Humans are all born with a clean slate. A pure soul. Though baby’s can already feel and get influenced when they are still in their mother’s womb. That aside, the world is a place to explore and to discover. That already starts in the womb and will continue when we are kids. But when we get older, we are adjusting ourselves to our environment and society. We become adults and many of us lose the connection with their true selves. But we can do something about it. This blog is about how to cultivate beginner’s mind.
What is beginner’s mind?
Imagine yourself when you were a child. Visiting a new place for the first time. You are full of awe. It looks like every small thing that you see, is something magical. You are living in the moment and lose track of time. It all looks amazing.
Beginner’s mind is the mindset we have as children. It is an open attitude, with a lack of preconceptions and limiting biases. It allows a person to see the world through beginner’s eyes. There are no expectations or past experiences to limit their view of a situation. A part of beginner’s mind is also being curious towards something new and being eager to learn.
Shoshin
This mindset is a concept from Zen Buddhism, also known a ‘Shoshin’ in Japanese. This term is mostly used in Japanese martial arts and the study of Zen Buddhism. Shoshin became popular outside Japan because of the book ‘Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind’, written by Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki.
Why cultivating a beginner’s mind?
We all see the world through our own eyes. Everybody has their own view of the world. We are shaped by our history and past experiences. We can’t change this, but we can become aware of it. This, in combination with the fact that we simply get used to things, we can lose the feeling of wonder.
An example of our past experiences. Imagine you are a woman with a dark skin. You were being bullied when you grew up by other kids. When you grow older, people still stare at you when you at office and they treat you in a way that you are less worth than them. This is a bad experience that will blur your point of view. Because racism happens often in your life, it becomes your ‘normal’. Even though this is absolutely not normal and not good at all.
An example of that we get used to things. For example, imagine you travel to a country with beautiful temples. The first one you see, you are amazed and can’t get enough of it. The next two temples are also still interesting, but you can’t bring it up to see more of it. You have seen enough. The feeling of wonder is gone.
When you cultivate beginner’s mind, you can approach each situation with a open perspective and more creativity. You try to let go all things from the past and see it as a fresh start. Every day you can learn something new. This gives you a feeling of excitement. You also develop a deeper gratitude and appreciate the smaller things in life. And this is all good for your health.
Five ways to develop a beginner’s mind
There are different things you can do to cultivate a beginner’s mind. I will share five steps you can take.
# 1 Live in the moment
Many things we do, we do automatically. We don’t even have to think about it. When you become aware of what you are doing, you live in the moment. It gives you a deeper experience. Try to focus on your breath, take it slow and use your senses.
# 2 Get inspired
Approach life like a child. If you have children around you, just watch them and notice how they respond. Ask questions, wonder why things are like this and try something new. We can learn a lot from children about life. Like my small best friend is saying to me: “If you haven’t tried it yet, you also don’t know if you can do it.”
# 3 Ignore your inner voice
Ignore the voice in your head. Become aware it is there to protect you from all the dangers in the world. That is necessary in some situations, but mostly it is just talking nonsense. The self critic in us is not kind to us. “I can’t do this”, “It is not my thing.” or “What will other people think about me?”. Let those thoughts go and just believe in yourself.
# 4 Try something new
Walk via other streets to your office, take the bike to some other streets where you normally don’t come and try a new dish on the menu of your favorite restaurant. Every new thing will be a new experience. It will broaden your mind.
# 5 Be curious
Wonder and ask questions. Show real interest in other people. Listen to them when they speak. Go deeper into the subject and be curious.
There is so much to explore and to discover in the world. Make beginner’s mind part of your life and you will deepen your experiences.
Jane Regina Sauer 