At many points throughout our lives, we tend to form preconceived notions based on the set of beliefs or doctrines we have, which can lead to making quick judgements about people, places, and things without knowing about and experiencing things for ourselves.

Over the years, there is a book that has resonated with me called Tea Medicine by Aaron Fisher, and in his book, he states that, “There is a Zen practice of “zero doctrine”, which means approaching each and every situation without any prefabricated answers. If you’ve interpreted the situation before you have arrived, you will never respond as skillfully as you could have.” In other words, making assumptions about things before actually experiencing them for ourselves will ultimately not help us understand the world in a constructive way. Instead, striving toward having no doctrines about how life should be will help us grow in a healthy way and make positive change.

Although the phenomenon of forming preconceived notions is an inherent part of human nature, there are many ways to work towards not making false judgements often. In my personal life, traveling near and far has been an incredible opportunity to participate in the philosophy of zero doctrine, as I have been able to try to eliminate any said doctrines about how people, places, and other external factors are or how I think they should be. By keeping an open mind, having an open heart, and adopting a “go with the flow” kind of mentality, I have been able to appreciate the people I have encountered, the places I have been and seen, and the experiences I have had because I have accepted everything for exactly what it is and nothing else. By being accepting of the world as how it is and not forming thoughts about how I think it should be, I have been able to gradually learn about many aspects of life and see that there are lessons in experiences that I feel are both good and bad.

Specifically, in 2019, I traveled outside of my home country (USA) for the first time. I went to Tokyo, Japan. For one, being put into a completely new environment where I knew next to nothing was a big shock. However, it simultaneously made me more curious about myself, the people around me, and the world altogether. Since then, having the opportunity to continue traveling has helped me realize what is really important to me and what is trivial. After learning about what zero doctrine means and even reading about this exact philosophy portrayed in different kinds of ways from other sources, it has had a profound impact on my life, and I am dedicated to connecting this idea to my passion for traveling. Ultimately, carrying out the idea of what it means to have zero doctrine is a constant, never-ending practice in my daily life; it is an endeavor focused on the journey rather than the destination.

More than anything, I want the experiences I share through the blogs I write to be a reflection of having zero doctrine in a way that resonates for others too, regardless of what you are doing in life and what your passions are focused on, as this is a philosophy that applies to many facets of life. I am passionate about writing about where I have been, sharing my photography, and providing information in a pure, factual way that is solely focused on my personal experiences and is free of any doctrines.