I began my own research into Zen after I had written the first half of this book. I was shocked to find the number of similarities between the process-oriented approach suggested by the research I had read and the beginner’s mind of the Zen practice. The modern Zen master Shunryu Suzuki explains it with an analogy of a horse that strives to be the best of the herd.
“If you think that the aim of Zen practice is to train you to become one of the best horses, you will have a big problem. This is not the right understanding. If you practice Zen in the right way, it does not matter whether you are the best horse or the worst one.
. . .
The result is not the point; it is the effort to improve ourselves that is valuable. There is no end to this practice.”
— The Joy of Craft (Claes Zane), Loc. 1782–8