# Bangkok air-con room — no sloth and torpor

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-bangkok-ac-room-no-sloth
- Themes: meditation, monastic life, thailand, sleep
- Life situations: retreat, travel

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

After sleep-deprived NE Thai forest conditions, a stay in Bangkok with decent food, sleep, no mosquitoes and an air-conditioned meditation room means no sloth and torpor at all — supporting conditions made meditation easy.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

went to Bangkok I got decent food a good night's sleep no mosquitoes and they're not in the buildings there and we managed to find an air-conditioned room to meditate in. You know what? No sloth and torpor at all. I could meditate just really easily simply because it was the supporting conditions

## Teaching point

Sometimes sleepiness is conditions, not a moral failure.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

After exhausting forest conditions, Ajahn Brahm meditated in Bangkok with good food, sleep and an air-conditioned room, and wasn't drowsy at all. Sleepiness is usually about conditions, not failure. Fighting it only swings you into restlessness. So now he never fights it. Watch the sleepiness kindly, and rest if you need to.

## Source

- [Guided Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 20 May 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s5aYVaAi2E) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 5:00 to 5:34: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s5aYVaAi2E&t=300s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Guided Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 10 November 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH0C2f5OWT4) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:16:26 to 1:17:11: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH0C2f5OWT4&t=4586s
- [7 Insight calm & kindness](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJZCnO-tNBA) (BSWA Retreats 2011-15 & Media) — watch from 23:00 to 23:42: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJZCnO-tNBA&t=1380s