Beginner's Mind Vs. Expert Mind
Mente de principiante vs. Mente experta--por Christina Feldman
Recogemos, almacenamos y acumulamos tanto peso en esta vida. Los miles de pensamientos, ideas y planes que tenemos están impresos en nuestra mente. Hemos participado en innumerables conversaciones y hemos repetido muchas de ellas una y otra vez. Hemos pasado de una experiencia a otra, de un encuentro a otro, y pensamos en todas ellas. La información y el conocimiento se han recopilado, digerido y almacenado, y llevamos todo esto con nosotr@s.
Estos datos forman nuestra historia, la historia que tenemos sobre las personas, nosotr@s mism@s y el mundo. Al experimentar el caos y la turbulencia de la mente y el corazón saturados, el olvido puede parecer una bendición. Sin embargo, nuestra capacidad innata para recibir el mundo, una fuente tanto de complejidad como de compasión, siempre estará con nosotr@s.
La mente del/la principiante tiene un vocabulario simple basado en el cuestionamiento y la voluntad de aprender. Hay tradiciones meditativas zen que se basan en traer una simple pregunta a cada momento: "¿Qué es esto?" Cualquier cosa que surja en nuestros corazones, mentes y cuerpos es recibida con una investigación profunda. ¿Qué es este pensamiento, este cuerpo, esta experiencia, este sentimiento, esta interacción, este momento? Es una pregunta destinada a disolver todas las suposiciones, imágenes, opiniones y familiaridad. Es una pregunta que trae una presencia acogedora en cada momento; una pregunta que no percibe obstáculos ni enemigos; una pregunta que valora la rica veta de aprendizaje que se ofrece en cada encuentro y momento. Es una práctica de “todo momento”, en la que se atesora como medio de transformación nuestra capacidad de escuchar y atender incondicionalmente.
La mente de expert@ tiene un vocabulario diferente, expresando una devoción por "saber" más profunda que la devoción por la libertad. La mente de expert@ es la mente enredada con su historia, las opiniones y juicios acumulados y la experiencia pasada. La palabra que aparece con más frecuencia en la mente del experto es "otra vez". Qué larga historia puede llevar la palabra "otra vez". Podemos sentir que las persianas de nuestro corazón se cierran cuando nos susurramos: "Este pensamiento, este sentimiento, este dolor, esta persona otra vez". La intrusión del pasado con todas sus comparaciones, hastíos, aversiones o aburrimiento tiene el poder de crear una poderosa desconexión en ese momento. La palabra "otra vez" lleva consigo la voz de conocer, fijar y descartar, y con su aparición decimos adiós al misterio, al asombro, a la apertura y al aprendizaje. Siempre que no nos conmueve profundamente el momento, nos despedimos de la mente del principiante. Un antiguo maestro nos recuerda: "Hay una gran iluminación donde hay un gran asombro...".
¿Cuánto del conocimiento, la información y las estrategias de nuestra historia nos sirven bien? En nuestra historia de vida experimentamos heridas, dolores, miedos y rechazos, unas veces provocados por otr@s, otras autoinfligidos. Comprender lo que causa tristeza, dolor y devastación se traduce en sabiduría discriminatoria, y no nos exponemos a sabiendas a estas condiciones. A tod@s se nos pide que tomemos decisiones sabias en nuestras vidas, decisiones basadas en la comprensión en lugar del miedo.
El Buda usó la analogía de una balsa. Caminando junto a un gran río, la orilla en la que estamos parados es peligrosa y aterradora y la otra orilla es segura. Recogemos ramas y follaje para construir una balsa que nos transporte a la otra orilla. Habiendo hecho el viaje con seguridad, supongamos que recogiéramos la balsa y la lleváramos sobre nuestra cabeza adondequiera que fuéramos. ¿Estaríamos usando la balsa sabiamente? La respuesta obvia es no." Una persona razonable sabría cuán útil ha sido la balsa, pero lo sabio sería dejar la balsa atrás y caminar sin trabas.
