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Where do I begin ?


- by Ami Roy

 



"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, but in the expert's mind there are few."


~ Shunryū Suzuki:

 

Shoshin is a concept from Zen Buddhism meaning beginner's mind. I wanted to explore this further in my role as a yoga student and a yoga teacher.

 

As we begin to think deeper about our physical, mental and spiritual well being, we arrive at the feet of yoga.

 

In Indian philosophy and Indian religions, samskaras or sanskaras are mental impressions, recollections, or psychological imprints. In Hindu philosophies, samskaras are a basis for the development of karma theory.

 

When we perform an action, a subtle impression is deposited in our mindfield. Each time the action is repeated, the impression becomes stronger. This is how a habit is formed. The stronger the habit, the less mastery we have over our mind when we try to execute an action that is contrary to our habit patterns. The contents of our mind colour our perception of ourselves and others. When even our discriminatory faculty, the intellect, is coloured and we spontaneously and effortlessly think, speak, and act in accordance with those coloured perceptions, then the samskaras have become vasanas (literally, "colour" or "colouring agent"). Now we have little choice but to see ourselves and the world in accordance with these potent impressions from our past deeds.

 

The beginner's mind allows us to step away from the habitual patterns of samskaras and vasanas towards a renewed sense of openness and inquiry. The beginner's mind allows us to receive new impressions and ideas, a setting aside of preconceptions, as if the cocoon has only just split to reveal the transformation both within and without.

 

Ahamkara is a Sanskrit word used in Hindu philosophy to refer to the human ego. It is derived from the root words aham, meaning "self," and kara, meaning "to do with" or "created thing."

 

In Hinduism the term also refers to excessive self-regard. In bringing the beginner's mind to our practice of yoga, both as students and teachers of this wonderful discipline, we have the possibility of breaking down our ego, our ahamkara, and allowing ourselves to be more accessible and creative with our students week after week.

 

 

Deliberately evoking in ourselves a deep sense of awe is a wonderful beginner's mind practice, and also very contagious. Awe quietens the ego, making room for different perspectives. It can help us come away from confirmation bias and intellectual hubris towards a truly more inclusive practice.

 

Various studies show that when people were shown images of awe-inspiring natural phenomena, and asked their views afterwards on topics such as immigration and race, their answers were less judgemental and more inclusive.

 

The beginner's mind, curious and awe-inspired, wakes from a slumber of deep inertia. We can move from deep Tamas towards Sattva via the inquiring aspects of Rajas.

 

How can we wake refreshed and renewed, but also wake from our ignorance, and ask the questions again, as a beginner? That could be an underlying inquiry in our teaching and sharing of yoga.

 

A quote from our beloved Swami Venkatesananda says it best : "There is no practice of Yoga that we can approach as anything except a beginner. Even if I have sat in meditation three hundred and sixty-five days before, today I sit as an absolute beginner. And tomorrow and the next day and every day that follows, Yoga calls me to sit as a beginner."

 

 

Scientists and philosophers who proposed theories counter to the received wisdom of the day were ridiculed and rejected by the orthodoxy. One of these ideas was the neuroplasticity of the brain!

 

We now know that a sense of anticipation, hope, renewal and restoration, all these contribute to our nervous systems being both challenged and regulated. If we bring our beginner's mind to every class we teach or participate in, we can use this deep nervous system regulation as both a healing mechanism and as a tool to reinforce and create vibrant neural pathways.

 

 

The beginner's mind is also likely to allow us more restful periods, which are often lost in modern postural movement narratives. Or these are sold exclusively as an adjunct to yoga practice. My argument is that they are integral to a holistic engagement with yoga, not to be sectioned off, re-labeled and then made into a "trend". Permission to rest so that the beginner's mind can absorb and assimilate is vital.

 

 

I tend to view the most 'advanced' yoga practice as the yoga of relationships.I may be able to bend into various shapes on the mat, but it is off the mat, in my relationship with myself and others, that my true immersion in yoga is always being tested.

 

The beginner's mind serves us by allowing us to view each other with curiosity and newness; letting go of old grudges and expectations, renewing our wonder at each other. And finally renewing our sense of wonder at ourselves; how we have evolved, how we are so unique, so new, alive in each moment. It can make us more forgiving and accepting of ourselves and each other, tenets deeply coded into yoga's focus on maitri, karuna, mudita and upeksha.

 

Patanjali Yoga Sutra I. 33 "Maitri karuna mudita upeksanam sukha duhkha punya apunya visayanam bhavanah cittaprasadanam"

 

When you cultivate feelings of friendliness in the face of that which is pleasant, compassion in the face of suffering, joy in the face of righteousness, and overlook unrighteousness, the mind becomes tranquil. (1.33)
Meet:
Friendship/friendliness (maitrī) with joy, sweetness, goodness (sukha)
Suffering (karuṇā) with compassion (duhkha);
The noble (puṇya) with happiness (muditā);
The ignoble (apunya) by overlooking (upekṣāṇā)

 

Translation : Swami Ambikananda Saraswati
~
In my own journey, I've had to become the beginner again and again; first as a young adult upon losing my mother, then again as a new arrival to the UK from India in my late 20s, redifining my relationship to India, mothering my own children in a new culture,moving from a career in architecture to the deeper study and teaching of yoga, and now again as a perimenopausal woman, noticing with great wonder and awe how this new person is emerging from within!

 

In all of these stages, both yoga and a beginner's mind have been steady companions, unwavering in their power to guide and enrich me deeply.

