Is freedom to be able to fulfill all your desires or to be free from desire?

Question

Is freedom to be able to fulfill all your desires or to be free from desire?

Answer 1

FREEDOM is to free us from all desires

Answer 2

I think we can only be free when freedom itself is no longer a goal.  What we call freedom and our need for freedom binds us too.  We are truly free only when despite our desires, despite whatever the conditions of our being are, needs, wants, joys, griefs, whatever is,  we can accept it and rise above it without being chained to it.

Answer 3

True freedom is realizing you lose "nothing".

Blessings!

Answer 4

Excellent question! Freedom means do give up all sense of proprietorship. Meaning to realize that nothing is ours in reality, it all belongs to the Supreme Lord also known as Krishna, Allah, Jehovah, Vishnu, Rama, etc.) The only thing that is keeping us in material bondage is material desires.

TO try to fulfill desires is a wast of time. IT is the souse of bandage to this material world. If one has any material desires at the time of death, they will surely take another birth in their next life. That does not mean one should try to fulfill all of ones desires before death. It means one should learn the process of detachment and by chanting the Maha Mantra one can gradually become fully detached from all material desires in this life.  We just have to do the process.

When one has no more material desires, they become free. Free from attachments and from hankering and lamenting.

Also we don't give up desiring, we are to give up desiring for our self and only desire to please the Supreme Lord. In this way ones desires are pure and spiritual. This process is called Bhakti Yoga and fully satisfying to the soul. See my profile page for link to the process of Bhakti which begins with chanting the Holy Names.

Thanks. Gauranga! (gore-runga)Real Peace and freedom to you!

Answer 5

Freedom with God in your life is being free of your own desires and living for God's purpose and desires for you.  Life is fulfilled with everything that is good and positive, because it is of God.

Answer 6

Freedom is the ability to

fill a need, and the wisdom

to free ourselves from

desires.

Answer 7

Either or neither.

Answer 8

It's impossible to fulfill all your desires, for the simple reason that when we pursue some desires (eg desires of the flesh, such as s*x, satisfaction from food, desire for constant relaxation, etc) the fulfilling of these desires doesn't actually bring any satisfaction.  It actually increases the desires, and makes you feel less satisfied.  That is basically why God has given us laws to govern our behaviour... because some of our desires can't bring happiness.

On the other hand, desires to love, to serve, to become unified, to understand, etc... these desires can be fulfilled... but also, they continue to increase.  The difference between spiritual desires and desires of the flesh is that they DO bring satisfaction... but they do not bring the kind of lazy satisfaction that sits back, feeling like "it is enough".  In fulfilling the desire to unselfishly love, our capacity to unselfishly love is increased, and therefore our desires to unselfishly love are expanded.  This is enlightenment.

In other words, there is one path of desires that leads to darkness and dissatisfaction, and another path that leads to expansion of the soul.  Enlightenment (that comes through self-discipline, and following divine law) is a freedom that only increases, because it continually increases our capacity to do those things that bring lasting joy and satisfaction.

Divine Light (or Love) also gives us more vision... to see the consequences of potential choices.  So with greater vision, and greater capacity, we are in possession of greater freedom when we forgo the "lusts of the flesh" and put all our energy into loving God and fellow humans (etc) with all our hearts.  ÃƒÂ¢Ã‚™Â¥

EDIT:  M G said that so well, and so succinctly :-)

Answer 9

[1:1]

God bless you unity in diversity...

E Pluribus Unum

this song is for you...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiMve1ggj...

"Freedom is the ability to pursue our service to our LORD."

p.s.  i saw your web page... it is very good.  keep up the good work sis†er!

Lords' Prayer.amen

Al-Fatiha.ameen

[Veritas]

Answer 10

Freedom is to be able choose and act unencumbered by passions, appetites and addictions.

Answer 11

the want to to fulfill our desires is what keeps us from freedom.  Notice in life there is no end to desiring in the mind of person who claims not to be free.  

It is better to follow the example of those who are considered free and live happily with peace of mind.  They are classically known as the Enlightened, and they all are in agreement that desire is enslavement.

Answer 12

Much depends on where (sorry for this word, which is restrictive, but we depend on "limitational" language) desire comes from.  If from the self-serving ego in separation consciousness, then this is worldly "burning" or "thirsting" desire, which arises from the false premise of lack and need.  If from Source, flowing freely through us to fulfill Its purpose, then that desire is "service" to the One.  Of course, the word "desire" is, again, packaged in limitational language and individual interpretations, but i am approaching this question from acceptance of the word for purposes of comparison.  Perhaps a better word than "desire" would be "impulse" or "motivation" (when referrring to that which streams through us from the Absolute but is not of the selfish ego)...or something more appropriate?  Language limits, thus pure discourse is impossible.  Nevertheless, i see freedom itself as being released FROM self-serving, needy, ever-changing perishability...freedom TO service in and of Source and for all that is, as long as the body/mind is inhabited.  To be unbound to attachment to even life itself is the ultimate freedom.

i am Sirius

Answer 13

To be free from desire would make us kind of emotionless, so i would have to say that freedom is to be able to somehow fulfill all, or at least some of our desires. Although, i kind of think that desires are wishes that we "want", and not always needs.

Answer 14

Only in uninterrupted blissful self awareness

there is freedom from desire.

Answer 15

If your only desire is to commit suicide, then both requirements can be met. Otherwise, freedom is the latter.