AS we launch into 2025, it’s natural to carry hopes, ambitions and resolutions with us into the New Year. But what if we approached the coming year with a different mindset, one rooted in Zen’s 'Don’t Know' mind?
This philosophy invites us to embrace openness, curiosity and the freedom of not clinging to preconceived notions. For those of us in Belfast, a city rich with history, culture and complexity, adopting this practice could awaken us to fresh ways of thinking and being in the world.
The Zen 'Don’t Know' mind is not about ignorance or indecision. Rather, it’s a practice of letting go of fixed ideas and cultivating a beginner’s mind, a state of openness where we meet each moment as if for the first time. In a city like Belfast, where traditions and narratives often shape our identity and perceptions, this approach can offer a liberating perspective. It allows us to see beyond the binaries of right and wrong, familiar and unfamiliar, and step into a space of greater understanding and possibility.
What does this entail? Well, let’s start by slowing right down. Take time each day to sit quietly, observe your breath, notice your thoughts without judgment. When plans for the future or concerns about the past arise, gently remind yourself, “I don’t know.” This simple phrase is a powerful tool for interrupting the autopilot of habitual thinking. It opens the door to curiosity and a sense of wonder. What might this day bring if I allow myself to not know?
Belfast’s environment offers a perfect canvas for practising this philosophy. Whether walking along the Lagan, wandering through St George’s Market, or sitting in a quiet corner of the Falls Park, embrace each experience as if it’s entirely new. What do you notice here that you’ve overlooked before? How does it feel to engage with your surroundings without rushing to label, compare or judge?
In conversations, too, the Don’t Know mind can be transformative. Instead of assuming you understand another person’s perspective, pause and listen deeply. Let go of the urge to formulate a response or defend your viewpoint. Instead, ask questions that stem from genuine curiosity. In a city shaped by dialogue and diversity, this practice can help us build bridges and deepen our connections with one another.
Embracing our Don’t Know mind is not without its challenges. The desire for certainty is deeply ingrained in us and letting go of it can feel unsettling. But in surrendering the need to have all the answers, we create space for creativity, insight and growth. As 2025 unfolds, this openness can help us navigate life’s uncertainties with grace and resilience.
In Belfast, where history meets the present in dynamic ways, adopting the Don’t Know mind invites us to reimagine our relationship with ourselves, with each other, and with our community. By greeting each day with curiosity and openness, we awaken to a fresh way of thinking, one that allows us to truly live in the moment and embrace the richness of life as it unfolds.
Let 2025 be a year of wonder, discovery, and profound possibility. Let 2025 be a year when, sometimes, you just Don't Know.
