Beginner's mind is innocent of preconceptions and expectations,
Free of judgments and prejudices.
To have the beginner's mind is to look at things as if you were seeing them for the
first time.
And it might be helpful to think of this attitude of mindfulness as the mind that faces life
like a small child,
Full of curiosity and wonder and amazement.
I wonder what this is.
I wonder what this means.
Without approaching things with a fixed point of view or a prior judgment.
Just asking,
What is it?
When we see the same things,
Interpret them the same ways,
React to them in the same ways,
Nothing ever changes.
But a beginner's mind can help us to see things in a new light,
Rather than automatically
responding to them with the same old patterns of behavior.
This attitude allows you to open up to the possibility of something new,
Surprise,
Insight,
And discovery.
Let's begin by looking around your space to find one object that you've had for a long
time.
Something that is very familiar to you.
It could be a picture hanging on your wall,
A book,
A plant,
Or even a piece of clothing.
Find a comfortable seated position somewhere you can view the object you have chosen.
And close your eyes or find a soft gaze.
Take a few deep breaths,
Allowing the body to relax with each exhale.
Set your intention to cultivate the attitude of beginner's mind.
Take a moment to become aware of the body,
Feeling the weight of the body supported by
the surface beneath you.
Notice any areas of tension or discomfort and allow them to soften and relax as best
you can.
Now bring your attention to the breath.
Take a deep breath in through the nose,
Filling the lungs with fresh air,
And slowly exhale
through the mouth,
Releasing any tension or stress.
Take a few more deep breaths at your own pace,
Breathing in deeply and fully through
the nose and exhaling completely through the mouth.
Gently open your eyes or lift your gaze and look at the object you've chosen.
Imagine you are from another planet and have never seen anything like it before.
Really look at the object without judging it.
Notice the unique qualities of the object.
What does it look like?
What does it feel like?
Where does it catch shadows or reflect the light?
Continue to really examine the object.
Do you notice anything about it that you hadn't noticed before?
As you continue to breathe,
Bring the attention back to the present moment.
Feel the gentle rise and fall of your chest with each breath,
Anchoring yourself in the
here and now.
Observe each breath as if it were a completely new experience.
Feel the gentle rise and fall,
The expansion and contraction,
Without any expectations
or judgments.
As we near the end of this practice,
Take a moment to appreciate the beginner's mind
you've cultivated.
Perhaps you learned something new about the object on which you chose to focus.
Know that the attitude of curiosity and openness is always available to you,
Allowing you to
engage with the world with a fresh perspective and a beginner's mind.
