Tonight, during yoga class, my instructor Diane told us a version of this story. It truly had a message about "letting go" which is so hard for many of us. I wanted to see where this story came from, so went to Google. Apparently, the story of Two Monks and a Woman is a very well known Zen story. So here goes:
Two monks were making a pilgrimage to venerate the relics of a great Saint. During the course of their journey, they came to a river where they met a beautiful young woman -- an apparently worldly creature, dressed in expensive finery and with her hair done up in the latest fashion. She was afraid of the current and afraid of ruining her lovely clothing, so asked the brothers if they might carry her across the river.
The younger and more exacting of the brothers was offended at the very idea and turned away with an attitude of disgust. The older brother didn't hesitate, and quickly picked the woman up on his shoulders, carried her across the river, and set her down on the other side. She thanked him and went on her way, and the brother waded back through the waters.
The monks resumed their walk, the older one in perfect equanimity and enjoying the beautiful countryside, while the younger one grew more and more brooding and distracted, so much so that he could keep his silence no longer and suddenly burst out, "Brother, we are taught to avoid contact with women, and there you were, not just touching a woman, but carrying her on your shoulders!"
The older monk looked at the younger with a loving, pitiful smile and said, "Brother, I set her down on the other side of the river; you are still carrying her."
Hot yoga has become my favorite workout. A cleanse of body and mind, each instructor has their way of making a class unique. Whether it be the order of poses and flows, music or not (I always prefer music), some practice with the class while others demonstrate poses, they may start and end class with one, three or no Ohms, a story or message -- each class and instructor are special. No two are ever alike.
Kind of like the two monks.
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