Purity Of Heart

“The strongest hearts are those that have loved and lost and loved again.”–Friedrich Nietzsche

The young opossum froze in place after I switched on the front porch light. This startled me because such animals do not usually make their presence known at 8:00 PM. We stared at each other for several moments. This was the first time I ever saw the cuteness and vulnerablity of an opossum. Previous encounters with such creatures left feelings of agitation and tension. This time was different. I studied the opossum a few more moments, then switched off the porch light and closed the door to allow the critter to go about its routine.

I pondered what had just happened and felt glad that the small animal triggered clarity and calmness, along with a smile. The marsupial was only being itself, doing whatever it is that opossums do at night. One might say that it was living without pretense, living its life with a pure heart. It did not live through deception and manipulative motives. It didn’t have time to pretend death. It could only freeze in its tracks; perhaps considering what it should do if I approached. There was nothing happening in its mind except primal instincts.

There is something deep and profound about animals and people who live unselfconsciously with purity of heart. We see this trait in infants. They have not yet been programmed to behave and think according to creed nor political dogma. They have not been instructed about how to exist guiltless before judgments. There is no sin to forgive nor religion to obey. They simply go about the business of being a tiny baby. When we were tiny babies, we had purity of heart without even knowing it. It only took a couple of years for us to lose it.

Through reading, study, and conscientious practice, many of us aim to regain a modicum of it. To maintain inner joy, love, and quietude in our madcap world requires patient persistance. When we try too hard, we banish it. When we neglect it, we lose it again. It’s tempting to lean on pithy advice from wise, old fellow seekers. Yet, to conform to their pretty words, causes harm to the nugget of purity that awaits awakening in the heart. Conformity feeds delusion and sanctimony.

During quiet pauses in our day, one might contemplate the natures of compassion, innocence, and sincerity. How do these qualities relate to the desire to remain true to oneself? How does the sum of these bring about the automatic synergy of harmony, kindness, and love?

“The greatest gift is a pure heart that loves without limits.”–Rumi

Have you noticed that people who radiate the love of a pure heart do not hunger for power and status? They might even sit near power and wealth but are unaffected by it. The high-minded person may fully understand the techniques of how to plot and manipulate world-shaking scenarios, but are never tempted to deploy those actions. They choose, out of loving consciousness, to refrain from using power for personal gain. It seems that people in those positions tap into their pure hearts. They possess the wisdom to clearly see the genuine connection of oneself and the world.

Basically speaking, peace and serenity spring forth from harmony and unconditional love. There is calm tranquility that lives in the pure heart. This innate goodness exists inside all of us. By cultivating our pure hearts, we experience the transformative power of authenticity, kindness, and love. The pure heart is contagious. The contagion is spread through joyful, loving connection to others.

Namaste

The Blue Jay of Happiness quotes 20th century Dutch Roman Catholic priest, professor, theologian, and writer, Henri Nouwen. “Joy is the simplest form of gratitude, a pure heart’s natural state.”