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.
The practice of shoshin acts as a counter to the hubris and closed-mindedness often associated with thinking of oneself as an expert.
[2] This includes the Einstellung effect, where a person becomes so accustomed to a certain way of doing things that they do not consider or acknowledge new ideas or approaches.
[4] The concept was taught in the thirteenth century by Dōgen Zenji, the founder of the Sōtō Zen school of Buddhism.
[22] It is also used or proposed as a way of general living[23] or a way to approach specific fields of life including social work,[24] medical care,[25] teaching,[26] computer programming,[27] gardening,[28] sports,[29] and dealing with chronic diseases such as phenylketonuria.