To be a Rebel is not the equivalent of being a criminal or a gangster, or to take part in some form of armed rebellion or protest. By that statement, I in no way mean to infer that protesting against injustice is negative at all, but my aim here is to rid the word “Rebel” from any negative, violent or aggressive connotation, or any mental image of political conflict that might be associated with it. A Rebel is, in fact, an intellectual; a person who, seeing the vast majority of his or her peers crawl down an endless road of perdition and struggle, wrestling against the demons of temptation, lethargy and depression which so often take hold of us when we live a life which is completely immersed in material existence, decides to take control and make something of himself, his real Self. A rebel, rather than aspiring to be a wealthy and famous celebrity or businessman who can do as he pleases at any moment in order to feed his weak ego which is held together only by the very insignificant fact that he has millions safely stored away in a bank account, aspires first to be a righteous individual, knowing that no person can fail in any respect who walks in righteousness.
A Rebel is righteous in the sense that a rebel empties his mind of harmful, negative ideas and thoughts, realizing that the mind is a very powerful tool which we ought to be deeply thankful for. A Rebel realizes that by constantly feeding his mind with trash as most of society does, he is bound to achieve none but the same results as if he were to constantly fill his body with junk food, namely that the mind will become ill and unstable. Upon facing such a realization, a rebel cannot refuse to take action and ignore the truth. A rebel is a follower of truth under any circumstances, who refuses to behave as the masses do simply because we have been sold the idea that we must do so in order to survive, and who refuses to behave as his carnal desires entice him to, not allowing himself to be blinded and tempted by the idea of the cheap thrill derived from false, worldly pleasures. Indeed, it is true that no great achievement in the history of our planet has ever come from conformists, and as George Bernard Shaw put it, “all great truths begin as blasphemies.” Therefore, rebellion has nothing to do with physical or verbal violence or abuse. On the contrary, a Rebel, realizing the amazing healing power which words contain, uses his speech to heal, be it through blessings, greetings, prayer, conversation, lectures, or music, which is an obvious favorite of mine.
There is no doubt that society has indeed been heavily influenced and shaped by notorious Rebels. One who has inspired millions, if not billions of people, is John Lennon, who definitely agreed with me in the opinion that violence is not an effective way of dealing with the corrupt system in which we live in. Lennon once stated that “when it gets down to having to use violence, then you are playing the system’s game”, further adding that “once they’ve got you violent, they know how to handle you. The only thing they don’t know how to handle is non-violence and humor.” So now, I believe we have established without a doubt that Rebellion, or the simple act of being a Rebel, has nothing to do with weapons or violence, but everything to do with true peace, which we call inner peace. I consider inner peace to be the ability to remain calm in all situations, through all the happenings of life, through the highs and the lows; and not only that, but to find beauty in impermanence of it all. This does not mean to be emotionless through a desperate situation, but rather not to make a non-desperate situation desperate with our irrational emotions. Such a thing happens when we let our emotions take hold of us, and we navigate life being easily influenced by them. If we continue on in such a manner, we are sure to be easy prey for those who want to, consciously or unconsciously, alter our thought patterns and behaviors, whether for better or for worse. Most of the time however, mental manipulation does not happen for the benefit of the manipulated person, but for the benefit of the manipulator. Therefore, a true rebel can renounce violence and retribution in the face of adversity, refusing to bring himself down to the level of those who are not yet on his level of consciousness and appreciation for peace.
A Rebel dares to voice an unpopular opinion, to shine bright and proud among a mass of dull and unoriginal zombies, copying and repeating, internalizing and spewing back out, everything they consume through the physical senses. A Rebel boldly exploits his creative talents and interests, as well as the full power of his mind and body, in order to optimize his life experience, by constantly learning, and applying what is being learned, in order to remain in a state of constant improvement and progress, which ultimately leads to inner and outer prosperity alike. A Rebel never ceases to observe and analyze each moment of life, knowing that each movement, from the smallest to the largest, is but a manifestation of the energy which is all around us as well as inside us, the energy which guides us as long as we listen, and which is a direct emanation of God’s Divine light. The same inner light is what guides us on the path of Rebellion, as we educate ourselves and stop falling as victims to a sheep mentality. I conclude this statement by pointing out that being a Rebel is not an option in our world; it is actually essential to any person who wishes to become free, and to open up to the full potential which is hidden dormant within himself. As Albert Camus so perfectly put it in one of my long-time favorite quotes, “The only way to deal with an unfree world, is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.”
~ REBEL SPIRIT ~
rebel eye 