In Zen Buddhism, we often talk about “beginner’s mind.” It emphasizes the fact that we are pure, open-minded, and less-opinionated at the beginning of any circumstances.
If you are new at a job, you feel inspired and willing to learn anything with a pure, open, and less-opinionated attitude. Everything is new to you, and you can be humble; indeed, everything and everyone around you can be—and should be—your teachers in one way or another.
But this freshness doesn’t usually last long. Once you get used to or stay in the situation long enough—though what feels “long enough” is subjective—you are no longer as pure, open, or humble. You may become full of opinions about the circumstances around you, whether good or bad.
The good thing is that you can see yourself as an experienced employee or contributor, and ideally, you can be willing to help, support, and guide those who are new. You may even be ready to be a mentor.
On the other hand, the bad thing is that, paradoxically, feeling you know it well makes you less open, less flexible, and more opinionated. You might resist or avoid anything that looks new, thinking you know better than anyone else.
You lose the ability to learn new things. Your “beginner’s mind” has been lost.
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No longer being a beginner has both pros and cons. Your expertise, gained through years of effort and dedication, is precious and worthy of praise; nevertheless, this Zen teaching reminds us that you should never abandon your beginner’s mind.
True expertise is not only about the experience gained through hard work but, more importantly, about maintaining an humble attitude that values the beginner’s mind.
Without it, all your expertise and excellence would be in vain, even harmful, potentially hindering change, progress, and innovation—for you individually as well as collectively for those around you.
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This teaching is not only relevant to our work and careers but also to our lives.
In Japan, influenced by ancient Chinese cosmology, reaching the age of 60 is celebrated as a special moment marking the completion of one cycle of life. At this age, you are considered to return to a state like that of a newborn baby.
This is why, when celebrating the 60th birthday, people traditionally wear a red jacket, symbolizing the clothes of an infant. This 60th calendar year is called Kanreki (還暦), meaning a return to the beginning of life.
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Interestingly, this concept resonates with Nietzsche’s idea of the three metamorphoses of the spirit.
In his book Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Nietzsche describes the three stages as follows:
In the first phase, we live in the age of the Camel, carrying the burdens and responsibilities imposed by society. This is the period where we learn obediently to be part of the world and contribute in whatever ways we can. During this phase, our beginner’s mind allows us to be open-minded and receptive.
After years of effort and dedication, we recognize our own power and expertise, standing on our own two feet. We enter the age of the Lion, gaining confidence and freedom to be independent.
In the prime period of life, we often act like the Lion. If fortunate, we understand our life’s mission. But as life progresses, we may realize that the strength of the Lion alone is not enough, and more importantly, that it may not be the best way to face the world. Life teaches us that strength pales in comparison to the vastness of the universe.
This realization can humble us and offer a chance to reclaim our “beginner’s mind.” If we successfully embrace this realization, we are allowed to transition to the next stage: the age of the Child.
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The Child, like a newborn baby, consciously surrenders to something greater. This stage, unlike the unconscious surrender of infancy, is characterized by a deliberate and profound “Yes” to the world and to life. Ideally, this should be the essence of becoming Kanreki.
In developmental psychology, these changes are also described as moving from pre-personal to personal to transpersonal stages.
Both the pre-personal and transpersonal stages share a childlike quality, but the transpersonal stage is qualitatively and existentially different. The latter is marked by a conscious understanding of the power of surrender. This stage embodies a “beginner’s mind” with profound maturity and wisdom, radiating purity, open-mindedness, and humility.
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However, this transformation is easier said than done. Many of us, once we become the Lion with power, expertise, and authority, find it extremely difficult to transition to the Child stage. Instead, we age into the ugly, noisy, weak Lion, narrow-minded and overly opinionated.
Modern society’s thriving anti-aging market reflects this struggle. While keeping oneself healthy and living longer is commendable, much of the anti-aging effort is rooted in the wrong attitude: a desperate clinging to the status quo. This is the opposite of the direction toward the Child stage and can be destructive—not only for the individual but also for those around them.
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How can we avoid this trap? How can we restore our “beginner’s mind?” One tip I recently heard is the practice of “no opinion” or becoming “opinion-less.”
While selflessness and egolessness are often advocated, they can feel abstract or impractical. In contrast, striving to remain “opinion-less” or “less-opinionated” in daily life is more tangible.
As we grow older, consciously or unconsciously, we tend to become opinionated. News and social media are flooded with opinions, and even media platforms dedicate sections to “opinion” pieces.
Opinions are not inherently bad; humble Lions’ expert insights are valuable. However, extreme opinions can transform into ideologies, which history has shown to be dangerous, sometimes even leading to atrocities.
The advice here is to adopt a humble effort to be less-opinionated in everyday activities, especially if you wish to embrace the Child stage or Kanreki. When encountering anything in life like news, social interactions, or family relationship, let’s pause for a moment, like in mindful meditation, and gently observe your opinions.
If they seem excessive or overly emotional, let them stay with you, akin to calling a ceasefire. Practicing this regularly can prepare you to embrace the Child stage and Kanreki if ever you are about to be this age.
Image by Stefan Schweihofer
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