Corridors and Stairs

A hermit monk that lived for a long time

alone in an outpost monastery

once sent message to his order

He had grown very old and requested

for a young disciple from the great monastery

to keep the temple duties going and to care for

the premises in an honorable way

A humble young monk was found

he wrapped up his bundle and he

took the two days walk to the lonely little hillside monastery

When he arrived the old man was sitting in meditation pose

in front of the shrine and friendly nodded

a welcome to the young monk

“Young friend” he said “so here you are...

...and for an important task indeed

Old I have grown and I am not capable anymore

of keeping this place pristine and in shape as it is supposed to be

This...will be your task now

beside the care for flowers and offerings for the shrine:

keep clean this temple with care and attention

especially... the corridors and stairways

And so the young monk did

After his morning meditation he took care of the altars

put flowers and little items of beauty onto the shrines

and sills and corners and after the morning prayers

that he repeatedly contemplated with the old monk

in front of the main shrine and after a little breakfast

that they ate in silence he started raking the yard

brushing the pathways

cleaning the halls

sweeping the floors in a meditative manner

The old monk and him did not talk that much

as the old man barely left his meditation pose anymore

but every second day after their bowl of rice and vegetables

when the young one stirred to start out for his work

he said in a clear voice:

“Please..take good care for the corridors and stairways...”

And so the quiet life in the humble monastery went on

The brave monks held their position on the outskirts of their order

praying...and meditating at this significant place

this important crossroad of life

this kind of trigger point on the ley-lines of the earth

where the monastery was build once

when these sacred things were an open book and of ancient importance

Time passed and as the young monk did his duty in a flawless way

he more and more grew puzzled

a mixture of curious and anxious about the old mans reminder

every second day

So one morning after their simple breakfast he dared to ask:

"Dear master...may I be so bold to ask after these long months

why do you still remind me and insist on the corridors and stairways

as I do my duty with good care and as you do not leave your

meditation chamber anymore to wander these places?"

The master took a long breath and said

“My dear young friend ...it is like that:

we always have to be prepared...

the stairs and corridors are metaphors

they are symbols

they connect rooms and spheres

they are the places where development and transformations happen

You...mainly clean them now...for you

soon...a time and a moment will come when you cleaned them for me

but only once:

when I will leave forever to be transformed!

Then you will climb the stairs and pass the corridors to my chamber

to the shrine and take my place as the keeper and guardian of this place

Any day the course of things might change

so the corridors and stairways shall be genuinely clean and ready

for our next step to honorably receive

the great gift of transformation”