# She sat on the stone stairs when thunder came

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-blitz-survivor-thunderstorm-stairs
- Themes: trauma, war, acceptance
- Life situations: PTSD triggers, family elders

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A London Blitz survivor, years later, stops whatever she is doing at every thunderstorm and sits on the stone stairs — the safest place she was taught as a young woman. After the storm she rejoins the company.

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

Every time there was a thunderstorm over that part of London and the lightning bmed and cracked, it would bring back the memories of that episode during the Second World War. And whatever she was doing, she would stop and go and sit on the stairs. It was a second story flat she was living in. She would sit there because she was taught as a young woman that was the safest place in the house in wooden houses. The stairs were made of uh mostly um stone. They were tougher. So that's where she would sit. And after the thunderstorm had passed, she come back and join us. That was her way of dealing with it. It may not be the standard way but that was the way which worked for her

## Teaching point

What works for one person's trauma may not be the textbook way — honour what actually helps.

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

A woman who lived through the London Blitz would stop whatever she was doing during thunderstorms and sit on the stone stairs, the safest spot she'd been taught. When it passed, she rejoined everyone. It wasn't the textbook way, but it worked for her. Respect how others cope with their pain, and find your own way through yours.

## Source

- [Living in Harmony | Ajahn Brahm | 24 November 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y_FbeKnV4U) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 16:22 to 17:16: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y_FbeKnV4U&t=982s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Practical Buddhist Principles | Ajahn Brahm | 12 April 2024](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3JFSOG6DzY) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 28:30 to 29:27: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3JFSOG6DzY&t=1710s
- [Guided Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 14 April 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PfVnsmfGkU) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:04:57 to 1:05:20: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PfVnsmfGkU&t=3897s
- [Appreciation | Ajahn Brahm | 29 November 2024](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaBYSDBj37E) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:06:00 to 1:06:17: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaBYSDBj37E&t=3960s