In the beginner’s mind, there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind, there are few.
– Shunryu Suzuki –
One essential truth is that no moment is ever exactly the same as another. Life is a dynamic, ever-changing unfolding of everything that exists. To that end, every moment we experience is rich with unique possibilities.
Often, we place on top of the present moment past experience that informs our perceptions. We see the moment in relationship to the interpretations of the mind and our beliefs rather than seeing what is in front of us as a singularity of experience. These perceptions muddy the distinctiveness of the moment and tend to draw us into limited views about what’s happening.
Cultivating beginner’s mind is a practice we can employ to see the depth of our moment-to-moment experience. The idea of beginner’s mind is to approach the moment as the unique experience it is—to see and do things as if for the first time. It is an intentional stepping away from the preconceptions we’ve formed about the nature of things.
I have observed that children embody beginner’s mind quite naturally. They do not have a lifetime of experiences to inform their experience, so they tend not to lay anything on top of what is occurring. They take each moment as it comes. As a result, they tend to approach each experience with a great deal of wonderment and curiosity. They see possibilities in moments where many of us would only find limitation because of our restricted perspective.
Our habituated ways of seeing and doing separate us from the depth of the present moment, imparting an illusion of a static world. Beginner’s mind opens us up to the uniqueness of the moment, revealing the dynamic nature of everything we experience. It is a powerful practice that can be used to override the assumptions we all walk around with—reinstating the curiosity and wonderment inherent to the experience of being alive.
If you’d like to learn more about the practices and principles of mindfulness, check out our classes and workshops for opportunities to learn and grow.
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