Beginner's Mind

“If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything, it is open to everything. In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few.” -Shunryu Suzuki

We’re continuing—and completing—our series on “Rules of Yoga, Rules for Life.” This final rule could have been the first, but it’s kind of fun to discuss it at the end. What is “beginner’s mind” and how does it apply to yoga?

Shunryu Suzuki offered these words many decades ago, comparing the many possibilities in the mind of a beginner to the few possibilities in the mind of an expert. Wow, what a contrast! As an educator I really love this perspective, because we often think of experts as having all the knowledge and therefore all the power, but in reality, knowledge and power are available to everyone because of the many possibilities before us.

Here are some qualities of beginner’s mind and the ways they show up in yoga and in life:

Novelty: When we begin something, we don’t know what we don’t know. There is always something new to explore, a new piece of information to assimilate, until finally all the pieces start to fall into place. We don’t have to lose this sense of novelty as we become more expert in yoga or any other topic we explore. We may be expert at coming into a Warrior 2 pose in a particularly way, but what might we uncover if we tried a different way of opening the arms and legs or of setting the shoulders and hips? There really are many more possibilities than the few we think we know well.

Excitement: There’s always that excitement (a little giddy, a little scary) when we begin something. Will this be fun or boring? Will I be good at it or embarrassed? Will I make new friends? It takes courage to try a new yoga class and to practice with the guidance of a teacher. If our teacher is excited about yoga and growing in their practice, we are able to get excited and grow in our practice too. Every day brings what it brings, and the only thing we can definitely bring is our own attitude, our own way of showing up for life.
 
Curiosity: Life would be so boring if we didn’t have the variety of experiences and (good and bad) surprises that arise each day. Even though we make a plan and plan our work, the fast pace of life can shift our day very quickly. Instead of annoyance or anger, what if we brought curiosity, a sense of wonderment about where this situation is heading and how our lives might be affected by it? This certainly arises in our yoga practice as we apply the practices to our achy body, distracted mind, frazzled emotions, and seeking spirit. Yes, yoga has an answer to every one of our questions if we ask and listen.

Every day we can begin again with novelty, excitement and curiosity and therefore lay claim to the knowledge and power available to us as beginners in yoga and in life.