to keep us balanced, safe and protected. To ensure our own safety and well-being, as well as that of others, we must always consider the consequences of our actions before taking them, and then use discipline and restraint when taking them.
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Copyright Richard Andrew King
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