βWith traditional arts in Asia much emphasis is put on long-term practice and effort, so as to reach continuously higher levels of skill development. There is a deeper character training happening as well, to reduce the egoβs voice, let go of fears, cultivate mindfulness, increase gratitude and live more fully in the present moment.β ~Christopher Chase
Cultivating a Beginnerβs Mind
Beginnerβs Mind is a phrase from Japanese Zen teacher Shunryu Suzukiβs book, Zen Mind, Beginnerβs Mind. He uses it to describe an approach to life that is empty of preconceptions andΒ fearful thinking, yet very mindful.
βIn Japan we have the phraseΒ shoshinΒ (ε εΏ), which means βbeginnerβs mind.β The goal of practice is always to keep our beginnerβs mindβ¦ This [means] an empty mind and a ready mind. If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything; it is open to everything. In the beginnerβs mind there are many possibilities; in the expertβs mind there are few.β
The idea of an empty mind in Asian cultures is different from Western conceptions, which signify that something is lacking. It is closer to our idea of being open-minded, providing a spacious awareness that allows the outer world to flow in freely through our senses.
The Chinese philosopher Lao Tsu shared a similar conception of emptiness, in verse 11 of the Tao Te Ching, describing structured spaces which invite participation as being very useful.
βThirty spokes share the wheelβs hub;
It is the center hole that makes it useful.
Shape clay into a vessel;
It is the space within that makes it useful.
Cut doors and windows for a room;
It is the holes which make it useful.β
Therefore benefit comes from what is there;
Usefulness from what is not there.β
In Zen Buddhism, to maintain a beginnerβs mind means to be open to continuous growth and deeper understanding. One is encouraged to drink in each moment of life, without excessive desire,Β pride or judgment.
A beginnerβs mind is not willful, power seeking or egocentric. As a beginner, we are encouraged to develop skills without comparing ourselves to others or seeking to be superior in any way. In Japan, this also relates to the idea of kenkyo (θ¬θ) which means to cultivate modesty and humility, to not be full of oneself.
In Zen Flesh, Zen Bones (by Paul Rep) there is a section entitled 101 Zen Stories. Here a tale is told of a Japanese University professor who visits a Zen master. He says he wants to learn about Zen, but he arrives with an attitude of superiority. The master pours tea into his cup and does not stop so that it begins to overflow.
βWhat are you doing?β yells the Professor. The master responds, βLike this cup, your mind is already full. To learn about Zen you must empty your cup, empty your mind of knowledge.β
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Zen & Japanese Traditional Arts
Even now, a beginnerβs mind is very much a part of traditional arts training in Japan. The idea of mu (η‘) or mushin (η‘ εΏ) is commonly taught to students. It is often translated as βnot, nothingβ or βno mindβ but itβs closer to openness of awareness in meaning. Students are encouraged to be attentive and mindful, carefully observant of the present moment.
With traditional arts education in Asia much emphasis is put on long-term practice and effort, so as to reach continuously higher levels of skill development. There is a deeper character training happening as well, to reduce the egoβs voice, let go of fears, cultivate mindfulness, increase gratitude and live more fully in the present moment.
A core idea with Zen influenced arts is that deep mastery and learning requires that we keep all our senses open. Over time oneβs knowledge becomes intuitive, instinctual. We do not have to βthink β consciously to act skillfully.
The goal with arts training is not to receive praise or do better than others, but to grow spiritually, develop as a human being and learn to live each moment peacefully, mindfully and deeply connected to the present.
