The photo perfectly describes Beginner’s Mind. The innocence, the wonderment, the being and the breather.

Shoshin, or Beginner’s Mind, is a state of being. Releasing everything you think you know and opening up to being a Beginner.

Often used in meditation to remind us to let go of any concepts of knowing how to meditate or breathe. Instead, we simply drop everything the mind is holding on to; all the pre-conceived notions of what meditation is, what breathing should be and what it should look like. Drop all the should’s and just be.

Breathe with wonder as if it is your first breath…and then sip in the next breath with full awareness and with Beginner’s Mind.

I am happy to be a Beginner in every aspect of my life, especially in my spiritual practice and my work. I feel a softening occurs within me when I stay in beginner’s energy as I walk through all aspects of my life. I encourage you to do the same.

Simplify your life by being a Beginner in as many ways as possible.

Where can you be a Beginner in your life? Here are some ways I practice Beginner’s Mind.

~When I am with others and they are talking about a topic I might happen to be well versed in, I remain quiet and listen. Instead of being the one to teach others, or know all the answers, I allow others to. I find I am much more calm when I stay in this space of observing, listening, and allowing others to do the knowing. This came with age of course. And I am at such peace not being the one with the answer.
~My favorite answer to a question is ‘I don’t know.’ There is so much freedom in not needing to know every answer. We live in such a world now of instant access to endless data but we aren’t learning anything; we are just answering questions. I find that by answering from a place of ‘not knowing’, two things happen. Either the person asking goes and finds the answer on their own, which is empowering them to practice the art of learning. Or

Sat Nam
(Truth is my identity)