I had a teacher who always encouraged us to approach an improv scene with a beginner’s mind.
Don’t worry…I wasn’t sure what a beginner mind was either. Here….one second…let me find the definition….
….here it is….
”It refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying, even at an advanced level, just as a beginner would.”
Having a BM….hmmm….that’s not the best initialism. Beginner’s Mind…that’s better…helps you tap into creativity and let go of judgment. It’s very common to get anxious in a scene, especially when you’re new to improv. You have high expectations of yourself and want people to like what you’re doing. Or, maybe you don’t approach a scene like that, and I’m just outing myself and how I began improv.
How often have you walked into a new situation with an expectation you’re already an expert…or at the very least should be better?
I battle that feeling in so many new situations. In fact, it’s a fantastic reason to try new activities. It’s the practice vehicle. Letting go of preconceptions and expectations begins now.
Well, at least that’s the hope….but it doesn’t always work. For instance, I recently started yoga, and I’m…well….I’m new. That guy flailing in the back, who can’t Half Moon? That’s me!
BUT, there is one pose I can do….Tree Pose baby! Someone says Tree Pose, and I thank the yoga gods, because I know at least for the next 15 seconds I’ll look good. Well, until last week. Last week I heard that magical phrase, “move into Tree Pose,“ and I tried…but I failed. My foot wouldn’t listen, it wouldn’t stay where it needed to, and I would fall and catch myself. I began to panic. I thought people were noticing, and I wanted to assure myself I wasn’t bad…so I tried to put my feet even higher on my thigh, but that made me fall again! It was a horrible cycle. I tried harder and failed and judged myself and tried again. It was an awful cycle.
And then I realized, this is improv, and I just need to tap into beginner mind. I’m new to yoga, I’m a beginner, and I have that beginner anxiety, and that need to impress. I was judging myself and not letting the pose happen. I needed to let go of preconceptions of how “good“ I should be. I felt this urge to PROVE I deserve to be there.
Like an improv scene, just give the pose what you are capable of in that moment and keep moving. My pose ability will change over time and practice, just like our improv.
And..when I did that, I was able to hit the pose with no problem.
I’m glad it happened. I’m glad I felt that panic, and “failure.“ After years of improvising I don’t feel that panic often onstage, but going through it again helps me understand the new improviser’s mindset. It helps me teach someone to let go of beginner panic and replace it with a beginner mind.