World Independence Day

“That must happen—a day when we break away from the national shackles and just become one humanity.” —Sadhguru

On the occasion of the Indian Independence Day, Sadhguru looks at what it would take to celebrate a day when the world becomes free from borders and distinctions, and celebrates World Independence Day.

Sadhguru: India became free sixty-six years ago. However, it is of no use if the country is liberated but man is not liberated. It’s time man becomes free. One always tends to understand freedom as, “I will do whatever I want to do.” If you do whatever you feel like doing, you will get trapped in your own limitations. Freedom means you are capable of joyfully doing whatever is needed. If everyone does what they like or whatever they feel like on a particular day, no one can stay together. Freedom is a result of responsible action. If we act responsibly, the flower of freedom will bloom.

Freedom will not happen just because you send somebody away. True freedom will happen when we become free even from the need to have a certain identity of a nation. The technology and power that human beings hold in their hands today are such that it is disastrous for people to think in terms of nations. It is time we think as humanity. Otherwise there will be no freedom. We will only get locked up in our own rigidities.

If we can celebrate “World Independence Day” in the next few decades, when we become free from all boundaries, borders and distinctions, that would be a tremendous independence day. That must happen—a day when we break away from the national shackles and just become one humanity. This is not an empty dream or a utopian idea. People always look at situations from the basis of existing realities, not at what is beating within a human heart. The individual longing to go beyond limitations is not being considered at all. If we stoke up what is beating in individuals’ hearts, creating a situation where we can celebrate a World Independence Day is not far away.