Funny thing, one of the pointers in advaita is that sure, you can act in any way you choose, but how the world will respond is completely out of your hands. Being able to drop the involvement at the end of your action is a superpower.
Another Advaita pointer I love is to observe the source of your own choices. To inquire into the nature of free will.
Once observing all I’m finding is different forces at play and nothing I can call “free”.
Some examples - preference is at the center of choices. Do I choose my preferences - for pleasure over pain and foods I like over ones I dislike? Not really I just execute the programming of preference.
Overlaid by history, beliefs, attachment style, trauma patterns, current levels of stress, blood sugar, rest thirst etc.
In my experience unpacking free will is incredibly liberating.
Is there an equivalent in stoicism?
Also, I believe, like Stoicism, Advaita is not a religion at its core. More like a collection of inquiries and the unspeakable silent understanding that arises from the inquiry.
