I went surfing recently for the first time in 9 months post-surgery. This is something I love to do for my health, both physical and mental, and doing it often meant I was getting better. Having started back again after this break though I’ve noticed my confidence is gone, my skill level needs building up again and I’m a bit rusty as well as being less fit! It’s a bit like starting again. I’m having to go back to basics and relearn.
Buddhists have this concept of beginning again. Even when we’re an expert, sometimes we have to begin again or relearn. It keeps things fresh, it keeps us curious, and it stops us from thinking we have all the answers and don’t need to learn.
I reckon it’s a healthy approach to most things to remain open, curious and learning. To go back to basics every now and then to see what we might relearn or do differently and of course as things change, ensuring we also change with them and evolve and grow ourselves.
It’s also great news when we’re struggling, or things aren’t going to plan. This concept of begin again and go back to basics is available to us all. At any point in time, we can turn the page and write a new chapter to our story, make a change, do something different.
When we’re meditating and our mind is full of busy thoughts, we get to begin again with the next breath. When we blew the diet over the weekend, we get to begin again on Monday. When we had a bad day at work, we get to begin again tomorrow. Where might you want to begin again? Turn the page and start afresh, go back to basics.
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