 

I close with a most wonderful quote -

 

 

Shoshin is a concept from Zen Buddhism meaning beginner's mind. I wanted to explore this further in my role as a yoga student and a yoga teacher.

 

As we begin to think deeper about our physical, mental and spiritual well being, we arrive at the feet of yoga.

 

In Indian philosophy and Indian religions, samskaras or sanskaras are mental impressions, recollections, or psychological imprints. In Hindu philosophies, samskaras are a basis for the development of karma theory.

 

When we perform an action, a subtle impression is deposited in our mindfield. Each time the action is repeated, the impression becomes stronger. This is how a habit is formed. The stronger the habit, the less mastery we have over our mind when we try to execute an action that is contrary to our habit patterns. The contents of our mind colour our perception of ourselves and others. When even our discriminatory faculty, the intellect, is coloured and we spontaneously and effortlessly think, speak, and act in accordance with those coloured perceptions, then the samskaras have become vasanas (literally, "colour" or "colouring agent"). Now we have little choice but to see ourselves and the world in accordance with these potent impressions from our past deeds.

 

The beginner's mind allows us to step away from the habitual patterns of samskaras and vasanas towards a renewed sense of openness and inquiry. The beginner's mind allows us to receive new impressions and ideas, a setting aside of preconceptions, as if the cocoon has only just split to reveal the transformation both within and without.

 

Ahamkara is a Sanskrit word used in Hindu philosophy to refer to the human ego. It is derived from the root words aham, meaning "self," and kara, meaning "to do with" or "created thing."

 

In Hinduism the term also refers to excessive self-regard. In bringing the beginner's mind to our practice of yoga, both as students and teachers of this wonderful discipline, we have the possibility of breaking down our ego, our ahamkara, and allowing ourselves to be more accessible and creative with our students week after week.

 

 

Deliberately evoking in ourselves a deep sense of awe is a wonderful beginner's mind practice, and also very contagious. Awe quietens the ego, making room for different perspectives. It can help us come away from confirmation bias and intellectual hubris towards a truly more inclusive practice.

 

Various studies show that when people were shown images of awe-inspiring natural phenomena, and asked their views afterwards on topics such as immigration and race, their answers were less judgemental and more inclusive.

 

The beginner's mind, curious and awe-inspired, wakes from a slumber of deep inertia. We can move from deep Tamas towards Sattva via the inquiring aspects of Rajas.

 

How can we wake refreshed and renewed, but also wake from our ignorance, and ask the questions again, as a beginner? That could be an underlying inquiry in our teaching and sharing of yoga.

 

A quote from our beloved Swami Venkatesananda says it best : "There is no practice of Yoga that we can approach as anything except a beginner. Even if I have sat in meditation three hundred and sixty-five days before, today I sit as an absolute beginner. And tomorrow and the next day and every day that follows, Yoga calls me to sit as a beginner."

 

 

Scientists and philosophers who proposed theories counter to the received wisdom of the day were ridiculed and rejected by the orthodoxy. One of these ideas was the neuroplasticity of the brain!

 

We now know that a sense of anticipation, hope, renewal and restoration, all these contribute to our nervous systems being both challenged and regulated. If we bring our beginner's mind to every class we teach or participate in, we can use this deep nervous system regulation as both a healing mechanism and as a tool to reinforce and create vibrant neural pathways.

 

 

The beginner's mind is also likely to allow us more restful periods, which are often lost in modern postural movement narratives. Or these are sold exclusively as an adjunct to yoga practice. My argument is that they are integral to a holistic engagement with yoga, not to be sectioned off, re-labeled and then made into a "trend". Permission to rest so that the beginner's mind can absorb and assimilate is vital.

 

 

I tend to view the most 'advanced' yoga practice as the yoga of relationships.I may be able to bend into various shapes on the mat, but it is off the mat, in my relationship with myself and others, that my true immersion in yoga is always being tested.

 

The beginner's mind serves us by allowing us to view each other with curiosity and newness; letting go of old grudges and expectations, renewing our wonder at each other. And finally renewing our sense of wonder at ourselves; how we have evolved, how we are so unique, so new, alive in each moment. It can make us more forgiving and accepting of ourselves and each other, tenets deeply coded into yoga's focus on maitri, karuna, mudita and upeksha.

 

Patanjali Yoga Sutra I. 33 "Maitri karuna mudita upeksanam sukha duhkha punya apunya visayanam bhavanah cittaprasadanam"

 

When you cultivate feelings of friendliness in the face of that which is pleasant, compassion in the face of suffering, joy in the face of righteousness, and overlook unrighteousness, the mind becomes tranquil. (1.33)
Meet:
Friendship/friendliness (maitrī) with joy, sweetness, goodness (sukha)
Suffering (karuṇā) with compassion (duhkha);
The noble (puṇya) with happiness (muditā);
The ignoble (apunya) by overlooking (upekṣāṇā)

 

Translation : Swami Ambikananda Saraswati
~
In my own journey, I've had to become the beginner again and again; first as a young adult upon losing my mother, then again as a new arrival to the UK from India in my late 20s, redifining my relationship to India, mothering my own children in a new culture,moving from a career in architecture to the deeper study and teaching of yoga, and now again as a perimenopausal woman, noticing with great wonder and awe how this new person is emerging from within!

 

In all of these stages, both yoga and a beginner's mind have been steady companions, unwavering in their power to guide and enrich me deeply.

 

I close with a most wonderful quote -

 

Do you paint every day? she asked.
yes, he said, I paint every day
that I paint
and every day that i do not
~ Peter Ward

 

Aum and love,
Ami 🙏

 


 

©Ami Roy, February 2023

 

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