How do you liberate your mind and how do you imprison it?

Question

do your behaviours tend to keep you open to possibilities or closed to opportunities. How do you SEE more and how do you limit yourself.....

Answer 1

A liberated mind is one that diligently dismantles all intact knowledge. By releasing one’s truth, an individual frees himself from the burden of his ideologies.

An imprisoned mind is one with many conclusions and expectations. It 'knows' it has the 'right' answer; therefore, it blinds itself to all other possibilities.

I am a mere human...my behaviors both open and close doors to greater possibilities and opportunities. I’d like to think they open more than close, but such belief may only fool me as I have been fooled before.

I see more, by suspending my belief that there is a right or a wrong. I am comfortable with not knowing...not having all the answers. And in essence, by knowing nothing, I prime myself to know all.

Answer 2

Producer has it right in the behavior department.
I think you might be asking about liberation of thought, not the kind of liberation of spirit that meditation brings about. Please, if I am incorrect, accept my apology, up front.
Generally, one liberates the mind by not accepting anything at face value. By exploring ALL possibilities, and not limiting your perspective to the accepted or the surface.
The reverse is imprisoning the mind. By accepting others opinion, perspectives, insights and not searching for the truth of it, you imprison your mind.
Personally, I fight against imprisoning my mind by being open to new things, exploring something myself before either accepting, or discarding, opinions, perspectives, etc, that others hold. I always try to accept, whether I agree or not, and find some common ground with every line of thought, social situation, etc. I "open" myself to the possibility that even of I am convinced that I am right, I may be wrong. I "see" more because I don't let the surface of something beguile me.
Just because something appears blue, is taught to be blue, is adulated as blue doesn't make it blue, ya know?

Answer 3

Not behaviors as much as thoughts. A person who has a negative self image might, for example, not even attempt to do something that would open themselves up to more possibilities. They have already decided they will not succeed.

One's mind becomes imprisoned when one sees thing in only one way. This conditioning is usually the result of socialization, and can be difficult to overcome.

One of the most effective techniques for freeing the mind is, imho, meditation, where one lets go of thoughts, allowing them to flow in and out of the mind. There are many different meditation techniques, and one must find one that works for them.

Once the mind has been cleared, one can seek out challenges to ones perceptions, and open ones mind that way. The use of Zen koens can be helpful.

Answer 4

You liberate your mind through understanding all of the perspectives before reaching a conclusion, but even after the conclusion, you must accept the possibility of being wrong.

You imprison your mind by always listening to only one side of an argument, making a quick decision and never admitting you might be wrong.

Answer 5

The way you've asked the question relates to the answer you seek. You've quoted your mind in the 3rd person, as a different entity to your consciousness, this partialy answers the question of liberation.

If I may, I'd like to approach this from a Buddhist perspective on the mind if I may, as it may prove interesting for comparison with the other fine answers posted.

Buddhists consider the mind as quite seperate from consciousness, with many different consciousnesses encroaching and modifying our thought processes. To Buddhists there are about 50 different types of consciousness ranging from the purely animal in nature to the more sublime. Each consciousness being seperate from the mind and each claiming to be "self".

To Buddhists, it is vital to be able to recognise a "self" arising in the consciousness, we do this by examining the feelings involved with that "self" thought, if the feelings are selfish ones then the "self thought" should be discarded, yet if the feelings are selfless then it should be embraced. This process of release is known as "Freeing the mind of self" and the concept is known as "I am not Me".

To Buddhists, the arising of "self" in the consciousness brings about a "clinging" attitude in the mind which perpetuates a wasteful and ultimately a futile search for self gratifying feelings. These feelings although "good" in the short term never bring about lasting "good" feelings, as there remains an emptiness feeling afterwards which has to be refilled. Releasing of this "self" mindset however, has the opposite effect, in that there is never an emptiness to refill as the feelings of emptiness never arise. It takes an effort to achieve as does anything worthwhile. Buddhists use Mindfulness Meditation techniques to achieve it.

A peaceful, quiet mind can achieve great insight and freedom from damaging and often wasteful selfish behaviours which ultimately bear no relationship to true freedom. How we think controls our perceptions and our perceptions control our actions. Freeing our mind from "self" is the ultimate freedom because it will open our awareness and allow our consciousness to expand beyond our "selves".

Peace from a Buddhist....

Answer 6

Hmmm. Alas, your mind is conveniently imprisoned for you beginning, probably, even before birth--by the impressions, etc. absorbed in utero.

After birth the programming begins immediately by an already brainwashed society and your very own propagandized parents.

The first step toward "liberation" is realizing that "normal" is wholly dysfunctional and toxic. And, of course, a state of being totally supported by "the state". Why would "they "do this? Excellent question. See http://www.montalk.net and http://www.educate-yourself.org to find out, and how to deal with it. :))

Answer 7

A free mind exists when limiting beliefs are dispensed with. Beahviour is irrelevant to this process.

Answer 8

Liberation of the mind is achieved when popular belief no longer matters, and social acceptability is no longer important.Until then you will never truly be free thinking.

Answer 9

drugs help! so does resolving your own inner demons. Just don't get hung up in the good/evil thing. In the end even the devil is still divine

Answer 10

Trust your instincts.. do not take anything as fact without using at least your own instinct.. intuitiveness.. if it "smells" - then get very.. very wary & look further into the situation..