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Andy will facilitate.
Life in Washington DC is one where you are often surrounded by experts (either self-proclaimed or actual). It's a city which weights credentials and expertise very highly. It's not that unusual in this respect as many societies have increasingly equated human value with formal, credentialized knowledge. I am sure that even amongst the members of our own sangha, knowledge and expertise are highly valued and seen as an integral part of how we perceive our own worth.
One of the things I have never forgotten when I first moved to this area was how in almost every new professional meeting (and many social gatherings) people would within a few minutes include their educational resume even though many of these individuals would likely have graduated 20+ years ago. This would often be followed by “what do you do?” In response I would usually dig into my archive of British humour and crack some joke to which I would get a slightly quizzical look. These days I usually respond with “breathe”.
“If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything; it is open to everything. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few.”
Shunryu Suzuki
So what is the beginner's mind…
Beginner's mind is dropping our expectations and preconceived ideas about something, and seeing things with an open mind, fresh eyes, just like a beginner. If you’ve ever learned something new, you can remember what that’s like: you’re probably confused, because you don’t know how to do whatever you’re learning, but you’re also looking at everything as if it’s brand new, often with curiosity and wonder.
Tonight I would like to explore what areas of your life it might be worth taking a fresh look at. Maybe it's something you have become tired of and no longer appreciate. What would happen if you forgot your pre-existing knowledge and looked at things purely at face value.
We will also during our sitting practice have an opportunity to clear our mind of our existing ideas, thoughts, fantasies and stories that are filling up our head and to begin to think about a clear path for new fresh thoughts.
— Andy