I realize that my definition may be different than others, and that’s fine. But when examining the word “freedom,” in relation to the “free” spirit, I apply it holistically to the entire spectrum of a person, which means the outer and inner worlds.
A major part of embodying the free spirit essence is liberating ourself from everything that holds us back. This is an external and internal process.
Let go of the stereotypical notion that you have to cut ties with everyone and wander barefoot through the world to be a free spirit. You don’t even have to like traveling to be a free spirit. Nor do you have to be a modern hippy or bohemian.
Being a free spirit is an essence, a call that emerges from deep inside. When we are in touch with this inner fire, we are in touch with the inner wolf; that powerful force that craves freedom above all else. We might have to become a lone wolf for a while, we might have to leave the confines of social convention. The journey is worth taking, for without it, we’ll eventually wind up feeling empty and dead inside no matter how comfortable our external lives look.
Stereotypes aside, here are seven authentic signs of the free spirit
Always a rebel and non-conformist
Known for being an innovator and dreamer
A deep thirst for truth
An on point inner “BS” detector
Challenge is your middle name
Your heart is your compass
“I will not be enslaved” is your unconscious motto
Borne a rebel and non-conformist
By nature, you’re a non-conformist. You don’t like walking the path other’s set before you. You want to trailblaze your own destiny. You instinctually fight against anyone’s attempt to put you in a box, contain you, suppress you, silence you, or numb you.
Read: How to Embrace Being a Lone Wolf and Walk Your OWN Path »
Known for being an innovator and dreamer
As a free spirit, you’re not afraid to let your mind wander to new horizons and realities. You have big ideas that may sound far-fetched or bizarre to others. Being rejected for your goals, plans or inventions is a big thorn in your side. Others can’t seem to get on the same page as you! You’re a visionary who always enjoys finding new ways of doing things differently than others.
A deep thirst for truth
How can a person be free when they’re living a lie? Or believing lies? In your heart and soul, you long to find truth both in everyday life and metaphysically. The old aphorism “the truth shall set you free” is something you carry deep inside your heart. You are willing to be wrong and are open to many different explanations. What is most important to you is what is real.
Read: What is the Meaning of Life? (In-Depth Answers) »
An on point inner “BS” detector
Part of that thirst for truth is the desire for authenticity – in yourself and in others. You can smell bullshit from a mile away and it disturbs you. How can you (or others) be free when deception and phoniness are running rampant? You despise playing roles and putting on masks and you can’t be around fake people for very long before the desire to run for the hills bursts like a howl from you.
Challenge is your middle name
Life becomes dead and stagnant when there’s no challenge. Although you may find it a bit scary and intimidating, being challenged is welcome by you as a free spirit. You know, deep down, that to be free from inner and outer oppression you must grow. And to grow, you must be challenged. You don’t seek comfort or complacency. You seek to feel and be alive. You seek to transform into the highest version of yourself possible.
Your heart is your compass
Your heart is your compass and you direct your life accordingly. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re reckless, but it does mean that you’re always striving to do what you love – because when you accomplish this, you feel free. Furthermore, you don’t just let what you’re passionate about sit on the back burner or fizzle away into oblivion, you find some way of incorporating it into your life. Even if you have abandoned your passions, you become passionate about trying to reconnect with them. You want to live a life that you love and offer something to the world that you truly believe in.
Read: 9 Exhilarating Ways to Be True to Yourself (Even When You’re Scared) »
“I will not be enslaved” is our unconscious motto
As a natural rebel, you seek to remove beliefs, ideologies, habits, careers, and people from your life that cause you to feel oppressed, and therefore enslaved. You do this on both a physical and a metaphysical (or emotional/mental/spiritual) level.
You are attracted to people and paths that encourage the growth of your passionate spirit. You refuse to be tamed by the opinions or desires of others. You may be perceived as selfish, but deep down you know that you must respect and love yourself in order to share your gifts with the world.
If the beliefs, habits, and traumas within YOU are the source of your own suffering, you’ll try your utmost to free yourself from them. You realize that in order to be fully free, you must be comfortable and at home within yourself.
Therapy, self-exploration, inner work, and spiritual practice will all be methods by which you seek to liberate yourself from suffering. Being a free spirit will become less about traveling the external world as it will be about traversing, and mastering the inner landscape.
How to Be a Free Spirit?
You might be unsure about where you stand right now. Perhaps you want to be a free spirit, but your behavior may indicate otherwise. Perhaps you simply don’t know.
As I mentioned before, being a free spirit is a choice that arises from deep within you. When the pain of staying the same becomes more than the pain of growing, you will choose growth more than complacency.
And if you don’t feel that pain intensely enough yet, don’t worry. Just look at flowers: they start as tightly furled buds. But eventually, life demands that they open. You are the same. We all are.
So ultimately, no matter what happens, eventually Life demands that we arise out of our stupors, free ourselves of the shackles that bind us, and unite again with that Divine essence which lies in the heart of all of us.
This may arise out of a sudden spiritual awakening, dark night of the soul, or trauma that besets us out of nowhere. Or it may just be the slow disintegration of our satisfaction with life.
Whatever the case, you are destined to be a free spirit, you can be assured of that.
I realize that my definition may be different than others, and that’s fine. But when examining the word “freedom,” in relation to the “free” spirit, I apply it holistically to the entire spectrum of a person, which means the outer and inner worlds.
What does being a free spirit mean to you? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences below!
Recommended articles by Aletheia Luna:
- How to Create Your Own Full Moon Ritual (With 5 Suggestions)
- Anima and Animus: How to Harmonize Your Masculine and Feminine Energies
- The Sensitive Person’s Guide to Emotional Regulation (in 10 Minutes or Less)
- 25 Signs You Have a Wounded Inner Child
- Feeling Empty: 5 Ways to Heal Your Inner Void
- The Ultimate Guide to Heart Chakra Healing for Beginners
- The Dark Side of Spiritual Healing That No One Talks About
- The Origins of the Spirit Animal, Totem and Power Animal
- 9 Ways to Awaken the Divine Masculine Within You
- How to Channel Your Soul Through Automatic Writing
This article, 7 Signs You’re a Free Spirit, was originally published at lonerwolf.com, reproduced with permission.
Aletheia Luna is an influential spiritual writer whose work has changed the lives of thousands of people worldwide. After escaping the religious sect she was raised in, Luna experienced a profound existential crisis that led to her spiritual awakening. As a psychospiritual counselor, tarot reader, and professional writer, Luna’s mission is to help others become conscious of their entrapment and find joy, empowerment, and liberation in any circumstance. See more of her work at lonerwolf.com.