Zen Master Dogen said that “not knowing is the most intimate thing.” Not
knowing means to be open to all eventualities, to not prejudge a person or
situation. If your mind is full of preconceived notions, there is no room
for an unbiased view. It is like when your hands are full of objects, you
cannot pick up anything new. A closed mind causes separation and suspicion.
Like an umbrella, a mind is only useful when it is open. The first step
toward maintaining an open mind is to understand the nature of mind or self.
-Gerry Shishin Wick, “Dharma Discourse”