A Novel Approach to Crosswords and Life

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few."  ~ Shunryu Suziki, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

I don’t love crossword puzzles in general, but I do the New York Times mini-crossword everyday. I love it! It’s little, it’s timed, and it makes me think. One of the first things I noticed about myself when I started doing them on the daily during Covid was that my mind tended to lock in and lock down on what I think an answer should be. To change my mind about that was nearly impossible. I could almost feel the answer I had running a rut through my brain, digging a deeper and deeper thought trench until I couldn’t get out. 

Here’s an example: “What do you mean the answer isn’t ‘fresh'? It’s gotta be ‘fresh.’ That’s the only five letter word for ‘new!’...Oh–I see. ‘Novel.’ Yeah, that works too.”

This, to me, feels like an expert mind. I thought I absolutely knew it, but I didn’t. Surely the Times had it wrong this week! Had I come to this with a beginner’s mind I might have had more curiosity. There would have been more possibilities. 

This example is pretty harmless, but taken into another area could be problematic. 

One might say I’m an expert yoga teacher. I am because I’ve studied and taught over 10,000 hours of yoga. But if a student comes to me with a question and I’m in my expert mind, I might get in a, ahem, fresh rut. I might take what I know and just expertly explain to the student what is the answer to the question they seek. 

Sometimes questions have succinct and consistent answers, for sure. But often they don’t. It seems to me there’s usually more ‘gray’ than black and white; more ‘and’ than either or. And what’s needed more than expert opinions is helpful guiding questions. 

A beginner’s mind lets us enter a space of curiosity. A beginner’s mind leaves room for exploration and expansion. It’s the fast track to a fresh–or novel?–approach. 

I think this is what we often need when we approach not just the way we think but the way we relate to our body. You’ve been in your Earth suit for quite a while now. You know it’s likes and dislikes, turn ons and turn offs. You know its history of pain, injury, and illness. You probably have an idea of your ideal weight and pants size. 

These days, as my body shifts and changes through these midlife years, I’m questioning if I’m still the expert, or if my body has some new information for me that doesn’t jive with what I’ve decided is correct. I’m asking myself if what I’ve always expected, as an expert in this Earth suit, is still appropriate.

So maybe you would like to join me in this new inquisition. What does your body, or your mind or spirit, actually need, versus what you have always believed it needs? If you pause, ask, and deeply listen, what comes to mind?

May you approach your life with a beginner’s mind, and may it lead you to a new, fresh, and novel perspective on who and how you are. May the inquisition be fun, and may your life be filled with Grace and peace.  

Much love