Zen

as in

"Do you know anything about Zen?"

Variations: "Are you interested in Zen?... Have you ever read / studied / practised / been a follower of Zen? ... Or Buddhism?... Or Taoism?... Or Confucianism?... Etc etc ..."

Pause for awhile before you answer this one. Because it is not anything like as easy as it looks. If you have absolutely no idea what she is talking about (and this is a good possibility because she sounds as if she is speaking a distinctly foreign language ... “'Zen?' 'Taoism?' What kind of English is that?") your best guess may be that this relates to science fiction.

Wasn’t there a character in some great space movie - 2001 or something - called Zork? Or Zack? Or was it even Zen? But don’t go that way. Don’t say, “I haven’t heard about / seen that film.”

Of course, she could also be referring to a band or even a restaurant - they all have such odd names these days. But you’d be wrong again. She’s talking about religion, spiritual life, higher consciousness, meditation, sensitivity.

You realise that now, don’t you? You'd have guessed in another moment. She simply caught you off guard.

Although these concepts may sound equally alien. But don’t be unduly alarmed. She isn’t suggesting you renounce sex and don a monastic habit for the rest of your life. Merely testing to see if you have a softish, gentle side, at least a little appreciation for something in life besides greed, competition, games and violence.

Perhaps you don’t but you can probably rein in your instincts long enough to let her expound a few Zen virtues. You may find this confusing, her talking about “one hand clapping” and so on, but do at least appear to listen. It’s clear that she has a soft, gentle side even if you don’t and that bodes well for any relationship you may have with her, particularly sex, doesn’t it?