Unlock Spiritual Freedom: Master the Universal Law of Balance

Wednesday, 08 October 2025 Written by Semele Xerri Views: 5957

The paradox of freedom

We often think of freedom as being able to do whatever we want, whenever we want. No rules, no limits, no one to answer to.

But if you look closely, that kind of “freedom” doesn’t usually bring peace or fulfilment. It creates chaos, disconnection, and harm. True spiritual freedom has never been about a free-for-all. It’s about living in harmony with the universal laws that hold the cosmos together.

The ancients understood this. Every tradition tells us in its own way that real freedom comes through balance. The Egyptians called it Ma’at, the principle of truth and order that even the gods had to honour.

If you prefer to listen, play the podcast below. Otherwise, read on.

In Taoism, Lao Tzu reminds us to follow the natural course rather than force our own. “The best character is like water. The water’s goodness is that it benefits the myriad things but does not quarrel, and it willingly goes to where others hate.” And Hindu philosophy speaks of dharma; the right way of living that aligns us with the whole.

You can see this law of balance everywhere, not just in spiritual teaching but woven through the natural world. The cosmos itself holds steady through the dance of gravity and dark energy. Your body seeks to achieve and maintain balance to stay alive and well (homeostasis). Even human societies survive only when they manage resources with sustainability in mind. Balance is a living law of nature.

So freedom isn’t the absence of limits. It’s discovering the deeper pattern that allows life to flourish, and choosing to move with it.

Universal law and sacred limits

When we hear the word limit, it can sound like a restriction, as if something precious is being taken away. But in spiritual truth, limits are what make freedom possible. A river only flows because its banks hold it. Music only exists because silence frames the sound. Without boundaries, nothing can take form.

Across wisdom traditions, this principle is clear. The Stoic philosopher Epictetus taught, “Freedom is the right to live as we wish, yet to wish rightly.” In other words, freedom isn’t about endless indulgence; it’s about aligning our choices with what sustains life.

Mythology shows this law at work in story. Icarus longed for unbounded flight, but ignoring the natural limits of sun and sky and the interaction of elements cost him his life. By contrast, King Arthur’s knights in the Grail quest succeed not through reckless adventure but through humility, kindness, discipline, and devotion to a higher order.

The universal law of balance doesn’t demand sacrifice in the sense of loss. It invites us to see beyond the small self. When we choose in harmony with the greater whole, we don’t just protect others; we discover a deeper joy, a freedom rooted in belonging.

Spiritual freedom and the greater whole

True freedom doesn’t come from doing whatever you please in the moment. That path often leads to chaos, conflict, and ultimately feeling less free. Instead, freedom deepens when you act with awareness of how your choices vibrate through the wider web of life.

Lao Tzu reminds us in the Tao Te Ching: “The sage does not hoard. The more he does for others, the more he has himself.” When you align with the flow of the Tao – the natural way – you discover that considering the whole never diminishes you. It expands you.

We know this truth in our bones. A community functions best when each member cares for the well-being of others. Nature thrives because ecosystems balance predator and prey, growth and decay.

In the four branches of the Mabinogi – the earliest surviving Welsh prose – the royal marriages that are happy and bring abundance to the land and people are those where the women choose their union freely. Where they’re forced into it by their menfolk for one-sided benefit, as happens for Branwen and Blodeuwedd, loss and disaster follow rapidly.

In more recent stories, too, this wisdom shines through. Think of Frodo in The Lord of the Rings. His personal desire was to live quietly in the Shire, yet he accepted the responsibility of the ring because he realised that the fall of Middle-earth would also mean the end of his beloved Shire as he knew it. He acknowledged the contribution he alone could make, helped by his unusually strong resistance to the ring’s temptation. By serving the whole, he saved Middle-earth and grew into his own strength and courage.

