Values

I recognise the utility of values in orienting our lives.

I also understood why it is not wise to say ‘I value everything’, prematurely. This can be a result of a person who is afraid to try out values. They may declare this to avoid the work true values require. They say that the person who loves everything loves nothing. Who values everything values nothing. The one who chooses both sides chooses neither. This is in fact the ideal. I wish to choose no sides, but this can be done actively by choosing both.

Similarly, we must go from having no values to some values to no values again. It is the same as going from valuing everything to valuing some things to valuing everything. Or valuing everything to valuing some things to valuing nothing. Or whatever combination- the centre is valuing something.

It is great to value something. This is choosing a path. This path takes us to the ‘one’, to God, whatever you call it. To the goal. And when we reach this goal we shall look back and see the countless roads that led to this goal. These roads are ‘values’ in this context. Thus, we can value everything, for everything leads to the same goal. But to declare this, you must first reach. If you value everything already, that means you take all the roads. How is this possible? To keep changing roads would mean you reach no where.

Thus to value something is an important step. There will come a time when this value too shall shed.

I recognise I value freedom.

This can help me orient my life and decisions, as well as thoughts. Have thoughts that keep you free. Have lunch so your day is free. Finish your tasks so your day and mind are free.

This thought came to me in the morning from Osho, he suggested freedom is a good criterion. Then I watched Gulrajni Sir’s video, in it he spoke of values being fundamental to leadership.

Thus I write now. Freedom is a value that can encompass many other values. Money, honesty, love, these can become attachments. Freedom is the opposite of attachment. Although, freedom can become an attachment itself if we obsess. A value, perhaps, is something that can help us orient life with, but it cannot become life itself. I wonder. The point where a value becomes obsession. Is there such a thing? There is a shadow to everything they say, what is the shadow here?

I can imagine this- in the name of freedom we oppress. We may say ‘let me remain in bed, without plans, for this keeps me free.’ I recognised a great difference between freedom and inaction, is that freedom spills into the future too. A decision made with freedom in the moment will keep you free in the next. A decision made with inaction in the moment will trap you in the next. For example, being in bed may keep me free right now, but work may be piling up. In this case, the so called value of freedom becomes an excuse to be lazy.

So, freedom is in the presence of courage. Have the courage to free yourself. There are many bondages, they keep coming up, we must have the courage to free ourselves from these. Ultimate freedom lies, I suspect, in simply knowing these bondages are not real. Ultimate freedom is in the freedom to be.