Beginner's Mind

Buddhism has a concept of Beginner's mind.  It means to come with no preconceptions, to approach everything, even the familiar as if one were a beginner, a child, seeing for the first time.  It means to be completely present to this moment, the one in which you are reading this.

Most adults do not live this way.  Long ago we came to various conclusions about the world.  We put certain given's into place: who we are married to, what work we do, where we live, the car we drive, how we would describe ourselves, how we expect others to treat us, etc. etc.   And this then is the world we live in.

However, in the last month the world turned upside down from an epidemic.  People went from working stable jobs to in a matter of days seeing their workplace shuttered up - not just in one location hit by a catastrophe like a hurricane, but all across the globe.  What seemed like "Oh those poor people" quickly became all our fates.   Some are able to work from home.  Others were suddenly laid off, living in the fear of how they will keep a roof over their head or have money for essentials.

As we each groped around, the things that seemed normal fell away one by one: all meetings, conferences, and trips.  Then restaurants and bars, and gatherings over 100 and then over 50 and then over 10, and then not recommended at all - shelter in place please.   One week my dentist was saying "we always wear gloves and masks so we will continue to provide services" to the next week the Governor had closed down all dentists unless someone had an infected tooth.  The grocery stores are open but they will remain that way?  The toilet paper all departed several weeks ago.   I don't have to tell you - you already know.

Buddhism also says that when we are not being mindfully present we can get into "grasping" - grasping for fame, for money, for power, etc.   But on the most basic level just grasping desperately for what we really want.  This grasping takes us even further out of this moment.

So curiously I have heard so many people speak about how they are much more stopping and notice nature and all its beauty.   I also hear people expressing gratitude for family and health which they may normally have taken for granted.   I hear people finding time to walk and bicycle or garden, to do things they normally are "too busy" to do.  I see people finding the good in slowing down.  I see people finding the silver lining in this crisis.  It as if we are moving into the present with beginner's mind.

I don't want to imply everyone is having a good time.  There are certainly people who are ill and possibly dying.  There are families who have lost people already or who will.  And there are people in dire financial difficulty now.   But what if we were present to that too?  What if as has been the norm we did not blame that on the poor or underpaid minimum wage workers?   What if we did not shrug our shoulders and say "Well that is how the system is."  It is clear in a way now that should be clear to everyone at the Emperor's parade that the Emperor is naked.  It is clear that capitalism has brought us a colossal failure.  It is clear here in American that no sick leave, and no universal health care has brought us a disaster.  It is clear that we will need to rebuild not the old society, but an infinitely more just and humane society than the one that just shattered into pieces.  But if we are present to the suffering that is now, maybe we will find the motivation to begin to do it, to start new without preconceived views.