Walking with a Shakuhachi Priest - music thinking in action

In many episodes, we discuss the strategic bridge between the boardroom and the stage, often focusing on clear insights and structured conversations about leadership and innovation.

Today is different.

We step out of the studio and into the heat of Nara, Japan, for a "soundwalk" with Jonen, a 'shakuhachi priest' and former Komuso monk.

Jonen’s practice isn’t about silence; it’s about engagement. In this immersive field recording, we explore the Japanese concept of "reading the air" (Kuuki wo yomu) and the practice of "meditation in the midst." He demonstrates that playing the bamboo flute is not about performing for an audience, but about harmonising with the environment — regardless of what that environment contains.

In our conversation today, the soundscape is as much a guest as Jonen is. You will hear the raw, unfiltered interaction between the shakuhachi and the world around it: from the hypnotic drone of cicadas and the rhythm of cleaning crews to the jarring intrusion of election loudspeakers.

This is listening as active participation. It is an experiment in presence, adaptability, and finding contentment in the "zero state."

Show notes

• Jonen's book on Amazon: Komuso Outlaw: The Writings of an American Renegade Priest in Japan
• Conversation with my teacher: The Sound of Nature with Hélène Seiyu Codjo
• More on Japan: Sound Strategies and how things go together

And if you are listening as a leader and want the 'gist' of these insights — the strategic bridge between the boardroom and the stage — to support your own company, let’s talk. 

Whether it’s a facilitation session or acting as a sounding board for your leadership team, you can reach me directly via LinkedIn