What Does Freedom Mean to You?

July 09, 2023

Hey there Yogis!

We've been talking a lot about freedom lately: about having the right to choose whether to be a mother or not, and how to do it; about being able to leave behind a lifestyle, a job, a city or a person, wheneve<r it's not working, and take the path towards what we want; about the importance of clearing past traumas and negative conditioning, letting go of habituated patterns of thought and action, and being liberated through yoga practice. And so on!

Freedom, as you can see, is a concept that is as broad as it is crucial. Today we would like to delve into another meaning of freedom: the possibility of disposing of one's own time. We mentioned in our last post that having time to do nothing, to just enjoy ourselves and what surrounds us, is essential for growing, for healing and transformation to take place.

We can't be truly free until we learn how to stop. We won't be truly free until we make time to rest, to observe the beauty of the world, to share with our loved ones, to take care of our bodies and our souls.

We hope this message inspires you to pause and take a deep breath, even if it's just for ten minutes.

Namaste!

I. A quote by Franco "Bifo" Berardi

“Perhaps the answer is that it is necessary to slow down, finally giving up on economistic fanaticism and collectively rethink the true meaning of the word 'wealth.' Wealth does not mean a person who owns a lot, but refers to someone who has enough time to enjoy what nature and human collaboration place within everyone’s reach."

II. Yoga Nidra

Yoga nidra is an ancient yogic practice that’s becoming increasingly popular as both a form of meditation and a mind-body therapy. It is a systematic form of guided relaxation that is typically practiced for 35 to 40 minutes at a time.

It often brings immediate physical benefits, such as reduced stress and better sleep, and it has the potential to heal psychological wounds. As a meditation practice, it can engender a profound sense of joy and well-being.

Yoga nidra allows us to reach the most profound level of relaxation possible. In a typical yoga nidra session, a teacher guides practitioners through several stages. You start by developing an intention for your life and for the practice. Then you learn to focus your awareness on your breath, bodily sensations, emotions, and thoughts. Throughout, you are encouraged to tap into an underlying sense of peace that is always present and to cultivate 'witness consciousness', observing and welcoming whatever is present without getting caught up in it.

Want to practice it? Enhance your nights sleep with this guided 20-minute yoga nidra audio.

Source: Yoga Journal

III. Severance | Series

Severance is a psychological thriller series from Apple TV+, directed by Ben Stiller. Set at Lumen Industries, a company that aims to create a work-life balance utopia, the series explores the line between work and personal life, examining the psychological effects of corporate environments and the sacrifices individuals make in pursuit of success. It combines elements of drama, dark humor, and suspense.

At Lumen Industries, data inputter Mark (Adam Scott) and his colleagues on “the severance floor” have all undergone a procedure that separates, absolutely, their work selves (“innies”) from their home selves (“outies”). Their innies input data for eight hours a day, get into the elevator at the end of it and “transition” to outie mode on the way down to the lobby. One has no idea what the other does with its time and any anxieties or burdens carried in either mode do not bleed into the other. It is, supposedly, the work-life balance made flesh. Except, of course, it is a little more complicated than that.

As the series unfolds, it raises profound questions about what makes a self, the existence of free will, the appearance of choice and much, much else.

Severance — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

That would be all for today. Thanks for reading and please feel free to share your thoughts. We would love to hear from you.

We'll get back to you shortly Yogis!

Xoxo

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