Spiritual Significance
The spiritual significance of the heart has to do with optimizing your essence. You see, the heart almost always represents the essence of a thing. Furthermore, a persons essence should be an increasingly accurate reflection of Gods image. That is why the symbolism of the heart is inherently linked to symbolism of mirrors and of the Sun. Simply put, the mirror of a persons heart should be an accurate reflection of the Sun. [text] [text] [text]
Practical Application
A heart is almost always the essence of something. In the Baha’i faith this symbol can refer to the heart of a country, person, group of people, academic discipline or just about any institution of importance. It’s important that the essence of every person is in harmony with the essence of every other person. This is best accomplished by a mutual adherence to the truth.[text] [text] [text]
Relation to the Sun
When we use the Sun to illumine the heart it creates detachment. Detachment is a theological concept related to materialism. God really wants us to detach ourselves from material wealth, luxury, and status. God wants us to become one with each other through God. But, that can’t happen when we are overly concerned with material wealth. [text] [text]
Related Quotes
“Therefore, our duty lies in seeking to polish the mirrors of our hearts in order that we shall become reflectors of that light and recipients of the divine bounties which may be fully revealed through them. ” - Abdu’l-Baha
“It is attachment to the world, avarice, envy, love of luxury and comfort, haughtiness and self-desire; this is the dust which prevents reflection of the rays of the Sun of Reality in the mirror. The natural emotions are blameworthy and are like rust which deprives the heart of the bounties of God. But sincerity, justice, humility, severance, and love for the believers of God will purify the mirror and make it radiant with reflected rays from the Sun of Truth. ” - Abdu’l-Baha
“The most important thing is to polish the mirrors of hearts in order that they may become illumined and receptive of the divine light. One heart may possess the capacity of the polished mirror; another, be covered and obscured by the dust and dross of this world. Although the same Sun is shining upon both, in the mirror which is polished, pure and sanctified you may behold the Sun in all its fullness, glory and power, revealing its majesty and effulgence; but in the mirror which is rusted and obscured there is no capacity for reflection” - Abdu’l-Baha
Related Symbols