One of the most profound moments of our journey was the visit to a small Buddhist temple in Kyoto to attend a Zazen meditation session. Our host, a monk named Join welcomed us into the small Japanese house. A big window looking at the court garden, a small ikebana (Japanese flower design) arrangement in a corner, and the early morning sun bathing the paper shades.
With the broken English of our guide, Join explains the principles of meditation: it’s all about breathing, and after lighting up an incense stick we are guided to breathe softly and deeply, using our belly rather than our chest to host the air. At first, I could hardly focus, I wanted to look everywhere, the garden, the corners, the bamboo windows, the astonishment at being here… but soon I let all of these To pass through me and started relaxing. Next to me, Charles looks more at home, he has closed his eyes and his breathing is rhythmical and profound.
After a while, Join rings a dainty bell and we are invited to stay in contemplation and ask him some questions. Charles asked about the purpose of the incense, and the monk said it is for measuring time, but if he was In a hurry he could just blow it off. We laugh… he does not take this Buddhist stuff very seriously, he must be the real deal.
We admire the garden and we ask about the garden and whether birds are given food. Join replies with a story:
“Three monks were bathing in a river when a bird dives through and catches a fish. One of the monks said: oh poor fish, being caught so young. The second monk thinks “good for the bird”, and the third monk keeps bathing.”
The story makes total sense, as our constant judgment of good or bad things reclaims so much mental space. I try to practice this non-judgment, and it’s incredibly difficult. But I like the possibility of getting rid of the constant noise in my head.
The simple stories are the best
Bonito Living 
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