*A Monk & a Prostitute - The magic of inner self-talk*

 

*A Monk & a Prostitute - The magic of inner self-talk*

A prostitute and a monk lived in an ancient Japanese city. They had never met before. They didn't even know each other. Nonetheless, each of them was profoundly inspired by the other. Their lives were inextricably linked.

Every evening, on her way to earn a night's wage, the prostitute would pass by the Buddhist temple where this monk lived. Every evening, the young monk would sit outside in the temple garden and meditate.

As she walked through the monastery, the young prostitute would notice the monk seated in meditation and thought to herself, "What a remarkable young man. What a noble existence he leads. Such a pure existence, free of the world's problems and concerns. What a rare and fantastic find!"

These thoughts sustained the young woman and gave her strength to endure her life.

Just to know that someone was leading such a pure life gave her both hope and encouragement, even though she knew that such purity could never be her own. She always felt blessed just walking by the temple and being in the presence of such sacred energy.

Despite claiming to be in profound meditation, the monk couldn't help but notice the woman.

As the young woman strolled by the temple every evening, the monk became pre-occupied and thought to himself, "What a depraved woman she is. What chance does she have of making a living doing what she does? How low can a person go? Selling her body! Where is her dignity and self-respect?! What a squandered existence. It would be better if she died!"

*Consequences of hidden motivation...*

This inspiring story points out the consequences of our inner-motivations and self-talk. *Inner self-talk* has the power to turn a "Monk" into a "Prostitute" & a "Prostitute" into a "Monk". It isn't the outer garments that count.

In the company of the young woman, the monk lost all peace of mind, whilst the young woman experienced a peace of mind she had never imagined possible. What a turn of events! The prostitute, not the monk, was the one who tapped into true meditation power!

Where did the true power come from, despite the fact that the monk and the prostitute were major influences in each other's lives? What was the true cause of the monk's anguish and the woman's tranquilly? It was their *inner self-talk* that was at the root of the problem in each case.

In the presence of the monk, the young woman's inner monologue was pure and unselfish. In the presence of the woman, the monk's inner-talk was polluted and severely disturbed.

And each of them had to deal with the immediate implications of their self-talk. The woman grew extremely calm, whereas the monk became extremely upset. Their *self-talk* had resulted in this.

Our world's peace or suffering is determined by these inner dynamics, internal motivation and *self-talk*.

Some rise by sin and some fall by virtue.

Have a great Day!