Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité

What does it mean to be free? Does freedom exist in the symbols that society tells me represents freedom and can societies definition of freedom be my oppression? Is freedom a internal journey, a external journey or both?
Inspired by reflections on the ideas of freedom and can someone be free and governed at the same time. A wise woman once told me "Your soul is completely free and knows what do with that freedom every moment of everyday." In a world where fear is one of the most successful enterprises how does one tap into that internal knowing without compromising for external "security" or "safety"? If I have been conditioned by nationality class, tradition, religion, language, education, literature, art, custom, and propaganda of all kinds will I be able to recognize freedom?