I’ve been thinking a lot about chicken hearts. Well, one in particular I heard about in a lecture many years ago. There was an experiment done with the heart of a chicken, mind you, just the heart, to see if it could be kept beating after there was no body or brain that went with it. The experiment was set up in a lab. Every morning the heart was nourished. Every evening it was cleansed. The heart kept beating. According to the lecturer, the heart continued to beat for 25 years! And what happened? The lab technician on duty that fateful night, forgot to cleanse the heart during the evening shift. The end.
Nourish and cleanse, In and out, is a simple law of nature, and it applies to everything. Too much food, for instance, leads to excess weight and diseases of overconsumption. Too little food leads to underdevelopment and diseases of malnourishment. And we’re not just talking about food here, but also work, possessions, emotions, and the list goes on. With lack things deteriorate and die – there is not enough nourishment to thrive or eventually to survive. With excess, things get clogged and stale – they stop moving. There is not enough space or time for cleansing or for letting go – exactly what killed the chicken heart.
Why has this story played such an important role in my reflections? Because the world feels so out of balance. It is running too hot (and along with it our psyches). There is too much hatred, violence, and self-importance; there is too much greed and fear; there is too much “us” and “them.”
Perhaps we can be encouraged and guided by the chicken heart. Maintaining calmness, being kind, moving slowly and purposefully, and thinking of others is a courageous act towards restoring balance, not only in ourselves, but in our families, communities, and country.
At least it’s a start.