What then is freedom? The power to live as one wishes. ~Marcus CiceroThe secret to happiness is freedom... And the secret to freedom is courage. ~Thucydides

For my regular listeners, you may remember that Nita and I spoke in Episode 5 about the possibility of exploring a special series based on the 5 values of her work in the world, B*Free. This includes being Free, Gifted, In Power, Equal, and Grounded. This is the first of that series.

Nita and I took an idea, a word, a concept...that hints at an experience, a universal human ideal, and a universal longing -- and played with it. We had a free-flowing conversation, riffing off each other. We played off each other in the moment, and we both enjoyed it immensely. I found myself more passionate and animate and playful at times, and enjoyed being with my dear friend to explore something so meaningful to all of us.

We speak about how freedom is intimately connected to:

being presentan inner state rather than dependent on circumstancesa matter of practiceabout moving from judgment to discoverya paradox of experiencing it now as well as building towards ever more expansive statescreation and growth through creative expressionour relationship to pain and what we typically consider negative or difficultvulnerability, honesty, transparency, authenticity--being able to see our experience is valid as long as we are able to own it, but otherwise contributes to the feeling of not being good enoughand much more.

We often assume we're free. But how free do we really feel in our everyday lives to be what we want, say what we want, do what want? Can we be ourselves? What gets in the way?

As always, I hope you enjoy it. As always, thanks for listening.