In a lot of religious traditions people practice bowing. This is also true for the Zen Buddhist Way. This is a story for all those children, who ask themselves one day the question, "Why do we have to bow?"

Long time ago there was a big Mother tree. Her children grew between her large root-feet. Several little baby trees stood there and often they looked up to their Mother. They tried to grow as quickly as they could, because they liked to be as big as Mother tree. Every morning, when the sun rose, Mother tree made a deep bow. Every evening, when the sun was going to sleep, Mother tree made a deep bow. Mother tree bowed also to the wind and the rain and the earth; every morning and every evening. Of course, all the little baby trees followed their Mother tree and made their bows every morning and every evening. All.....? No, except for one baby tree. It thought to itself, "I would like to grow as quickly as I can. When I bow, I make myself smaller. From today on I will not bow anymore!" Of course Mother tree noticed this and she asked, "Why don't you bow anymore?" And baby tree answered, "I want to be a big tree. When I bow, I make myself smaller and that I do not want!" Mother tree didn't say anything, but she shook her leaves and looked concerned.

And so the little baby tree didn't bow anymore. At first, it felt very comfortable and good. It laughed about the brother and sister trees and also a bit about Mother tree, when they made their bows. But then it noticed that its roots and its branches became stiff. Its leaves began to dry, because it is difficult to absorb rain with stiff roots. It was also difficult to stand in the earth, because the roots were getting so stiff: they couldn't hold on to the earth. The sun burned on its little head leaves, and soon baby tree was not so comfortable anymore. It noticed that the other baby trees grew, but itself did not grow, and began to shrink!

One day, the sun was shining very brightly. All the trees made a deep bow to her. Baby tree felt very weak from standing stiffly and straight. That evening there was a big, big storm and much, much rain and baby tree was so stiff, that it almost broke in two. That was very painful, so it began to cry, first softly and then louder and louder. Mother tree heard her baby tree cry and she bowed over it and said, "What is the matter, my dear baby tree?" Baby tree, still crying, couldn't answer at first, then it said, "Mother, I noticed that I began to shrink and that I have become stiff. 0, I was a fool to think that I didn't have to bow to become a big tree. And now...... I am almost dead!" And baby tree began to cry again. Mother tree shook her leaves and said, "Oh no...you are not almost dead. You only have to begin with bowing again and you will feel life back in your bones."

And so baby tree bowed. It bowed and bowed, deeper than any other tree. It began to grow and it felt happy again. And it grew on further till it became a big tree. Mother tree called this baby tree "Willing to Bow", because it wanted to bow now so much. And later, because "Willing to Bow" was such a long name, the name was shortened to "Willow".

An other word for the verb 'to bow' is 'to flex'. My master Gesshin Prabhasa Dharma, Zenji once said: "Flexing makes you flexible". And this is not only true for trees...!!!

Jishin Hendriks, October 2002