GUIDELINES TO A BEGINNER’S MIND JOURNAL 
                                                        
                                                       In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the 
                                                       expert’s mind there are few.  Shunryu Suzuki 
                                                        
                                                       This unusual journal has two main purposes – to free the mind 
                                                       from the never ending chatter of the expert mind and to listen 
                                                       finally to all the ideas and insights that have been ignored for 
                                                       so long.  Once written down, these ideas can be released.  In 
                                                       the end, this journal practice will open up space in the mind 
                                                       so fresh ideas can arise with ever increasing frequency.   
                                 
                 I. VIOLATE ORDER 
                     •   rather than thinking in outline form, use ‘snowflake’ or ‘branching’ approaches;           
                         start by writing a core idea in the center of a page and branch out in all directions          
                         with supplementary notions as they come to you. 
                     •   yield to no invented order in developing your journal; allow apparent randomness           
                         to prevail (soon you will likely see natural patterns developing) 
                     •   resist any linear order tendencies such as writing in rows, using even margins, making 
                         orderly diagrams, conserving space, always writing right side up on the page. 
                  
                 II. RESIST PERFECTION AND CLOSURE  (or the need to finish everything) 
                     •   jot ideas down in your own ‘personal code’ using only key words or phrases that       
                         convey meaning for you (DON’T write for an imaginary reader) 
                     •   log questions, ahas, dreams, seemingly irrelevant ingredients that intrigue you               
                         but seem to have no bearing on your basic questions (chances are very good                 
                         that these ingredients will turn out to be extremely relevant in time!) 
                     •   DON’T tear out any pages but consider dating each entry you make. 
                  
                 III. SCRAMBLE LOGIC 
                     •   rather than entering ideas as ‘answers’ or ‘facts’, identify them as ‘hunches’                
                         and questions (this frees you from the burden of proof);                                                   
                         you can use the symbols H (for hunch) and Q (for question) before such entries 
                     •   use the journal as a meditative device, logging insights that come to you 
                     •   use your non-dominant hand to idly write or print ‘answers’ to your confusions               
                         or problems (don’t be surprised if the spelling and word choices turn out to be             
                         very poor, more like grade school level writing); but the ideas may surprise you!! 
                     •   log paradoxes as they come up.  Try this: when new information seems to clash with             
                         what you already know, consider the possibility that both pieces of information              
                         are correct somehow. 
                  
                 IV. HAVE NO CLEAR PURPOSE OR FUNCTION 
                     •   set no limits to the functions of the journal; take it everywhere you go.  Enter anything; 
                         appointment times, ideas, quotes, doodling, recipes, lecture ideas, construction plans, 
                         highlights of conversations or brainstorming sessions with interesting persons 
                     •   consider drawing, painting, gluing in a quote or picture or copy a special part of a letter 
                         you wrote or received. 
                  
                                         revised 2/2019; © 2019 originalmindbrilliance llc All Rights Reserved 
                                         originally designed and copyrighted by Dee Joy Coulter, 9/1977