This re-post is dedicated to the people I have the privilege of teaching and mentoring.
As adults we are so used to being competent and knowledgable…. at least in some areas of our lives!
So when we take on a new challenge or want to learn something new it can be difficult.
I teach new yoga students and yoga teachers, and see how tough it can be for some to get their heads around being a beginner again.
Learning something new as adults makes us feel vulnerable. It’s a time where old fears about our worthiness surface, self doubt seeps in and egos rush to defend ingrained thinking and old beliefs.
One way of countering this all too human reaction is to apply the Zen wisdom of Beginner’s Mind. This concept refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, even when studying at an advanced level.
Here are some steps to practice:
1. Be open and curious. Beginner’s Mind is about using the spirit of enquiry. There’s a Zen story about this:
A student visited a Japanese master to inquire about Zen. The master served tea. When the visitor’s cup was full, the master kept pouring. Tea spilled out of the cup and over the table.
“The cup is full!” said the visitor. “No more will go in!”
“Like this cup,” said the master, “You are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”
2.Take one step at a time and let go of the outcome. Focus on what needs to be studied at each step.
3. Be like a toddler. Fall down seven times, get up eight times. Celebrate falling down as well as getting up.
4. Let go of knowing. Embrace “I don’t know” thinking rather than conditioned “I know or I should know” thinking. We only know things up until now. How can we expect to know something beyond our experience?
5. Shake off shoulds. Shoulds are imposed on us. Instead, be the best you can be in that moment and take responsibility for your actions. Own your own life rather than ‘shoulding’ all over it.
6. Use your experience. Keep an open mind on how to apply your experience to each new circumstance. Get creative with what you know and what you are learning.
7. Experience the moment fully. Slow down and pause. Be fully present to what is going on around you and within you.
When you do this your mind quietens and you make space for the new. You find your Middle Ground.
Namaste
I was giving a presentation to a group of 20 somethings a couple of weeks ago. They are part of an initiative that is focused on engaging younger adult minds in philanthropy. Through photography, they go into social service organizations and learn about our city, and tell its stories. I was there to inspire them in their story-telling.
One of the women had a photo she’d taken of two young boys she’d encountered while in Vietnam. They sat in a boat, fishing. what is the story of the photo for you, I asked.
She talked about innocence, about how through western eyes, they have little, but they seem so content.
I commented on how the boat is anchored. How the river flows, and she was on a boat going in the opposite direction, but they are anchored.
She hadn’t noticed the anchor.
It is so easy in our ‘western’ minds, to assume we know what is going on for others. We forget the value of being anchored to where we’re at, to be open to the world around us without losing our sense of being grounded in ourselves, constantly flowing through every moment.
Love your steps Val — and the fact you reminded me of that moment. Hugs <3.
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Thank you for sharing this precious moment Louise! xo
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Excellent post, Val. May it encourage everyone to try something new.
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Yes indeed Kim! You are a shining example 🙂
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“I don’t know” for sure . . . but this seems to be a fantastic post, Val. 😎
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(SMILE) Its a great reminder for me that I am a beginner and student of life 😉
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I now understand why I dread the ‘learning curve,’ such as it is. Great post, Val!
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Glad it resonated with you Eliza 🙂
Sometimes I find myself writing about the advice I need to take for myself!
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Ha, I do that often myself! A psycho-spiritual teacher friend of mine often says, “I teach what I need to learn!” Life is practice.
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I like the inherent relativism of Zen – certainty always seems to kill vitality.
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“Certainty always seems to kill vitality” ….. LOVE THIS Hariod.
So true 😉
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I love these, Val, especially the first one, it makes so much sense! The celebrating falling down as well as getting up in # 3 really speaks to me too – the celebrating falling down usually comes after the fact when I realize how much I learned or grew during those times I spent on the floor. 😉
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Thanks for adding to the conversation Julie! They are always a good reminder for me 😉
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YES!! 😉 Love it, Val! XO
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Thank you Allison! Glad it resonated with you 🙂
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I take too much of what I think I know into new situations. I need to work on beginner’s mind because even though I attempt to let go of preconceived notions I feel them creep back up on me.
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Its a practice that takes practice Suz that’s for sure!
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Great post, Val…I love the idea of beginner mind…Thanks for the practice steps. 🙂
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Thank you for your kind words Carol 🙂
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My most favorite proverb and inner life guidance is “fall 7 times, get up 8”, so I am glad to see it in your post!
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The good ones keep coming up don’t they Kate 🙂
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It’s the only way to learn and embrace change! Wise words, need to remind my controlling mind! 🙂
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Thanks Karen. We’ll be working on that together 😉
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Brilliant steps – thank you for this Val.
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So glad you liked them Julie!
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Great post and good advice, Val! Today I read a funny quote that went something like this “we like trying new things, as long as they are exactly like the old ones” 🙂
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Sounds like me …… 😉 Thanks Tiny for sharing here!
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Great lessons here for me as I travel in a new direction, especially diving into # 1 with the curiosity of adventures yet holding on to # 6 of past experiences (familiarity) to give me some strength and confidence. .
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Yes indeed Elizabeth. When we bring them together we can get creative 🙂
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