關於「什麼是自由」，許多人可能認為「我當然知道，我懂」。但是當我們真正了解這篇問答對話裡神提醒我們正視的觀念時，不少人會發現自己的了解並不完整(incomplete)。
當我們對自由的了解不完整，我們如何能在自己的人生中做自己的主人？或真正體驗自由的本質與真諦？當我們的意識擴展，就很容易聽懂神在此談的觀念，反之則不易聽懂。你也可以從你第一次閱讀這篇，和你在靜定下重複閱讀它三遍後，發現你對它理解程度的擴展，感受自己覺知的提升，而體驗「什麼是意識擴展」。現在，就讓我們打開心胸正視這世界必然趨向的「新觀念」：
聽神談【關於「自由」與「被迫」】
尼爾(替16歲布萊恩問神)：爲什麽我不能在外面想待多晚就待多晚？「宵禁」要幹嘛？我不懂！爲什麽要像對待小孩地對待我？我爲什麽不能被給予自由去我想去的地方？做我想做的事情，做多久或多晚都可以？
自由並不是某種別人給你的東西。自由是「你是誰」的本質(Freedom is the essence of Who You Are.)。
你問，爲什麽你父母不能給你「你想要的自由」，而我說，你已經有那自由，因爲那是「你是誰及你是什麽」固有的本質。
如果有任何你不願成為或不想做或的，好比待在外面超過宵禁時間，那是因爲你選擇了不那樣。
尼爾：不是我選擇那樣。是我父母阻止我。
不， 是你阻止了你自己。你以爲沒有小孩留在外面比他們父母想要的更久嗎？或沒有十四、十五或十六歲的孩子為了那樣的理由逃家，而從此不回家嗎？
尼爾：所以，你在此並說的，不是我應該故意不聽從我父母或逃家，對吧？
當然不是。我說的是，你應該運用你的自由，依循你所選擇的做——但要注意的是，是你在做選擇。
我是說，你可以運用你的自由去尊重你父母的宵禁要求，或不去尊重。如果你選擇尊重它，就別說你父母在逼你。你爲你自己的理由做你所做的事，而非為他們的。
還記得照顧嬰兒弟弟(第6章最後兩頁)的例子嗎？
人類常試圖想讓別人爲他們的選擇和他們的經驗負責。自由是了解到，是你在做那些選擇，是你在創造那經驗。 (Freedom is understanding that you are making the choices and you are creating the experience.)
換言之，你做「你正在做的事」，爲的是「從中獲得某東西」。
尼爾：你是指，像有一個住的地方？你是指，像獲得家裡的和諧，沒有一大堆尖叫和粗吼？你是指，想避免被禁足？那便是你所謂的「自由」嗎？做一些事以避免不好的結果嗎？對我而言那不是自由，那感覺像脅迫。
沒有人能「被脅迫」去做任何事。他們只是能覺得他們好像被脅迫。 (Nobody can be “coerced” to do anything. They can only feel as if they are.)
摘自《與神對話青春版》第8章
Neale: Why can’t I stay as late as I want? What’s with “curfews”? I don’t get it! Why am I being treated like a child? Why can’t I be given the freedom to go where I want to go and do what I want to do, as long or as late as I want to do it?
Freedom is not something that others give you. Freedom is the essence of Who You Are.
You’re asking why your parents can’t give you the freedom that you want, and I’m saying that you already have that freedom, because it is inherently who and what you are.
If there is anything that you are not being or doing, like staying out past curfew, it is because you have chosen not to.
Neale: I have chosen not to ? There’s a swich. It’s my parents who are stopping me.
No, it’s you who are stopping yourself. Do you think there are no children who have not remained out longer than their parents wanted them to? Or, for that matter, run away from home at fourteen, fifteen, or sixteen and never gone back?
Neale: So you’re not saying here that I should deliberately disobey my parents, or run away from home, are you?
Of course not. I’m saying that you should exercise your freedom to do as you choose— but to notice that you are doing the choosing.
I’m saying that you may exercise your free- dom to honor your parents’ curfew or not. But if you choose to honor it, do not say that your parents are making you. You are doing what you are doing for your own reasons, not theirs.
Remember the babysitting example?
Human beings often seek to make other people responsible for their choices and their experience. Freedom is understanding that you are making the choices and you are creating the experience.
In other words, you are doing what you are doing in order to get something out of it.
Neale: You mean, like a place to live? You mean, loke peace in the house, without lots of screaming and hollering? You mean, like avoding being grounded? Is that what you call”freedom”? Doing things to avoid bad outcomes? That doesn’t seem like freedom to me. That feels like coercion.
Nobody can be “coerced” to do anything. They can only feel as if they are.
