This is the way of growing and protecting the opening mind, heart, and will as a Human life moves through the first simplicity of childhood and adulthood, into the second simplicity lying beyond complexity.
Maturity seen through this lens is about connecting seeing, feeling, and actioning. As we continue in this way, we nurture our little-oneness, continually seeking to see more, feel more, and do more.
The alternative is to grow judgemental, cynical, and fearful.
One way opens up possibility, the other closes it down. Zen Master Shunryu Suzuki described the “beginner’s mind”: ‘In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.”*
Woe to us if we don’t protect little ones, including our own little-oneness: ‘Beginner’s mind is akin to adopting a more childlike mindset.’**
Little-oneness reminds is we never arrive, we’re never the finished article, we must always remain open to our future Self.
Here are a few practices towards this: ask more questions, meet more people, try more new things.
(*Quoted in Warren Berger’s A More Beautiful Question.)
(**Warren Berger in A More Beautiful Question.)