An Activity to Stimulate Curiosity

Most of us are firm in our opinions on any one argument, be it politics, religion, parenting, or the state of the world. But could we see more clearly other people’s point of view by taking a step back and being curious?

This activity is based on the Zen Buddhist approach of letting go of being the expert and looking at the subject with a beginner’s mind. Give it a go and see where it takes your thinking. We think you might be surprised and pleased with the results.

Your thinking needs to be directed and focused, with a sense of determination.

Activity – Nurturing a Beginner’s Mind: Yes, No, Maybe

Round One – Practice round

Should a person eat meat?

Answer the question with YES 5 times:

1. Yes, a person should eat meat because……..
2. Yes, a person should eat meat because……..
3. Yes, a person should eat meat because……..

Now answer the question with NO 5 times:

1. No, a person should not eat meat because……
2. No, a person should not eat meat because……
3. No, a person should not eat meat because……

And finally, answer the question with MAYBE 5 times:

1. Maybe a person should eat meat because/when….

Reflection

Were you able to come up with 5 answers of each?

Did you learn anything about your thinking patterns?

Did you think differently on the subject matter?

Round Two – Real Round

Choose a subject that you have a firm opinion on

(Note, the more opinionated you are, the harder the activity will be. But the more use it will have!)

Repeat steps 1-3, 5 times YES, 5 times No and 5 times MAYBE

Reflection

Did you learn anything about your thinking patterns?

Did you think differently on the subject matter?

Are there other subjects that you have strong opinions on that would benefit from this exercise?

What did you learn from using a Beginner’s Mind?

By asking questions from a different perspective we become curious. And that curiosity often leads us to have more empathy, and to think more rationally on subjects that we have become judgemental about. With practice, this becomes habit, and through our curiosity we are much more able to deal with the complexities and uncertainties that come our way.

Give it a try on your own and then find a second person to join you in the exercise.

Images by Robin Higgins & Arek Socha from Pixabay