Shoshin

This week will be the third, and final, mention of the greatness that is Jon Kabat-Zinn. Over the last two weeks I have discussed a couple ideas from his book Full Catastrophe Living. If you missed them, they can be found here and here.

I find people endlessly fascinating. We humans are such a curious bunch, for we have have a tendency to get in our own way. It is like that Mark Twain quote that said, "I have been through some terrible things in my life. Some of which actually happened."

For this week's post, here is how getting in your own way relates to Kabat-Zinn. As adults, we often think we need to behave like "grown-ups." Fair enough. But, unfortunately, behaving like a grown-up often means we need to have it all figured out.

The idea that adults need to have the answers sounds reasonable. However, it is an idea that runs counter to a strong, and true, paradox. The paradox is one we have all heard before. "The more I know, the more I know I do not know." So true!

Having it all figured out is a sure sign that you have stopped learning. Because, as the paradox suggests, the more you learn, the more you realize how limited your knowledge really is. A truly humbling experience.

In Zen Buddhism they have a concept called "Shoshin" or "Beginner's Mind." Wiki says, "It refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, even when studying at an advanced level, just as a beginner in that subject would."

And, this comes back to Kabat-Zinn. When it comes to mindfulness, and meditation, Kabat-Zinn says it is wise to maintain a beginner's mind. Because, the truth is, life is amazingly complex. And, we can never hope to figure it all out.

I pass this along because, though I do not know about you, unique words (like shoshin) do a great job of implanting in my own mind. Meaning, unique words tend to be more memorable. Shoshin reminds me to also question my assumptions, and know that I might not know.