I finally understand.
The nature of being in the physical realm IS slavery. It is submission.
It is serfdom. I, in my privilege, was taught that I was a freeborne.
But king, prince, sultan, mullah, fellah; we are all slaves. Even emperors are slaves. The insidious webs that surround our physical body and mental life are sometimes gossamer, sometimes as cords of iron and thickest hemp-rope.
And there is no freedom for the spirit until the free man realizes his bondage. This is why the slaves and serfs have more happiness and joy, between the beatings and the lash. When the master is away or at ease, the life of the slave is one of happiness, freedom--for there is no internal struggle. The slave accepts his lot--although unfair, ungodly and detestable---he knows it, intimately. And has no fear of its approach, for it has already overtaken him.
For the free man, slavery is the ghost that will never go away. Finally, when he achieves wisdom, he realizes that he too is a slave. That those in authority over him are masters and not caretakers; yield a lash subtle, not a guiding hand.
For there are no men in authority who are good. Thus, all men are evil. We are evil to those under our bondage, and we chafe disobediently in our hearts and our hands (when we can!) to those who have us under their bondage.
And, supremely, we are in bondage in our spirits, our souls. For we cannot leave ourselves. And we cannot leave God. Existence cannot be escaped, even through death. Thus, we stay alive, unwilling and despondent. We long and fear for death; we long and fear our life. Thus, we are all wretched.
We cry out to the creator of this wheel of death. And why do we believe we shall be answered? Yea! Even if he makes us a god, even then we shall not escape. Is God too, then, a slave? Who is God's master? He must be terrible indeed.