The Buddhist scholar D.T. Suzuki (no relation to Shunryu Suzuki), gave this description, in his essay An Introduction to Zen Buddhism:
βThe idea of Zen is to catch life as it flows. There is nothing extraordinary or mysterious about Zen. I raise my hand; I take a book from the other side of the desk; I hear the boys playing ball outside my window; I see the clouds blown away beyond the neighboring wood β in all these I am practicing Zen, I am living Zen. No wordy discussion is necessary, nor any explanationβ¦ When the sun rises the whole world dances with joy and everybodyβs heart is filled with bliss. If Zen is at all conceivable, it must be taken hold of here.β
Living & Learning in the Modern World
Zen teaches that living in this way is not difficult, but modern βcivilizedβ people make it hard for themselves, and their children. Educational systems (both in the West and in Asia) put great emphasis on competition, status and ranking, requiring the memorization and testing of knowledge.
The goal of modern schooling is for students to memorize vast amounts of information, to do better than others on tests, so that one can get higher grades, get into the βbestβ college, attain a high paying job. This βtrainingβ (that most of us have received) keeps our minds focused on knowledge storage, future goals and how we compare with others in the present.
Living and learning this way has created a world where a rat race mentality dominates. Where many βwell educatedβ peopleβs minds are crammed with disconnected bits of knowledge (about math, physics, history, etc.) that we never developed the ability to apply in meaningful ways.
In recent decades, Western psychologists have described some of these dynamics. Carol Dweck talks about a growth vs fixed mindset. A growth mindset is open and curious, the person understands what they are studying and is continuously learning, updating their knowledge and skills. We do not compare ourselves with others and see learning as a lifelong process.
Psychologist Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi describes this approach to life and learning as flow, the psychology of optimal experience. With our minds open to the present moment we experience a sense of unity and intimate relationship with our current situation and context.
A growth mindset and flow are quite similar to the beginnerβs mind approach of Zen. In the book Zen in the Art of Archery, Eugen Herrigel shared his Japanese archery teacherβs advice, βDonβt think of what you have to do, donβt consider how to carry it out! The shot will only go smoothly when it takes the archer himself by surprise.β
Goals can be helpful, but the focus with Zen arts is to anchor our consciousness in the present moment, detached from ego and desire. βA goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at,β is how Bruce Lee put it.
Numerous athletes, artists and musicians have described their most satisfying experiences in this way, as being in βthe zone,β where a sense of self drops away and we feel a deep connection with the present moment. Skillful actions happen of themselves, intuitively, without willful thought or direction.
When playing sports or music thoughts of future outcomes or failure can trigger powerful emotions that distract our awareness. It is only by paying full attention to what is happening NOW that we can respond mindfully and effectively to current conditions, and deeply connect with the present moment we inhabit.
Moreover, as our skills develop without egoism, we will naturally cultivate positive psychological qualities (such as mindfulness, optimism, compassion, creativity, kindness, joyfulness) that make our lives more happy, successful and meaningful.
As the composer John Cage put it, βGet yourself out of whatever cage you find yourself in. There is poetry as soon as we realize that we possess nothing.β
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Developing Deep Appreciation for Our Lives
Over time we begin to discoverΒ our liveβs purpose, what Japanese call ikegai (ηγη²ζ), a core sense of meaningfulness for our existence. Ikegai is about developing ourΒ many unique gifts so that weΒ can share these with the world. Finding our liveβs purpose brings joy to usΒ and benefit to others.
To do this successfully, it helps to be aware of how we are connected to the rest of the Universe. Finding deep meaning can only be discovered in the now, not in the future. This is why Taoist and Zen teachings encourage us to cultivate an intimate relationship with (and appreciation for) Nature as she manifests in the present moment.
We are at all times connected to the Cosmos in ways that mundane concerns distract us from seeing. Alan Watts has described how we are each like waves of a larger ocean, creative expressions of the Universe we inhabit.
When our mind is empty of self-centric thoughts and emotions, we can more easily connect with our surroundings. Maintaining space in our minds allows the magic of the world to enter through our senses.
