When we were children, we experienced things for the first time with openness and wonder, before labels and beliefs in our minds started filtering out the dazzling world around us. The term “Beginner’s Mind” originally comes from Zen Buddhism and Japanese martial arts and is about bringing an attitude of openness and flexibility to what’s in front of us in the moment; whether this is a person, an object, a problem to be solved, or a decision to be made. Even though we may be an expert, beginner’s mind means putting aside existing habits, judgements, expectations, and opinions when approaching a subject – as if we’re a beginner. There’s a saying in Zen practice: “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few.”
Our brains have evolved to be very efficient; for instance, they help us filter out redundant information, which saves cognitive resources by not fully processing things that we’ve come across before. A good example is that our brains only fully process the central part of our visual field, while the periphery is left as a blur, as it’s usually not that important. The world is always far more complex than we “think” it is. Our mind simplifies this complexity so that we can operate efficiently in the world. For instance, we may label something as a “chair”, rather than a particular collection of assembled wood and other materials, with signs of wear and a unique history as an object. It’s unfortunate that we also sometimes do this with other people, especially when we focus on roles.
Although these shortcuts, filters, labels, and assumptions are useful, they can limit our openness to new possibilities. They also create a barrier to connecting with the real world around us. So, during a typical day, we can easily go around encountering people, objects, and situations with little appreciation or awareness as our brain filters out what is familiar.
Another way of understanding beginner’s mind is that, like an innocent child, we experience the world through simply being. This means being aware of appreciating the amazing richness of the world through our body and senses in the present, without immediately jumping off in thought about it. So, beginner’s mind is about shifting our attention and awareness from the foreground, into what is normally the background of our experience. This role reversal brings being into the foreground and allows thoughts to sit patiently in the background for a while. Of course, there will nearly always be a thought-based commentary, but with beginner’s mind we do not allow this to limit or determine what we experience.
An open beginner’s mind allows us to be receptive to new possibilities and prevents us from getting stuck in a rut of our own habits and limitations. This means being curious, inquisitive, and open. Interestingly, letting go of our habitual way of perceiving the world means reversing some of the efficiencies our brain developed through evolution.
So how can we cultivate beginner’s mind in our daily lives?
We can start by observing that no moment of experience is the same as any other. Each is unique and contains distinct possibilities. For example, we can try using beginner’s mind the next time we take a shower, appreciating the pleasant sensations of the water against our skin, or the smell and texture of the soap we’re using. Another example is to practise beginner’s mind while eating an apple, peach, or some other fruit. Really appreciating the form, colours and textures, aromas, and tastes, as if for the first time.
So, the next time you see somebody familiar to you, try asking yourself, “Who’s here now?” Are you seeing this person through fresh eyes, as she or he really is, a full and complex human being just like yourself, or is your perception limited, almost like seeing the person as a cardboard cut-out? Beginner’s mind means accessing the state of being that is often unnoticed in the background of our experience. This opens up possibilities with other people and the world around us and allows us to fully connect with the rich complexity of life.
Suggested weekly practice
- When you next see someone, you know really well, like your spouse, try asking yourself, “Who’s here now?” and see what difference that makes.
- If you have a problem, try using beginner’s mind to uncover solutions beyond the most obvious.
- Have fun seeing the world around you, opening up fresh perspectives and new ways of seeing beyond limiting assumptions and habits.
Guided practice
Find somewhere undisturbed and sit in a comfortable, dignified, and upright posture, where you can remain alert and aware. You can close your eyes, or lower your gaze while the meditations play.
- Play the first settling practice, then read through the session content, which you can print off if that helps.
- Before you begin the second audio – choose a personal, familiar, everyday object like a pen, a set of keys, or a phone and place the item in front of you.
- Then close your eyes while this meditation plays, to explore beginner’s mind.
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