# “A very good year for romance”

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-birthday-horoscope-romance
- Themes: humour, fortune-telling, uncertainty, gifts
- Life situations: astrology and predictions, receiving an unsuitable gift, worry about the future

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

For Ajahn Brahm's birthday, a kind, wealthy Malaysian ex-lawyer quietly asks his time of birth (about 5:30 p.m., 7 August 1951, UK) and pays one of Australia's best astrologers for a professional horoscope. He reads it aloud: the coming year “will be a very, very good year for romance.” They never get past that line — everyone, especially Ajahn Brahm, laughs their heads off. Rather than ask for the money back, he treats it as wonderful birthday entertainment.

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

I have Commissioned your horoscope from a very well known astrologer. Cost me a lot of money, but that's worth it to present this to you for your birthday present." And he read it out in public. He said, "Ajahn Brahm... for anyone who's born on 7th of August 1951 about that time.. because of the alignment of planets and stars and other stuff, that this year, the astrologer predicted. for me would be a very, very good year for Romance! (lots of laughter from Ajahn & audience) That's what my horoscope said! It never worked. I'm still a monk

## Teaching point

No one can predict the future; and even a 'wasted' gift can become a joy if you relate to it well.

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

A generous friend paid a top astrologer for Ajahn Brahm's horoscope, which promised a very good year for romance; the room collapsed laughing, and he is still a monk. No one knows the future. And a gift that misses its mark can still be a wonderful present, if you take it as entertainment.

## Source

- [Celebrating Uncertainty | Ajahn Brahm](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piY2y_XMFN0) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:54 to 2:48: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piY2y_XMFN0&t=114s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Having a Good Relationship with Life | Ajahn Brahm | 9 October 2020](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_3C-49o_78) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 35:42 to 38:13: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_3C-49o_78&t=2142s
- [Destiny, fate or free will? | Ajahn Brahm | 22-02-2015](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThfJtP9w3fI) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:47 to 3:44: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThfJtP9w3fI&t=107s
- [Investigate Your Way to Freedom | Ajahn Brahm | 19 Dec 2008](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKKGmoXR2QE) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 47:27 to 47:48: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKKGmoXR2QE&t=2847s
- [Manifestation of Consciousness and Future Predictions | Ajahn Brahm | 29 December 2017](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QqevcL9VDI) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 28:22 to 29:09: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QqevcL9VDI&t=1702s
- [Importance of Being Able to Ask Questions | Ajahn Brahm | 11 January 2019](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0lzUMdwFEs) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 22:00 to 22:45: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0lzUMdwFEs&t=1320s
- [Guided Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 9 December](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82qdpTxMmYw) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:18:30 to 1:19:49: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82qdpTxMmYw&t=4710s