Spiritually, it’s the same. Checking your personal desire isn’t about suppression or dismal duty. It’s an act of love. When you surrender ego-driven wants in service to harmony, you discover a richer kind of freedom: the freedom of a heart at peace, of a life that matters.

Myth and tradition also remind us that balance isn’t about rigid order alone, it sometimes requires a deliberate upending of the rules. Think of the medieval celebrations of Twelfth Night, when roles were reversed under the playful eye of the Lord of Misrule, giving space for the release of what had been held in check. Or the ecstatic rites of Dionysus, where wildness, dance, and abandon balanced the structures of everyday life. These rituals carried an understanding that true harmony needs both order and its occasional disruption, often held sacredly and always temporary.

Practical spiritual freedom

So what does this look like in daily life? It begins with awareness. Pause before acting and ask: Will this choice bring balance, or will it tip things further into disharmony? That simple question shifts you from impulse to presence.

You can step out of the fear of loss altogether and into trust that the choice you make is the one aligned with your soul and the greater whole. That doesn’t guarantee ease and pleasure either; often the right choice is one that challenges you to stretch and grow through discomfort.

The Buddha taught the Middle Way; neither indulgence nor denial, but balance. Freedom isn’t found in chasing every craving, nor in suppressing your humanity. It’s the grounded, steady joy of walking between extremes. It brings to mind the Thoth Tarot card, Adjustment, where the central figure balances delicately on the tip of a sword; constantly shifting, fine-tuning, and readjusting to maintain that precarious but essential equilibrium.

In practice, this may mean slowing down to listen instead of rushing to be heard. It might be choosing simplicity over constant consumption, because you sense the Earth’s limits. Or it could be pausing when emotions rise, and responding with compassion instead of reaction. Each small act weaves a thread of harmony into the tapestry of entirety.

The paradox and irony is that when you honour this natural law of balance, it’s impossible to lose out. Instead you gain more than you could imagine; inner calm, deeper connection, and the joy of knowing your life contributes to something greater.

Modern voices echo this wisdom. Thich Nhat Hanh reminds us: “When you say something that nourishes you and uplifts the people around you, it is an act of freedom.” True freedom isn’t a solitary pursuit; it’s a shared one.

The cup we all drink from

In Arthurian legend, the role of the well maidens and female grail bearers was to offer their brimming cup to all who needed physical and spiritual nourishment. The Grail represents more than just the Source of all life-force and wisdom. It’s a symbol of wholeness, the vessel that holds both life’s limits and its abundance. Knights who sought it with selfish ambition failed. Those who approached with humility and a sense of service found the Grail offered healing not just for themselves, but for the land and the people. When the well maidens were raped and dishonoured, the land became barren.

This is the deeper invitation of freedom: to recognise that your life is inseparable from the whole. Your choices ripple outward, shaping the well-being of others, just as theirs shapes yours. Authentic freedom is rooted in both your belonging to the land and a felt interconnectedness with the Otherworld.

When you live by this universal law of balance, freedom stops being about doing whatever you want. It becomes about being fully yourself in a way that strengthens the harmony of all life. And within that harmony, you as an individual flourish too. You are nourished, grounded, and deeply free.

The universal law of balance always calls you beyond the solitary self, reminding you that freedom and harmony only unfold in relationship – with others, with the earth, with All That Is.

If you’d like to explore some of the references I’ve mentioned, here are some links:

Thoth Tarot Adjustment card
Ma’at
The Elucidation (story of the well maidens)

© 2025. All original wisdom belongs to its creator. CrystalWind.ca honors this truth by adding design, formatting, and imagery to uplift your experience. Please respect the creator’s rights—redistribution or commercial use is not permitted without permission.

Whatsapp

Liked this article? Dive deeper into personal growth and wellness! Check out CrystalWind.ca for spiritual wisdom or explore AromaWorx.ca for natural well-being tips. Spread the positivity—share this with friends on their happiness journey!

Let’s Chat! Drop Your Thoughts Below!