The very first time I took a flamenco class, the teacher approached me before we started and told me that I didn't have to feel nervous, to be disappointed if I should not be able to keep up with the others, and that there was nothing to be ashamed of, because flamenco is a very difficult dance style and it takes years to master it.
Besides the fact that I was absolutely aware of the fact that the first five years while learning flamenco are just... a very long warm-up, I was surprised, and a little bit puzzled. Why should I feel ashamed, nervous, or disappointed at my very first lesson while dancing together with more experienced students?
[Having a beginner's mind is a teachable skill
and something you can cultivate over time]
To me, it was clear that, as a beginner, everything was going to be new, sometimes challenging or unusual, and not easy at first. But I was a beginner, and that was just normal, and understandable.
This time was the teacher's turn to be surprised: I completed the class, I had a blast, and I also managed to try out the most classical flamenco moves. Without flamenco shoes. Without any kind of shoes, for that matter.
That's the power and the magic of what Zen Buddhism calls Shoshin, or "beginner's mind", the skill of being open, curious, humble, and patient while learning something, it doesn't matter at what level.
Seeing something through the eyes of a beginner is a precious way to learn, to grow, to discover: No assumptions, no expectations, no pressure. Just passion for the subject, enthusiasm, and acceptance for our lifelong status as beginners.
Coaching question of the day:
"Where in your life could you cultivate a beginner's mind?"
Tags: Coaching question, Self-coaching, Self-awareness, Self-reflection, Beginner's mind, Shoshin, Growth mindset, Openness, Patience, Staying curious
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