Preguntas semilla para la reflexión: ¿Cómo te relacionas con la analogía de la balsa y su conexión con el conocimiento? ¿Puedes compartir una historia personal de un momento en que pudiste traer la mente de principiante a una situación con la que te habías encontrado muchas veces en el pasado? ¿Qué te ayuda a conservar tu asombro?
Christina Feldman es profesora de Dharma y autora de Boundless Heart: The Buddha's Path of Kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity.
Christina Feldman is a dharma teacher and author of Boundless Heart: The Buddha’s Path of Kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity.
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How did you relate to the raft analogy and its connection to knowledge? Can you share a personal story of a time you were able to bring a beginner’s mind to a situation you had encountered many times in the past? What helps you retain your wonder?
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20 Past Reflections
On Jun 27, 2023 francis dacosta wrote :
in the book Zen Mind Beginners Mind, Suzuki roshi says: in the beginners mind there are many possibilities, in the experts mind there are few. I believe all great ideas emanated from a beginners mind. Despite great odds. Eric Fromms book Mans search for meaning had its birth inside a concentration camp.
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On Jun 27, 2023 Victoria Crawford wrote :
This piece is so beautiful.....simple, clear and so empowering. The choice.......open to mystery, wonder and learning or not. Thank you Christina. I will remember and practice..... 'what is this?' as well as 'again'. A bow from my heart to yours with gratitude and appreciation
1 reply: Amy | Post Your Reply
On Jun 27, 2023 Stream wrote :
Ahhh- For me the keys Christina's essay are that I have learned not to choose fear and always say Yes to Love and THE LOVE i experience is filled with Wonder. Carrying a raft can be a strengthening fun exercise yet unnecessary when I trust that the real source of my raft is always within me and my innate skill of connecting with other beings who are raft builders. Being a hitch hiker and also picking up hitch hikers has been a great source of building my trust that the universe always supplies not only what I need but constantly surprises, amazes and delights me with the beauty of peoples hearts.
1 reply: Amy | Post Your Reply
On Jun 27, 2023 Anil Pandit wrote :
While leaving the raft behind, I would retain my wonder by being open to better ways of making a raft.
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On Jun 27, 2023 Patricia wrote :
I was the only non- medic with a group of them at a meal. They were exchanging experiences. I felt more & more left out & began to feel unpleasant emotions that gave rise to a sense of alienation.
The question that popped into my head was, “who is feeling alienated ”?. In a moment the unpleasant feelings dissolved & i felt fine with them all. I have not forgotten that experience and am grateful for this opportunity to embody that enquiry when i next feel a sense of contraction or collapse.
The question that popped into my head was, “who is feeling alienated ”?. In a moment the unpleasant feelings dissolved & i felt fine with them all. I have not forgotten that experience and am grateful for this opportunity to embody that enquiry when i next feel a sense of contraction or collapse.
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On Jun 26, 2023 Tanvee Kakati wrote :
Loved it!
I am actually in a space in life where I am going through this "again" phase. I try to take it from the side of wisdom and walk along with peace but after covering a certain distance again the "again" strikes leading to misery. I try to gather all the courage and continue walking with wisdom.
So this has been an on-and-off process for the past year now. It is like going back and forth. Still, I believe that life is taking me ahead and would like to listen to the wisdom that says "Don't worry about the back and forth, life is such that it takes you three steps ahead and brings you two steps back. But every time, you are one step ahead".
Ultimately, though silently and subtly, wisdom wins!
I am actually in a space in life where I am going through this "again" phase. I try to take it from the side of wisdom and walk along with peace but after covering a certain distance again the "again" strikes leading to misery. I try to gather all the courage and continue walking with wisdom.
So this has been an on-and-off process for the past year now. It is like going back and forth. Still, I believe that life is taking me ahead and would like to listen to the wisdom that says "Don't worry about the back and forth, life is such that it takes you three steps ahead and brings you two steps back. But every time, you are one step ahead".
Ultimately, though silently and subtly, wisdom wins!
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On Jun 26, 2023 Mary Thomson wrote :
This raft analogy really spoke to me about what I may need to put down and let go in order to experience with a fresh ability each new moment.
