Each one of us is in a prison and our release can only happen, precisely where we are imprisoned. Our ongoing struggles with greed, lust, envy, pride, anger, conflicts, desire, fear and regrets- seem to capture our whole lives. Our prisons are built, with an assortment of these bricks.

Feeling trapped in our personal limitations, we become prisoners of our own unconscious habits, attachments or aversions.

Whether this prison is real, or made of imaginary walls conjured up by our own conditioned minds, we can hope to find freedom only where we are held captive.

Being accustomed, we may not even notice these walls. Living mechanically, with repeating patterns of our unconscious attitudes and behavior, we may have unwillingly accepted recurring irritation, annoyance and agitation, that accompany our confinement.

Even after realizing that we are trapped, we may continue to carry on as usual-  frustrated at our inability to change, giving up hope for any chance of freedom, believing there is no way out!

Bound in our emotional and psychological shackles, we may not know, how to be free.

This feeling of being helplessly trapped is our prison. But, more importantly, it is also precisely here, that our freedom can eventually emerge.

When we pay close attention to that which bothers us, which brings us misery, the biggest source of our conflict, grief or worry- we are looking at the exact location of both- our prison, and the possibility of our freedom from all bondage!

Carefully watching our conditioned reactions, automatic impulses and unconsciously repeating habits, which often drag us into ignorance- we identify the causes of our frequent regrets, which create our personal prison.

We find that particular poison, that flaw in our disposition, which frequently brings us gloom, misery and sorrow.

Once something is clearly recognized as a weakness in our character, the direct cause of our recurring misery, we have identified our personal prison. With that, emerges a path towards our freedom!

When we know, what constitutes our prison, there arises a possibility of release from it. Then, we can intentionally move towards our freedom.

Recognizing precisely, our biggest weakness, we should try our best, to understand it. Bringing our alert awareness to it, studying it closely, digging deeper into its roots, seeing how, when, where it is triggered- what drives it, what forces it? We should understand the pattern, the whole sequence, the complete process of its expression.

Focusing the spotlight of our alert attention, we keenly observe its rise and fall. We watch our reactions, noticing carefully, how we lose our awareness and forget ourselves in its surge. We see, how we are smashed on the hard ground, left writhing in our suffering, after it recedes!

We see, examine, investigate, whatever brings us most acute misery and suffering in life.

The effort, always, is to observe and to understand.

Attending closely, carefully, noticing from beginning to end, missing nothing, about each such occasion of regret and frustration, arising in our lives.

We must know, how our suffering comes about, how it begins, how it moves, how it ends- by simple, alert, looking and witnessing. Watching it, like a hawk hovering over its prey, or an alert cat stalking a mouse.

Practicing witnessing through its repeating episodes- eventually, we can retain our awareness- before, during and after a turbulent event.

Our release comes at the same place, where our prison is. So, that exact spot, that precise location, is where we need to be intensely watchful, to find freedom!

Watching creates a gap, between our observing presence and our habitual compulsive tendencies. There is a gradual detachment, from the established patterns of our unconscious reactions.

Meeting a rising wave of raw emotion with our alert attention, we stand firmly against its crashing force. The more we witness this happening, the more we are capable of remaining one with the witnessing presence within ourselves.

Each such occasion of alert observation, cuts a few chains that bind us. Our witnessing awareness is more steadily maintained, and we feel increasingly liberated.

Until eventually, we can remain completely unperturbed.

Facing our worst inner demons with our alert attention, we remember to constantly observe them. Witnessing something from awareness, we gain clear understanding, which naturally brings about a shift in perspective and a change in attitude.

From witnessing comes wisdom, a clear knowing, through which we gain power, over our own weaknesses. This knowing, gives us strength, which ultimately sets us free from the prison.

Our personal prison is a helpful signpost, inviting us to apply our concentrated efforts and attention there. Whether our prison is made of greed, lust, envy, anger, pride, or attachment- the same key unlocks all.

Regardless of the specific bricks that constitute its walls, we can find release and lasting freedom, from every personal prison!