Practice: Awakening The Beginner's Mind

When we are constantly surrounded by the same people and objects, our minds stop truly looking and let our assumptions do the seeing instead. In this short guided practice, you will learn how to cultivate Zen "beginner's mind" by deliberately letting go of what you think you already know. By carefully observing a mundane object and reflecting on a familiar person, you will practice catching your mind's automatic stories and opening up to what you haven't noticed before. You will leave with a simple, actionable exercise to bring fresh eyes and a renewed sense of curiosity into your daily relationships.

Transcript

Come and join me. For a few minutes. In a practice I call Awakening Beginner's Mind. Settle wherever you are. Take a breath. And let whatever you were doing. Rest for a moment. There's nowhere else you need to be right now. Now! Look around you. See if something catches your eye. Something near enough to pick up. And hold. It could be a cup. A pen, A key. Something you see every day. Take it into your hands. See if you can catch how quickly the mind names it. And moves on. See what else the mind is sure of about this thing. What about this? Object. Do you tell yourself what it's useful for? Or that you know where it came from. That there's nothing here. Worth any more attention. And then ask yourself. What have I not noticed about this? Who or what created it. Whose hands it passed through. How long it's been with you and where it's been. What don't I know? There's no right or wrong answer. Now set the object down. And let your eyes close. Or soften your gaze. Take a deep breath. And bring to mind a familiar person. Someone you see often. As you picture them. Notice what happens. In your body. Perhaps some warmth. In the chest. Perhaps some. Tightness in the shoulders or the jaw. Or maybe you start to smile a little bit. Now see if you can catch the story. That you already have about this person. Who they are. What they believe in. How they act. Let that story rest for a moment and ask yourself What about this person? Have I not noticed before? You don't have to find an answer right away. Let the question Stay open. If something comes. Such as a worry they carry or a side of them you rarely see. Just notice it. And stay with it. For a few breaths. Before we finish. You might choose one familiar person. Who you'll see later this week. When you're with them. Watch for one thing that you haven't seen. About them before. And notice how it is. To look. The beginner's mind. And now, When you're ready. Return gently. For the rest of your day.