How To Adopt A Beginner's Mindset
A beginner's Mind - also known as Shoshin - is seeing things as they are, just as they are, in the moment without preconceptions or expectations. A Beginner's Mind is defined by Wikipedia exactly as how you would expect it to be;
Shoshin (初心) is a word from Zen Buddhism meaning "beginner's mind." It refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, even when studying at an advanced level, just as a beginner would.
With anything in life, when you are completely new to something and viewing / learning it with no preconceived ideas or expectations, you adopt what is called a beginners mindset. It means you are open to, and ready for, anything with a willingness to embrace curiosity and explore the depths of the unknown. The world is your oyster and the possibilities are endless.
A beginner's mind is so important because it takes us back to our beginners, the beauty and joys of being an unknowing curious child. It allows us to explore and learn and play, it allows us to feel things deeper, enhance connection, reach for the stars, alleviate our self-doubt and expectations by just being in the present and taking it moment by moment... and so much more. It allows us to check-in with ourselves and re-evaluate, re-align, and change the trajectory of our path. It's something that with regular practice, can be adapted to daily life and the most mundane of activities because wild and wondrous. It deepens connections and gratitude, it allows for joy and playfulness, it allows for experimentation and a limitless life.
A beginner's mind is so free-ing, it frees us from patterns and stories we are holding onto that no longer serve us, it severs ties from not just our self imposed expectations but also the societal pressures from the world around us; this, in turn, creates freedom, less anxiety, less pressure, less stress. It carves out space for gratitude, love, communication, appreciation, creativity, learning, understanding, new viewpoints, fresh perspectives, and experiences. It returns us to our roots, our playful, exciting, adventurous, inquisitive beginnings.
- Meditation is key here and maintaining the practice of ritual
- Pay attention to the moment, how you feel, what you see and hear, consciously focus on the breath and just be in the present moment
- Lose all expectations or rational thinking
- Adopt a child's mentality
- Be open to wonder, curiosity and exploration
- Go slow
- Let go of how you think it 'should' be
- Detach from ego
- Simply observe; catch yourself on preconceived judgments and consciously change your viewpoint
- Manage expectations, allow them to arise and let them go
- Notice thoughts and preconceptions, acknowledge them and let them go, return to your breath and the present moment
- With each breath, empty your mind (to help with this, physically envision your mind being emptied with each breath out and more space being created with each breath in)
- Allow your meditation and breathwork to guide you in maintaining presence
- Contemplate wonders of the world that you simply don't have the answers to
- Ground yourself, to the Earth, to source (more here)
Ultimately, cultivating a beginner's mind is a practice that requires dedication, remember we are undoing years, decades, of conditioning and it is to be expected that there will be hurdles and speed humps along the way but the longer you stick with it and commit to returning to your mind's natural state and exercising your beginner's mind, the easier it will get and the benefits are boundless.
If you have any experience or tips to share with your personal experience of cultivating a beginner's mindset, we'd love to hear from you - please share them in the comments below.