2447“I used to study Zen Buddhism and at one time my teacher, my roshi, was a Catholic nun in her seventies,” says Kevin in his audio commentary.

”At one point she offered me a koan, one of these unanswerable Zen riddles that you’re supposed to work on to improve one’s practise.

”Typically a koan is: ‘What was your face before you were born?’ She gave me one that I was familiar with which was: ‘Your practice is seeing.” I had no idea what to do with that.

”So I’d go to my cushion and I’d meditate for a couple of sessions and I’d go to my roshi and she’s ask how it was going and I’d usually come up with some mystical-sounding bullshit and she would look at me expressionlessly and say: ‘Keep sitting.”

”This went on for a few months. I’d say things like: ‘I saw a pine needle today but I really say the pine needle.” She’d look at me expressionlessly and say: ‘Keep sitting.’

”This went on for a few more months and finally I came back to interview and I said: ‘I don’t understand what you want from me. I already see, it’s not something that I have to learn how to do. I’m a person who sees, I’m a being who sees.’

”And she clasped her hands together and bowed to me and said this.”

Taken in Baltimore, USA during the SOTM World Tour.