One quiet afternoon, a Zen monk sat by a riverbank, watching a turtle slowly make its way across the shallow waters.
Its movement was unhurried, deliberate, and completely present.
A man walking past stopped and asked, somewhat puzzled,
“Aren’t you wasting time just sitting here?”
The monk looked up, smiled gently, and said,
“I’m learning how to move slowly… and how to be fully where I am.”
Most of us are in a hurry — rushing through meetings, conversations, even meals. But in that stillness, the monk found a moment of quiet wisdom.
He wasn’t just watching the turtle.
He was learning from it.
The turtle, in its simplicity, became a teacher — showing him the art of mindful movement, the grace of going slow, the beauty of presence.
Reflection
The Shoshin Insight
With Shoshin — the Beginner’s Mind — we stay open to learning from everything and everyone.
We don’t assume. We observe.
We don’t rush. We receive.
We don’t just exist. We experience.
When we carry Shoshin into our lives and workplaces, even a turtle crossing a river becomes a source of insight.
I am a Mindfulness Teacher, Sound Meditation Facilitator, and a Global Wellness Consultant, based in Mumbai, India.
I help professionals and organizations worldwide integrate Mindfulness, Sound meditation, and Holistic well-being into their culture, enhancing productivity, resilience, and mental wellness. Visit my website at: www.GayatriSingh.com
