It was six men of Indostan To learning much inclined, Who went to see the Elephant (Though all of them were blind), That each by observation Might satisfy his mind.
The First approached the Elephant, And happening to fall Against his broad and sturdy side, At once began to bawl: "God bless me! but the Elephant Is very like a wall!"
The Second, feeling of the tusk Cried, "Ho! what have we here, So very round and smooth and sharp? To me `tis mighty clear This wonder of an Elephant Is very like a spear!"
The Third approached the animal, And happening to take The squirming trunk within his hands, Thus boldly up he spake: "I see," quoth he, "the Elephant Is very like a snake!"
The Fourth reached out an eager hand, And felt about the knee: "What most this wondrous beast is like Is mighty plain," quoth he; "'Tis clear enough the Elephant Is very like a tree!"
The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, Said: "E'en the blindest man Can tell what this resembles most; Deny the fact who can, This marvel of an Elephant Is very like a fan!"
The Sixth no sooner had begun About the beast to grope, Than, seizing on the swinging tail That fell within his scope. "I see," quoth he, "the Elephant Is very like a rope!"
And so these men of Indostan Disputed loud and long, Each in his own opinion Exceeding stiff and strong, Though each was partly in the right, And all were in the wrong!
-John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887).
This story is full of insight, what if the above happened to One blind man on six different occasions? Each time his concept of an elephant would change, grow and be enhanced. Yet he still would have more to learn about the true essence of an elephant. But if our hypothetical blind man stopped after the first visit, "Been there - Done that", his concept would be stuck at a lower level of understanding. He would miss out on the "Big Picture".
I will touch on one final element of developing the "Beginner's Mind" and that is a developing a sense of awe, a feeling of excitement and wonder when approaching or re-approaching a subject of investigation. That you can learn something new even if it is a subject you have already explored. That if you keep looking your bound to see something new, this in itself can be very exciting, wonderful, and awesome.
There is a lot more to discover about the Beginner's Mind but I will have to return to this "elephant" in the future because my cup is full, and I prefer to empty it by drinking deeply, and savoring its wonderful taste.
In closing I would like to leave you with a quote from Grandmaster James Lacy: "The simplest is the most profound."
-The Neophyte.
http://www.ironpalm.com/beginner.html
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