In this musing, I talk about creating a beginner’s mind. So what is a beginner’s mind? It is a mind that is empty of expectation, preconceived ideas, or judgments. Instead, it is a mind full of curiosity. Like a small child witnessing something for the first time, it is full of wonder.
Creating a beginner’s mind empties your mind of the stories that fill it. It opens you to see things in a new, different way. When you think you know everything about something, you block out the ability to learn something new or experience life or a situation another way. You can’t rewrite the stories or break your pattern of reaction to things, people, or events.
The beginner’s mind sees new possibilities
Zen Master Shunryu Suzuki said, in Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice, “In the Beginner’s Mind, there are many possibilities. In the expert’s mind, there are few.”
If you think you know everything about a topic, an object, or a person, you close your mind to learning anything more.
A beginner’s mind is an open mind. It is open to learning and experiencing things in a new way.
Adopting a beginner’s mind is looking at something with fresh eyes as you’ve never seen it before. Buddhism calls this “Don’t know mind.” I don’t know mind is letting go of expectations. It is curious.
The beginner’s mind values knowledge and adds imagination
You don’t need to let go of your experiences or knowledge, but be open to learning more and seeing things differently. The beginner’s mind does not pre-judge something before experiencing it. Instead, a beginner’s mind realizes that you could be an expert in something and still learn something new. The beginner’s mind is about the experience of something, not just the brainy knowledge. For example, you might have a cake recipe memorized and have made this cake many times before. But the beginner’s mind is about the experience of making the cake. It is smelling the cake baking. It is thinking of new ways to decorate it. Maybe there is something that could be tweaked or changed a bit. Just because you have made that cake 100s of times before that way doesn’t mean you have to make it that same way again. What are the possibilities?
The beginner’s mind is not stuck on a specific outcome because it is open to all possibilities. Your critical mind often rejects ideas or experiences that don’t sync with your beliefs or prior experiences. Instead, your critical mind tries to align new experiences with something familiar. For example, if you hear hooves, it must be a horse. Most of us have heard the sound of a horse, but you don’t usually see zebras trotting by, so you don’t think it could be a zebra. But what if it was? The beginner’s mind questions what it has experienced. It does not seek exact answers to bolster the appearance of being right or being an expert. Instead, the beginner’s mind seeks the truth.
The beginner’s mind drops the “shoulds”
The beginner’s mind lets go of “shoulds.” It notices when you get stuck in patterns or on a path that keeps you bound to the same outcomes. How many times do you catch yourself making a list of shoulds? How many of these shoulds are a have to? Do you need to go to your neighbors’ barbecue when you need some downtime? Do you need to force yourself to get a one-hour workout into your day every day? A walk outside at lunch might be enough. If something doesn’t seem right, the beginner’s mind reimagines what you can do. Then, it moves on and tries something different.
The beginner’s mind is present in each moment
The beginner’s mind fully experiences each moment. It does not overthink things; it feels with the senses, the heart, not the head. It allows the moment to be what it is. You learn to appreciate the moment, even if it is not unfolding in the way you would have hoped or imagined. How often do you miss the small moments, the sunrises, a child playing, really noticing someone you love because your mind is somewhere else? Lots of little moments make up your life. Don’t get lost in the next big thing and miss out.
The beginner’s mind is open to new paths
The beginner’s mind is not afraid of unknowns. Instead, it experiences the possibilities in the moment and takes one step after another forward on the path. It does not stop because of a roadblock. Instead, it imagines a way around or beyond. It thinks “outside of the box.” Instead of retreating to the well-trod path, it steps forward with a sense of adventure if a new way opens.
Empty Your Cup
One Zen master explained creating a beginner’s mind as “emptying your cup” If a cup is full, you can’t pour anything else into it. If you let your mind empty of all the preconceived beliefs, you create space for different experiences, new knowledge.
A beginner’s mind lets go of the stories you tell yourself. How often does the little voice in your head tell you to follow the safe path? You tell your critical mind to shut up. To stop trying to convince you that you are not smart enough, brave enough, or something else enough actually to find your way forward. Just like a small child, you look forward to the adventure ahead of you, imagining what could go right. The beginner’s mind does not have to be naive, oblivious to the hazards. It is resilient and believes there are ways around them.
Meditate with a beginner’s mind
Having a beginner’s mind is important in meditation. The goal of meditation is to go beyond your critical, thinking mind. Meditation is ultimately about seeking truth, going past the judgments and stories that your thinking mind tells you. Bringing a beginner’s mind to meditation creates a more playful practice filled with curiosity. You ditch the shoulds. You can create the practice you need at that moment.
Check out my Tips & Practices video, creating a beginner’s mind. This video discusses creating a beginner’s mind and leading you on a guided meditation to see things from a new perspective.
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