“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind there are few”
– Shunryu Suzuki
In lieu of setting easy-to-break resolutions, I like to create intentions when we start out a new year. These are not concrete goals like “losing weight” or “exercising more” – rather it is the lens with which one can focus on what lies ahead. This year I chose the word “Awakening” to guide me. While it can be common to walk through life with our eyes closed on a path that we have walked over and over again, when you decide to let in the light and meet the day with openness, tenderness, and curiosity, anything is possible.
As I find ways to lean into my intentions, the principle of Shoshin, popularized by Soto Zen Buddhist teacher Shunryu Suzuki, comes to mind. This is a paradoxical concept that as we gain knowledge and come closer to becoming an expert in something, we lose that openness that made us successful in the first place. Suzuki Roshi suggests that with a Beginner’s Mind, we are given the opportunity to start fresh and let go of biases and preconceived ideas that can get in the way of our forward momentum.
Think of this as a child experiencing or seeing something for the first time. All the mystery and magic remains in place. It is within these states that the mind is allowed to expand and personal growth is possible. Curiosity drives innovation. Alternatively, when we approach a situation thinking that we know everything, we can get caught in an “expertise trap” where we start to look for short cuts to solve problems quickly. Our ego can also get in the way – and can even blind us. Beginners ask WHY, while experts ask HOW. One approach is expansive and open, while the other contracts inwards.
As a physician with over 20 years of experience in the medical field, sometimes I feel the pull to bring all my expertise into the room with me and throw it at the “medical issue” that I’m presented with. It’s easy to fall into this pattern of thinking as we “solve” for the problem before us. But, when you switch over to the Beginner’s Mind, your humanity and humility leads the way. The story unfolds differently. Another way to imagine this is the concept of “thinking outside the box”. Get out of your head on how you think it should look, and rather allow the answers to come to you instead.
Being trapped in your biases and old ways of thinking can be a great place of suffering. The world does not need more of this right now, and the load we carry as human beings is heavy. Awakening to the Beginner’s Mind might be a way out. Remember every new moment is another opportunity to try again. What a gift this is – you just have to realize it’s there for you.