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Brand New, Every Moment

Writer's picture: Sean PhillipsSean Phillips

Beginner's Mind and How it Relates to Rounding Edges' Meditation


In Zen Buddhism,

there is a philosophy called beginner's mind, or Shoshin in Japanese (初心). It refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and a lack of preconceptions—such as when you do something for the very first time or have a completely new experience. This mindset contrasts with the "expert’s mind," which often becomes clouded by assumptions and rigid thinking. In the words of Shunryu Suzuki, a Japanese Zen master who introduced Zen philosophy to the West through his book Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind (1970):

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind, there are few.”

In the Western self-improvement landscape,

Shoshin is frequently discussed as a tool to help individuals gain a competitive edge. However, this practical and goal-oriented framing often differs from the original Zen intention. Philosophically, Shoshin is about cultivating a way of being in which we fully engage with life as it unfolds, free of attachment to results. This mindset fosters humility, receptivity, and a deeper connection to the present.


In relation to Rounding Edges' Meditation Practices,

Shoshin is inherently interconnected with the core aim: realizing and inhabiting our deepest state of pure awareness which is the foundation of our life and leads to the recapturing of our sense of wonder, curiosity, joy, contentment, and peacefulness.


Dog

Imagine being teleported to an alien planet.

What would your state of being be?

Before the mind kicked in

And the fear and the panic

Or the excitement and exhilaration.


For a moment there would be pure awareness Just taking it all in, experiencing the novelty.

That is the state we are talking about.


We are on an alien planet; We just happen to call this one home.

And the aliens are us.

So take it in with fresh eyes,

And a fresh mind.

It’s amazing! Strange and fascinating, Bizarre and wonderful,

Weird and awe-inspiring, Horrible and great.

It’s all these things. And we get to live here and experience it! What a treat that alone is.


Every day can be a new journey,

every moment a fresh start. You can begin fresh a thousand times in the same day.

How? By returning to awareness, perhaps with the aid of a formal meditation, perhaps directly. It is hitting the reset button on life. The external circumstances seem to stay the same, but you do not and therefore your relationship to them does not. And what are things, outside of our relationships to them, anyway?


Look at your dog or a plant in the room and see them again as if for the first time,

With brand new eyes and a brand new mind.


How? In a state of pure experiencing. Just seeing, with no thoughts, emotions, just curiosity.

Just openness. Just awareness. What if we approached our entire life with this mindset?


The aim of Rounding Edges' meditation is to fully embrace and merge with the present moment. That is essentially the task: to enter that state of pure awareness where everything is brand new.


That means letting go completely of the past

And letting go completely of the future.

Letting go completely of knowledge,

Beliefs, Ideas, Thoughts.


And simply experiencing with a beginner's mind,

Brand new,

Every moment.

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