Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind

Reading Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki is a wonderful way to get to a place of perfect synergy with oneself.  Your true mind is always where you are…. there!  The book captures a series of talks that Suzuki gives about how to approach the Zen mind set, getting to enlightenment.  The most difficult thing to keep in mind is gaining a beginner’s mind.  You don’t need to know so much about Zen, it is about getting to that place where we started,  beginner’s mind, goal of practice is to keep that mind – always.  Interesting how when we do things for the first time – our original way we do things are so good, but the more we practice we lose the original mind.  Many possibilities in beginners mind, but not so with expert’s mind… self-centered minds hold us back.  He talks about if we want to see a fish you need to watch the water, not looking for a fish it will come.  He also gives some thoughts on how to get into position and breathe for attaining true Zen form.  Sitting in cross legged position, getting our mind pure in a fundamental sense and through this exercise we need learn how to keep our mind pure.  Using compassion is what is in a beginner’s mind, it makes us limitless.  Also encourage oneself to always be mischievous.  To further describe the Zen goal, he used the analogy of the four kinds of horses:  excellent ones, good ones, poor ones, and bad ones.  The best horse will run slow and then speeds fast before it sees the shadow of the whip, the good horse will run as the whip comes down, the poor horse will run when it feels the pain on its body, and the fourth will run after the pain penetrates his body throughout.  The fourth horse will learn hard how to run.  For us, we get stuck on the fast horse as it gets the idea quickly, but for Zen it is not to become the best.  If you practice the right way, it doesn’t matter if you are the best or the worst.  Zen has more sympathy for the worst one than the first one.  The worst horse is the most valuable because from our imperfections we will find our way.  It is like the position we choose for Zen, those who can sit perfectly took time to learn it.   Having the right attitude is not intellectual, but instead one is able to sit with someone in the relaxed state.  Through Zen, learn how to sit and breathe, let it happen, don’t over think it.  What a wonderful read, in my case listening to it on the ipod.  Zen philosophy is about making one, through hard work, work through one’s imperfections.  I wish I was more patient and took the time to apply this mindset to life.  I’m sure I would have a lower blood pressure and more connection to the moment.  Everyone should spend time listening and then taking away what you can from this philosophy.  Good read.