Here I am talking about releasing yourself from social constraints. My online Thesaurus describes the word liberate as “to set somebody free from traditional socially imposed constraints such as those arising from stereotyping by gender or age.” As we traverse through life from birth to death,  we come across people, events and norms that bind us or shackle us. Most of the  time it is not easy for one to know they are bound until an outside event
triggers an awakening at soul level. It is at this time that one starts
questioning the status quo but also risks being labeled a rebel or misfit. Thus  one needs to understand the liberation
process and carefully manage it for success. I will give a few
instances where you might need to set yourself  free.


Liberating yourself from childhood  traumas

 If you are a woman, you could have been brought up under a strict cultural environment where a girl child has to conform to certain norms within society. For example, the idea that women are inferior to men and so they have to be submissive. Most women have problems speaking out or taking up leadership
positions in business as they view themselves as not  being capable of challenging their male colleagues. There is also another trauma where girls are supposed to do most of the household chores and conform to the norm
that “a woman’s place is in the kitchen.” These societal constraints from  childhood continue to haunt women as
  adults.


However, as more and more women get educated and mix and mingle with other cultures, they are awakened to the fact that human beings are created equal and so have equal rights. The only species that need to be dominated are the animal and plant kingdoms. It is at such times that an individual needs to realize the power of love. Loving yourself fully opens the door to more discoveries and abundance. But how can one love and accept their inadequate self. A gap exists between what they are accustomed to and the new beliefs.This is where the idea of forgiving yourself plays an important role. Also forgive those that have put you in bondage. It could be your ancestors, parents or society. Acknowledge the fact that as an individual you deserve equal  opportunities and love. So begin by empowering yourself through forgiving yourself. Then you can forgive the rest. Self-hate and carrying grudges only serves to keep you bound to the past. You need to put the burden down and create
room for self-discovery.


Liberating yourself from parental  control


Whether male or female, you could be subject to parental control even as an adult. The idea was for parents to be responsible for their children’s welfare up to a certain age. This is why there are some milestones in one’s life such as early childhood, teenage, young adult, full adult etc. and these are marked by age groups. I believe that when a child reaches adulthood, it is time for parents to let go but this might not happen naturally. Thus there are instances of adults who are bound and controlled by one or both parents. In African tradition, a child will always be a child into old age. Alternatively, women will always be minors. Hence, these people will always consult with and get approval from their parents before making any major decisions.


 Another subtle form of bondage is the traditional belief that a child is indebted to the parents who would have sacrificed to provide for the child. So the expectation is that the child should pay back in gratitude to the parents. However, this societal constraint limits the individual’s ability to progress in life as they are forever paying a non-ending debt. It is this socially imposed belief that results in the battle between in-laws. Mother’s in law want to perpetuate control of their sons and meddle in their marriages by demanding large sums of money as compensation for the trouble they went through. Some parents demand certain ongoing responsibilities from their children to ensure that they are well provided into old age. Regardless of the child’s performance in life, this
obligation remains intact and can choke the life out of the individual who has to keep up with their peers while at the same time keeping up with parental demands.


Removing parental control can be  a stubborn form of bondage as one risks being considered rebellious, outcast and in some cultures it is taboo to speak out, especially against your mother. Traditionally, some retribution comes with such an act. It is therefore crucial that when awakened to the existence of such control one takes time to acknowledge the problem. Without acknowledging the problem, fear of retribution can act as another set of chains. After acknowledging the problem, one needs to discuss with other people who might or might not be facing such challenges. This helps to put perspective to the issue and bring more understanding. Some form of prayer also helps strengthen one’s inner resolve and to dissolve the fear. One needs to acknowledge connection to source/God that is the creator. When this realization comes about, it is easy to see objectively the role played by parents. This brings further realization that one does not need to do anything beyond what they afford their creator, for their parents are simply co-creators under instruction. Once the assignment is complete, there should be no further obligation. As God has granted us free will and we choose what we want to do with him, the same is applied to parents.One should not feel obliged beyond their free will. However, when one is bound, they feel more obligated toward parents instead of God/Creator/Source.


Therefore, in all cases where you have decided to liberate yourself, one needs to apply these principles:
 ·        
1. acknowledge the existence of a problem
 ·        
2. forgive yourself and those that have contributed to your bondage
 ·        
3. talk to other people
 ·        
4. pray/meditate over the issue and what you need to  do
 ·        
5. make a decision to love yourself and change things
 ·        
6. exercise your God given right of free will
 
This article is a result of personal experiences and the tools applied  to overcome the problem of bondage. Please feel free to comment, share or to  receive more inspiring articles, SUBSCRIBE to my mailing  list.

Finally a new year has dawned on us. After being pre-occupied with 2012 and its various prophesy, one never thought a new year would so gloriously be ushered into our presence. It is true that no one knows the day when the world will come to the end except its creator. Even Jesus did not know. Therefore it is prudent to take the New Year as an opportunity to re-create our lives. 

I spent New Year’s Eve full of nostalgia for a different set of events, less stressful than the past 12 months. When I got into 2012, I must have understated the toll it would have on my body, spirit and soul. Not to say that there was anything bad that happened but just keeping up with the pace was highly taxing. First there were the different interpretations of the Mayan prophesies, the spiritual ascension phenomena, the end of the world from a pagan and a Christian perspective, the possibility of aliens landing on our  planet leading to some disclosure etc. etc. The media in all its forms was awash with speculation after speculation. Huge volumes of channelings were offered in an attempt to explain events and offer advice about what to do when. It was such a confused year.

