If you’ve practiced yoga or mindfulness, you may have heard of the concept “beginner’s mind.” It’s something so simple in concept but quite difficult in practice. Beginner’s mind is the practice of showing up without judgment, without anticipation—of observing what is, right now, without shading the experience with colors collected from the past. Woah. Is that even possible? Yes. But it takes a lot of practice.
Stepping onto your yoga mat is an opportunity to practice beginner’s mind. You come into your practice feeling your body as it is in that moment, the quality of your breath, and the state of your energy body, letting go of all that which is without. Letting go of how you felt yesterday, letting go of the postures you could get into with ease last week but maybe struggle with today. You offer yourself grace, compassion, and gratitude and continue your practice.
Then the real practice begins when you exit the safety of the yoga mat. You step out into the world and into interactions with others, into a world where you don’t have control over all the outcomes. Can you come into beginner’s mind to experience the energy and curiosity of your child anew, to step into a meeting with your boss without anticipation, or experience a traffic jam with calmness and presence? Can you move into interactions with those who “rub you the wrong way” with grace, compassion, gratitude, and equanimity?
It’s a daily practice, but with it comes so much peace.
May your practice continue.
Peace and wellness to you,
Lauren