PURITY
Virtue is Purity
Saboteur is Contamination
A pure heart is strong and kind.
Purity of heart reflects purity in character, much like the source of water determines the quality of life. If water is polluted, all who drink the water are prone to contamination. It is difficult to know if water is contaminated merely by looking at it, so we have developed research to test the water. Likewise, it can be difficult to know the quality of the results of our actions without self inquiry. Self inquiry is a deep investigation of our motives in life. The Yogi’s teach us that our emotions determine our intentions, and our intentions can be unknown to us, just like the microbes that are unseen in our drinking water. It seems that our thoughts and actions are only as pure as the emotional intentions behind them.
Whenever we’re in a disagreement it is normal to feel that the other person doesn’t have clear motives. It’s normal to feel we do, of course. Normal and natural aren’t always the same thing. Normal just means that “most people do it this way.” Normalcy can be bad for us. It’s normal to be stressed out, but it isn’t natural. What’s natural is good for us, what’s normal doesn’t have to be good for us. It may be normal to have bad drinking water, but it certainly isn’t natural. Natural spring water is clear and good tasting. It nourishes us and keeps us clean from the inside out. Normal city water with all its runoff from daily life isn’t good for us. Therefore, we have to treat it, to make it as good as natural water.
The practice of spirituality is like a water treatment plant. This practice takes normal everyday thinking and puts it through the process of self inquiry to determine contamination levels. These contaminates are identified and purified. For example, self inquiry can determine if our thoughts and actions are being driven by feelings of inadequacy, fear, anger or even humiliation. These contaminates, if left undetected and untreated can lead us to disastrous results. It seems best to remember that the river of denial is filled with crocodiles.
It is nearly impossible to have perfectly pure motives. It’s the degree of impurity that really matters. It is important to care about purity because it is the source of our inner strength. The stronger we are, the more likely we are to become disinterested in causing harm to our self, as well as others. This level of purity can even give us the strength to walk away from retaliation and revenge. It can make us immune to petty criticisms and hurtful comments. It can give us clarity of purpose, as well as help us to remember our source, our true source, that we are divine beings, embodied yes, but still divine. As city dwellers, we forget the mountains, the glaciers, the source of water and the source of life. As humans, we forget the stars, the universe, the source of love and the source of life. We would be wise to remember that a pure heart is the source of all good, it is life giving and the source of all joy.
Peace be with you, Namaste.