 However, for those grounded in their spiritual truth, 2012 came and went with the least of stress. As for me, I spent New Year’s Eve, visualizing and praying for an opportunity to re-create whatever suffered from lack of attention due to my pre-occupation with the past year.  What came to mind included the recreation of my relationships. As I tried to keep pace with 2012, I must have ignored a lot of relationships that needed nurturing. Starting at home, I would like to re-create my relationship with my family, i.e. spend more quality time with them. I would also like to re-create my relationships with my friends and work colleagues; to appreciate and give them more attention. 
 
There are other greater desires that I have held since childhood but have not had an opportunity to manifest such as becoming a published author and running a successful business.  Thus I’m taking 2013 seriously as I believe this is an opportunity to re-create these dreams and pursue them.


Happy New Year!

Do dead people visit us the living? I can certainly answer that, yes they do, talking from experience. Last night I had a dream and a strange one  at that. This is because the person I dreamt of died more than 20 years ago and  his memory had almost faded. I was close to this person from childhood; we had a strong attraction and a brief fling in our teens. I liked him but did not settle  for him as a life partner, maybe because I sensed a closed future. He died  suddenly while in college. I actually heard the news via other people as a“by  the way, so and so passed away”. I was not directly involved in the funeral,  neither did I see him or have an opportunity to say goodbye before his death.
  It was just sudden.


Anyway, fast forward to my 45th birthday and I had this strange dream  where I could see him and recognize his features clearly. I could almost say his name but he introduced himself to the man I was with (a relative?). He introduced himself as ‘Sir Chairman’ and that his family has since died. I’m not  sure if that is a real life fact as I have not been in touch with his family  since his death .He also said that he had gone to the underworld but now had returned for some reason.  He actually gave a long background speech whose words I cannot clearly remember. But I could tell he was back for a reason. I smiled in my dream and could feel the attraction I had to this person.


Anyway, I continued my dreams of other things but  I felt like I was in a lucid state. I could tell that I was sleeping and in  control of the events that were taking place. When I woke up in the morning, I had this sense of peace.  I remembered the dream, especially the connection I felt. This was a visit from a long lost friend. I believe there was no harm intended and this was a way of  bringing closure for both of us.


When I googled the word “underworld” I learnt that according to Greek Mythology, the was a place beneath the earth surface where dead people go briefly before reincarnating. Strange world.

Let me start by qualifying what I mean by being broke!
 In this  case I take it to mean, “Overdrawn”, or “in the red”, that is the books are not  balancing. One becomes broke mainly due to going beyond one’s means in  expenditure. The desires of the heart are not covered by one’s income thus
there is a tendency to go into debt to be able to procure such things. In my  country, we have official cycles during which the majority of people become  broke. This usually occurs after the festive season, early January. Such  phenomenon has been coined, “the January disease” and it afflicts many people at the same time such that it could qualify for a pandemic.


What usually causes the January disease starts around the month of November as this is the time when most people receive their 13th check, in the middle  of a festive frenzy. Without much discipline one is lured into spending this  windfall on things that look like necessities yet they are far from being that. It is the overwhelming desires that would have been shelved during the year as one hopes to finally be able to afford such luxuries come bonus time. Coupled with wide bombardment from all marketing angles in the media and on the shop fronts, one is enticed to plunge in, oblivious of the effect this will have on the rest of the basket of needs.  Some people become wild and go on a joy ride so to speak as they partake in bingeing, drinking away their hard earned cash. Men, who could not hitch women during the year, suddenly become very attractive as they splash currency around thereby attracting hordes of women whose sole purpose is to get at the cash. A fool and his money soon part!


Our schools generally open in the second week of January for the first term. During this time parents are expected to pay school fees as well buy new uniforms for their children. Prices of commodities shoot up at this time and the cost of living rises. This is the time when one finds that they cannot pay for these necessities. The disease strikes and the budget goes into negative. The loan sharks surface and this is their busiest time as they offer loans at exorbitant rates to the helpless parents. Those that blew up their earnings
during the festive season find themselves in this deep hole where it is not easy to climb out except by divine providence. It is really a difficult time, and many relationships falter at this time as people find it hard to survive each day. Those with the means develop a cold heart as if to punish their wayward relatives and friends. The purchases made in November/December stand there as white elephants as the owners battle with survival.


It is not a good feeling to be broke. I’ve been there before when I decided to borrow money to buy a car whose cost was beyond my means. But I had dreamt of this car for a number of years and so felt justified in my actions. So I went ahead and borrowed. But what happened after that was a series of events that made it so difficult for me to pay back the loan while at the same time paying all my bills as well as school fees for my children. I went into a crisis cycle that would move from month to month as I lived from hand to mouth, having more month at the end of my salary for several months. I was broke. 
 

This is such a painful experience that I have made the following resolutions going forward:


·  I have decided to accept the fact that I can actually do without certain luxuries –I need to trim  down a bit.

 ·    I will not go into debt  again. I think it is best to save and wait for one’s dream to manifest rather than paying it forward.

 ·   I have started budgeting and recording my expenses so that I know where my money is going so that I can plan effectively.

 ·   The idea of a second income is enticing and I have decided to try building a solid internet business  in my spare time. I have joined SFI and have started working at building it up so as to earn a second income and avoid going broke.

 ·   SFI is perfect as it is free to join initially and does not require a large investment to scale up. It  is perfect for someone just starting out.


Check it out
here…