The relevance of innocence
It is perhaps the privilege of very few to experience a childlike state of being in a world that is constantly tearing at one’s attention through either excitement or exhaustion. It seems almost heretic to even mention that such a purity of heart is possible; we unconsciously believe that innocence will be punished by the world and therefore always guard it with the image of distrust, fear, and cunning. But it is this childlike state of being that is the prize of a life well-lived. In the words of Picasso, “It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.”
The gift of perfect mastery over any field is a childlike state of playfulness and creativity. The Tao Te Ching, a manual for the mastery of being itself, states that Lao Tse, the Old Master, is like a child — empty, and thus full of vitality.
The people of this world are steeped in their merrymaking,
As if gorging at a great feast or watching the sights of springtime.
Yet here I sit, without a sign,
Staring blank-eyed like a child…
…I have no treasure but the Eternal Mother
I have no food but what comes from Her breast.— Tao Te Ching, translated by Jonathan Star
The state of innocence is so simple yet so profound, for it abandons all fear and insecurity, trusting fully in the grace of Being to bring forth all that is nourishing and important for it. It has no worries and thus is willing to adapt to any situation. Since it is willing to adapt to any situation, no situation can overcome it. If you have seen the movie, ‘Baby’s Day Out’, you know precisely what I mean. This does not mean that babies should be left out in the open at the mercy of the world, but that when one is in a state of childlike innocence, one feels secure and protected even in the worst possible situations.
The word ‘spontaneity’ is in vogue these days, with people urging each other to not plan too much and enjoy life in spontaneity. But this does not mean abandonment. One cannot justify a murder because it was a spontaneous decision. Spontaneity should arise from innocence, from faith in the ability of Being to provide one with the best possible experience, even if it is not pleasurable on the outside. For such spontaneity, one must be courageous enough to surrender all reservations and doubts against the ability of Being to take care of one. Again this does not mean negligence but faith.
When one has let go of the various restrictions imposed upon oneself, creativity presents itself as a gift. Creativity does not mean arbitrariness but it means that the barriers to new ideas are lowered. This is what Picasso meant by being able to paint like a child, where inspiration and technique flow freely without hindrance, where the mind is free of any obstruction to learning, where it is willing to accept what is right and reject what is wrong without any hesitation.
The ultimate gift of innocence is the state of thoughtless awareness where one is empty of any thought that carries in it the assumption of the reality of the ego or superego. It is because of this gift that one is able to return to one’s original state of being, the pure Self that is simple existence, awareness, and bliss. In that state, there cannot be any desire, whether to chase pleasure or avoid pain. Desireless, one is at peace. Desire is the beginning of all suffering.
Given the magnitude of the role of innocence, it has a surprisingly humble seat in our body. It is governed by the Mooladhara chakra that also controls the pelvic plexus — where the nerves supplying the reproductive and excretory systems branch out from. It is only the power of innocence that can protect us from the subconscious reactions to the activities of these systems. Without innocence, we would be overpowered by promiscuity and unprotected from filth just as without satisfaction, we would be consumed by hunger and thirst.
It is natural to feel that one’s innocence has been ruined by the world. But the good news is that it is not. Innocence has a special quality that though it may be obscured by the clouds of desire and ignorance, it can never be destroyed. The inner child can never be killed. It is waiting only for a chance to be brought into the light. This is done when, on the level of the subtle system, the Mooladhara chakra is awakened to support the rising of the Kundalini. Then, all the powers of innocence are also awakened as it is necessary for the Kundalini to rise and the various barriers in Her way to be lowered.
Learn how to awaken your inner innocence here.
