Is free will an illusion, or do we truly shape our own lives? When we pause to notice the voices in our heads – the fears, desires, and echoes of past experiences, we start questioning how much of our decision-making is really ours. These inner voices often drive our choices automatically, leaving us to wonder whether free will exists at all, or if determinism, the idea that all events are shaped by prior causes has already written the script for our lives.
We all want to be free. More than that, we want to choose freedom. To find it, we chase balance, we chase perfection, we chase the little details. Yet when nothing seems to work, our belief in free will begins to crack. We start asking ourselves: Is free will an illusion?
For some people, the answer is yes. For others, it is no. But how can both be true? Does it depend on the circumstances of our lives, the struggles we inherit, or is it born from our own ability to keep questioning who we are and why we choose the way we do?
Maybe that is the illusion
Because… then comes the bigger question: who is supposed to grant us freedom? Is it our parents, our teachers, our mentors, our gods, or even a king? Or is freedom not something given to us at all, but something we must take responsibility for and create within ourselves? The search for freedom is less about someone granting it to us and more about discovering whether we can rise above the invisible walls of society, conditioning, and even our own minds.
After years of drifting with the flow, I realised something important. Freedom is not about declaring, “I will do what I want, when I want, and where I want.” That is not freedom, that is impulse. Real freedom does not come from chasing temporary escapes like smoking, drinking, drugs, or fleeting pleasures.In fact, true freedom is effortless. It does not need to be forced or chased. It comes with ease, like breathing, when the mind is clear and no longer bound by the illusions we create for ourselves.
The Inner Child’s Freedom: Illusion or Forgotten?
Why is it that so many people say they wish they could be a child again? Deep down, it is because they want to feel free once more. As we grow older, responsibilities, expectations, and life’s struggles begin to cloud our minds, and that pure sense of freedom we once had starts to feel like an illusion. But was it ever truly an illusion, or have we simply forgotten how to see freedom the way a child does?
Does freedom stop feeling like freedom when we build walls around ourselves and stop learning? Or is it our free will that becomes compromised when we repeat the same patterns again and again, even when we notice them? The truth is, even monks and spiritual teachers are not as free as we imagine. Their freedom is shaped by discipline and by the sacrifices they made, leaving behind family, comfort, possessions, and livelihood. What we see as their freedom is actually the result of many compromises.
I stay away from the word discipline because it instantly creates the idea of conformity, imitation, and obedience, which brings unnecessary pressure on us.
Living Beyond Illusion: Practising Free Will
Let me be clear. Free will is not an illusion. The gods we look up to today once walked this world as human beings. They practiced free will just as we do. These humans gathered the support of many others, and their worshippers amplified the power of their choices. Their followers acted on their will and made it a reality, which elevated these humans to the status of gods.
Let’s narrow it down. In our case, let’s see these worshippers and followers as the voices in our heads. These voices influence our every move. They repeat old patterns, stir up fears, and push desires. Sometimes, they’re clouded by the judgments of others, by their decisions, or even by ego clashes. Without realising, we follow them blindly and mistake them for our own will. But here’s the thing: it’s important what we feed these voices. Because the truth is, free will only shows itself when we consciously choose which voices to listen to. When we see them clearly for what they are, we reclaim our freedom and begin shaping our reality.
And that’s where determinism enters. The idea that every choice we make might already be set in motion by what came before.
What is Determinism?
Determinism is the belief that everything in life happens because of prior causes. Our choices, actions, and even thoughts are shaped by factors like genetics, environment, and past experiences. In simple terms, it suggests that nothing truly happens by chance and that free will might just be an illusion.
Why Free Will is Real: Breaking the Chains of Determinism
Determinism, to me, feels like it was born out of philosophers taking free will for granted. Maybe they sat up all night overthinking, wrecking their sleep schedules, draining their bodies, and then woke up convinced, “Ah, see, free will doesn’t exist.” Funny, right? But also, kind of tragic. Because how can someone who doesn’t follow any real system except the system of thought itself decide that choice is just an illusion?
Without realising that the conclusion came out of free will itself.
I genuinely feel bad for people who buy into this idea. Imagine the life; robotic, monotonous, chained to the belief that every move is already scripted. No wonder it feels suffocating. But let me tell you: free will is not some illusion. It’s as real as the breath you’re taking right now. And here’s a hard fact: while around 10% of your genes are unchangeable, the other 90% can actually be influenced and changed. That’s not philosophy, that’s biology.
Which means: you’ve got a choice. You’ve got the power.
You’ve got free will.
The Moment of Freedom
Just like squirrels, birds, dogs, and even flies, humans are meant to be free, too. The other day, I sat under a big banyan tree and watched two squirrels chase each other up and down the trunk. Did they carry any fear of judgment? Were they anticipating a bad result? Were they worried about what the other squirrels might think of them? No. They looked like they were simply enjoying themselves. Not for gain, not for purpose, but purely for the joy of living. You and I may never know that kind of joy unless we allow ourselves to feel life deeply and intensely.
Yes, you read that right. When you feel every step of your experience deeply and intensely, the small things stop taking over your mind. Money, work, judgments, and stereotypes lose their power when you live with that kind of presence. No wonder we keep hearing different versions of the quote Focus on the Present. Maybe it is better said as Feel the Present or Involve Yourself in the Moment. Interpretations may differ, but this meaning adds depth to how we live our lives, minute by minute, second by second.
Is Balance the Key to True Freedom and Free Will?
Ah, balance! The world runs after it, but not many can find this balance. Maybe it’s meant to be created. However, the questions lie in how, when, why, and where. ‘
How do I create this balance?’ ‘
When would it be the right time to start?’
‘Why should I have balance?’ and
‘Where can I find this balance I am seeking?’
But don’t you think these questions add a little more pressure on you? They confuse you, and that confusion itself becomes another burden. It mostly comes from not knowing where to begin. Well, if you have made it this far, I’m guessing something inside you is nodding along. You are in the right place. If balance is what you’re after, consider this your map and your starting point.
Chasing balance isn’t the answer. Neither is running through life chasing some big purpose. Balance doesn’t come from chasing; it comes from creating a system, an order. Think about the sun and the moon. Their rhythm creates day and night. The sun rises every morning between 5 and 6:30 am (depending on the season) and sets between 6 and 6:45 pm. That’s not discipline, it’s a system. A code that works. A code we all live by, whether we notice it or not.
What has this system created for the world we live in?
The Perfect Balance. Yin and Yang. We know exactly what to do, and when.
Freedom isn’t Found in Chasing Balance
When I tell someone that they need to create a system to attain balance, the usual first response is often, “You mean, a money-making system?” Now, that, to me, is the blunder of humanity. We confuse external gain with inner balance, and in doing so, we forget to ask the deeper question: Is free will an illusion, or are we conditioned to follow the same patterns without realising it?
Most of our problems come from one simple inability: just sitting still in a quiet room. The paradox here is powerful: freedom, or free will, isn’t discovered by chasing, achieving, or blending into the world’s noise. It’s found in stillness, in silence, in observing the outer world, looking into our inner world, for what they are. not what they should be. and in feeling each step of the experience deeply and intensely, without clouding the mind with too many voices.
I hope this provides you with a deeper understanding of the question of whether free will is an illusion and helps you take your first step toward freedom.
With immense love,
Mahin Kapur
CEO & Founder of Tranceform.Space
You can learn more about Mindfulness by clicking here. (Article on PsychologyToday.com)