Beginner's Mind

Beginner’s mind is in the title of the book and is a key theme of the book. In the Introduction, Baker equates beginner’s mind with Zen mind. He defines both as boundless, original mind. He writes that the freshness and innocence that a beginner brings to a subject is all-important. He states that this frame of reference embodies Zen.

In Suzuki’s prologue, he talks about how hard it is to maintain a beginner’s mind. To come to something with a fresh perspective when one feels familiar with it is especially difficult. Once practice becomes familiar over time, it becomes known. All of the mind’s judgements and inclinations that color one’s life begin to color one’s practice. The connection to the boundless unknown is lost. For those who practice more than a couple of years, re-orienting to a beginner’s mind...