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For Taoist sages and Zen masters the Universe that surrounds us is experienced as our βoriginal face.β Itβs the Source of all that exists, a living matrix of creativity that we all belong to, that has brought every thing into being. As Alan Watts put it:
βIf you see yourself in the correct way, you are all as much extraordinary phenomena of nature as trees, clouds, the patterns in running water, the flickering of fire, the arrangement of the stars, and the form of a galaxy. You are all just like thatβ¦β
While this is not difficult to comprehend conceptually, itΒ can be challenging for βcivilizedβ people to experience directly and frequently. Not buying into the rat race mentality of modern cultures is an essential first step. Training mindfully in an art form or sport, learning to meditate or do yoga, will provide us with a system of practice that assists greatly.
As we learn to meetΒ the world like an empty cup, we allow inner and outer realms of our lives to flow together. Where there had been separation before, now there is greater unity.
More and more, we may begin to experience yΕ«gen (εΉ½η), a term that Japanese artists and poets have used to signify a deep appreciation and feeling of relatedness with the Universe.
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Β Awareness & Experience of Inter-being
Vietnamese Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh describes this as a deepening awareness of inter-being, the fundamental unity and interconnectednessΒ ofΒ the Cosmos. In a flower exists water from clouds, energy from the sun, molecules from the earth, atoms created billions of years ago within stars.
This understanding is very important if one wishes to grasp Buddhist teachingsΒ about emptiness, as Thich Nhat Hanh explains:
βA flower cannot be by herself alone. To be empty is not a negative noteβ¦ A flower is empty only of a separate self, but a flower is full of everything else. The whole cosmos can be seen, can be identified, can be touched, in one flower. So to say that the flower is empty of a separate self also means that the flower is full of the cosmos.β
Such an attitude and recognition brings greater peace and happiness in our lives (and wisdom in our actions) because instead of trying to manipulate outcomes and take from the world we become moreΒ aligned with Nature, moving in unison with life, like a musician or dancer.
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By letting go of distracting thoughts and emotions throughout the day, we create space for the world to move through us, be a part of us. This letting go allows for a deeper experience of inter-being, our intimate connectedness with everything.
Over time, connecting and letting go, like breathing, becomes second nature for us. Not seeking far off goals that the modern world considers to be important, we discover that everything we need is already here. We just need to cultivate inner space and connect to it.
Maintaining a beginnerβs mind helps us to experience flow in our activities, joy in our relationships and growth as human beings. Like the lead characters in the films Groundhog Day and About Time, weΒ startΒ to discover deep meaning in every single precious moment.
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In the Japanese tea ceremony this connection and appreciation is expressed with the idea of ichi-go ichi-e (δΈζδΈδΌ), translated as βone time, one meeting.β Every meeting we share with others is a once in a lifetime event, a sacred moment that we can treasure and enjoy deeply.
Over time, as we practice seeing and living in this way, everything we do can be experienced as an art form to be mastered, every interaction with others becomes a potential source of joy, gratitude, peace, love and beauty.
We willΒ never findΒ happiness in far off places or goals that we imagine. The way to happiness is to realize deeply, that each moment of life, each friendship, is sacred. Each step of our journey we have already arrived, we have always been home.
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βTo dwell in the here and now does not mean you never think about the past, or responsibly plan for the future. The idea is simply not to allow your self to get lost in regrets about the past or worries about the future. Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness.β β Thich Nhat Hanh
βZen professes itself to be the spirit of Buddhism, but in fact it is the spirit of all religions and philosophies. When Zen is thoroughly understood, absolute peace of mind is attained, and a man [or woman] lives as he ought to live.β β D.T. Suzuki
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The same stream of life that runsΒ
through my veins night and dayΒ
runs through the world andΒ
dances in rhythmic measures.
It is the same life that shoots in joyΒ
through the dust of the earthΒ
in numberless blades of grassΒ
and breaks into tumultuous wavesΒ
of leaves and flowers.
It is the same life that is rockedΒ
in the ocean-cradle of birthΒ
and of death, in ebb and in flow.
I feel my limbs are made gloriousΒ
by the touch of this world of life.Β
And my pride is from the life-throb of agesΒ
dancing in my blood this moment.
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