There is one critical thing in your practice of meditation; your practice of mindfulness; in developing the mindset you want; in living free of your own mental limitations.
In the Bright Path Ishayas’ Ascension it’s called “innocence”.
I’m sure I’ve written about it before, but it’s such a simple skill, a simple attitude, a simple way of being that not many “get” it.
When you are present, fully present in the real sense of the term: alive, immersed, absorbed by what is in front of you; well… then you can’t be anything else but innocent.
But it works the other way around too - you can cultivate a sense of being innocent and then as a side effect you become fully present, as in alive and totally captivated by the moment.
Innocence. I wish I could bottle it.
Innocence is having no expectations, no prejudice. It is being fascinated with what is in front of you, it is being fascinated by whatever you choose.
Innocence is being perfectly content, because in having no expectations there isn’t a sense that you should be experiencing something else, something different. It is simply showing up for life, as it is.
Innocence isn’t holding someone to their past behaviour. It is being open to what they may be like now. It insists nothing, pushes no agenda, just says and does it like it is.
Innocence isn’t naivety. It is being fresh. It is letting go of the past and seeing what now has to offer.
Innocence is as far away from “why?” as you can get. It is totally a sense of “wow!”, and is all self-cultivated, self-chosen.
Think you could be innocent as possible for a day?
Sure you can. Give it a shot and see what happens. You might like to be innocent for another.