Beginner's Mind

I haven't been in the water much this past season. I went with a friend for an early-season dive in Tobermory, it didn't go well. I was wearing a set of Winter-weight undergarments and I really didn't have any practice getting the weighting correct. On top of that, I was having trouble operating the dump valve in my heavy gloves despite having practiced with gloves in a warm pool over the Winter.

I went diving again later in the Summer and had another misadventurous set of dives where I was separated from my buddies (twice!) doing advanced drift dives in the St. Lawrence. After that I hung up the gear for a while and stopped logging into SB.

Now that time has passed, I realize that a big part of my problem was that I spent far too much time thinking about diving. I hate being the n00b in any group, so I tried to cram in as much knowledge and absorb as much experience as quickly as possible. I can't speak for anyone else, but for me this was not a good thing.

If I am the n00b, accepting that and working with that is the right thing to do. The diving community as a whole is very accepting and encouraging of beginners. There is no shame in having fewer than 100 dives: Everyone was there at some point, the beginning is an honourable part of the road to mastery.

The whole thing crystallized in my mind when I read about Beginner's Mind:

A university professor went to visit a famous Zen master. While the master quietly served tea, the professor talked about Zen. The master poured the visitor's cup to the brim, and then kept pouring. The professor watched the overflowing cup until he could no longer restrain himself. "It's overfull! No more will go in!" the professor blurted. "You are like this cup," the master replied, "How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup."

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I certainly did not approach diving with an empty cup, and I hope I can now be humble enough to regard an empty cup or beginner's mind as being the natural and honourable place to be in diving.

There are more divers with less than 100 dives than there are those with more than 100 dives.

Theory is good and often necessary, but experience is crucial. But it's what we learn from both that makes the difference. The "student of the game" is always looking for improvement and new ways to "play" the game. Diving is no different.

When put in perspective, it's quite scary just how much one doesn't know even about the things we think we are good at.

Regardless of some responses on this board in the past, EVERY diver has been a novice, new diver craving experience and guidance. The epiphany that you have achieved is where we all need to get to really learn diving. Thinking that we have learned it all, keeps us from learning. I recommend diving as often as you can, and learn from your dives and those you dive with, and enjoy the sport.

It often takes these kinds of moments to jog us into reality.

Fortunately, you're the kind of person who will embrace, learn and grow from your mistakes... even if it takes you a few months.

Welcome back.

Great post and great insight. Thank you!

I remember many of your earlier posts. I am concerned that you got your butt kicked but happy to see that you are coming back for more.

There are basically two paths from this point: go diving or play golf. I'm happy to see you chose diving. A lot of people would have walked away.

Take is easy, keep your dives shallow and mild. Build up some time in the water and progress at your own rate. This thing is supposed to be fun!

Highest Regards

Richard

It's really good to see you back here . . . I had wondered if you were diving.

We probably all have had dives that kicked our butts. If you don't stretch a little, you don't grow; if you stretch too much, you get your teeth kicked in, and the water is happy to let you know which side of the line you fall on.

Glad to hear you're giving it another go. It really is a wonderful sport, and there is nothing at all wrong with being a beginner.

Everyone is born, then starts crawling, leading to walking & later running----Always a pecking order, no matter what.....keep going forward....

Welcome back, Reg.

I recently went thru a "I can't dive... what the heck am I doing?" humbling learning curve.

Glad to see you worked your way through it.

I believe that there is another breakdown around the corner... I'm ready for it this time....

I have recently gotten a very good lesson of what my OW students go through, as I have struggled with my full cave class. The stress, pressure & trying to learn & master new skills under the watchful eye of the instructor. Even occasional frustration & failures. I has been a real wake- up call. I have a renewed respect & empathy for what they go through as they try to become familiar with the underwater world. These experiences have reminded me of where I came from, & has helped to make me a much better instructor for my students.