The Geisha And The Priest - A Zen Story

"Running water never goes stale, so you just have to keep on flowing."   - Bruce Lee

Once upon a time, a certain Zen priest was having his dinner at a banquet in the Old Capital of Kyoto. The banquet was being served by a geisha who, was so elegant & graceful, and skillful in serving her guests that he suspected that she might have some degree of Zen training. This humble speculation sparked his curiosity, and thus he decided to test her.

So he nodded to her to signal her over, to which she she came down the steps and gently sat down in front of him & bowed. That is when the Zen priest said: "I would like to give you a present." To which the girl replied: "I would be most honoured!" 

Now, on the table between them; is a Hibachi grill, which are little braziers/containers where by hot charcoal is kept. So he moved the charcoal within the little furnace around using a pair of iron chopsticks & picked out a piece, as vibrant red as the setting sun & offered it to her!

The Geisha, who seem remarkably unfazed, wound the long sleeves of her kimono around her arms to pick up the hot piece of coal, as she immediately got up and went to the kitchen to dispose of it.

And without much pause, she changed her robe, which had holes burnt into them, all around & all through the sleeves of her kimono. And she came back as if nothing had happened & sat down in front of the master and bowed & proceeded to converse with the master: "Thank you sincerely for your gift, but now I would like to offer you a present as well." 

To which the master replied: "I would be most honoured!" And so she picked up the iron chopsticks with her hand & handed back a piece of charcoal to him. To which the Zen priest pulled out a cigarette and said: "Thank you. That is just what I needed!"

Perhaps the takeaway here is not the priest's absurd rudeness, nor is it the geisha's remarkable composure but rather what they both have in common: their spontaneous adaptability.

You see, life is about being adaptive and being able to change directions quickly, all the while being poised in the wake of the moment, be it either with your movements or with your thinking. Perhaps that is what people mean when they say that you should be dancing through life.

For if you try and live this way, training oneself to turn on a dime or to be water under fire, all the while with humor & good wits, your life will be an endless, beautiful journey in which you can enjoy every aspect & every moment. 

Thanks for reading!

Yours Sincerely,

Satori Café