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On Jun 26, 2023 David Doane wrote :
The definition of knowledge that I most like, and I don't remember the author, is that the -ledge part of knowledge means to play with, have sport with. Knowledge isn't a static body of facts; knowledge is the playing with and being creative with a body of facts. Carrying a raft unnecessarily after its use has passed is a burden, a know with -ledge. I encounter similar and very familiar situations; I don't encounter same situations. Every situation is new. A beginner's mind seems to come naturally for me, thank goodness. What helps me embrace it is my seeing every situation as being new and my being present in every situation. When I do that I and the situation are alive. Fortunately, wonder also seems to come naturally for me. What helps me retain my wonder is the joy, fun, and aliveness of wonder. My 3 year old granddaughter is a wonder-ful reminder, mentor, and help in retaining my wonder.
1 reply: David | Post Your Reply
On Jun 24, 2023 Michael Maxwell Steer wrote :
I think if being a person of evolved consciousness means anything today it means having employed one’s intellect to recover the simplicity given to us by (our) nature, which education has deprived us of.
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On Jun 24, 2023 Barbara wrote :
The raft story reminds me not to live in fear. Everyday I remind myself this life is a miracle. Nature is my Home. Gardening keeps me anchored to life changes, evolves and so do I.
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On Jun 23, 2023 Jagdish P. Dave wrote :
I love the analogy of the raft used by the Buddha. The raft is needed to cross the river of life. We carry the raft while crossing the river. We drop the raft after crossing the river. We walk carrying the burden in our minds and we get exhausted by dwelling on the past which, is already gone. We need to relate to the past wisely. We are asked to make wise choices in our life. We need to learn to cultivate wisdom by letting go of the past and not worrying about the future. Wisdom would be to leave the raft behind and to walk on unencumbered, untethered.
A few years ago I read the book Be Here Now authored by Ram Dass. The theme of this inspiring book, is like the theme of the raft
analogy: to learn to live in the present, in the Beginner's Mind. The past is gone and we do not need to hang on or be fixated on it. The future has yet to come and we do not need to fill our minds with anticipation, worry and anxiety.
I know it is difficult to break the chain of the past and the chain ... [View Full Comment]
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On Jun 23, 2023 Hareshwar wrote :
We live in a world where earning a decent living demands a certain degree of expertise in some field. That expertise comes with the accumulation of information and knowledge, which is essentially an acquisitive process. The more one becomes knowledgeable, the more one loses that innocence we are all born with. And then starts an insatiable appetite for money and success . It is only through an intense self-awareness: awareness of the whole range of thoughts crossing one's mind that one can retain that primordial sense of innocence and sensitivity.
Reminded of what the late J Krishnamurti wrote in one of his books: "A specialist never overflows; he remains tethered to the realm of the known, losing the sense of curiosity about the 'unknown and unknowable'.
Reminded of what the late J Krishnamurti wrote in one of his books: "A specialist never overflows; he remains tethered to the realm of the known, losing the sense of curiosity about the 'unknown and unknowable'.
1 reply: Gururaj | Post Your Reply
On Jun 23, 2023 Chelsea Woods wrote :
My son died of an overdose on August 28th, 2022, and as I walk the bank of this loss, it often becomes dangerous and frightening. Was it my fault, someone else’s fault, will I survive this pain? Each time (sometimes after a long time) I build a raft to to a safer bank. Sometimes the raft/story is healthy and healing and involved surrender, acceptance, and wonder. Sometimes the raft is toxic and full of blame. Whatever the nature of the raft I build, it gets me to another bank and I get some rest from my pain and fear. If I were to carry whatever raft I have built along the new bank, when my my fear and pain return I would first use the same raft/story to attach myself to the fear and pain on that side of the river, thinking it was armour when really it is a story that cannot guide me through the new experiences and memories that are scaring me. Eventually I would try to cross to a new bank. I have noticed about my grief that the rafts that get me past one layer of loss are not suffic... [View Full Comment]
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On Jun 23, 2023 Paul Fillinger wrote :
Beautiful reminder of how much baggage I carry that confuses or inhibits my seeing the wonders around me. Thank you.