# Between Cambridge exams he meditated instead of revising

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-cambridge-exams-meditate-not-revise
- Themes: exams, meditation, Cambridge, letting go
- Life situations: exam stress, over-preparing

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

During six-day Cambridge natural-sciences finals (3 hours morning and afternoon), after astrophysics of the galaxy he skipped lunch, meditated, let go of worrying about the past paper and of futile last-minute revision, and rested the brain for the afternoon.

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

after the first exam on something simple like astrophysics of the galaxy, that was one of the subjects honestly. After 3 hours just like maths, just like sums, that's what it was. After 3 hours of that, then I went back to my I didn't have any lunch. I was a student at the time actually very different than you see today. I was really thin and I had lots and lots and lots and lots of hair. My hairstyle of that time was what we used to call the donut look. It was really bushy hair all over the top. And where the hair stopped, that's where the beard began. And so I remember my grandmother used to say, "We can hardly see you. Is that you in there?" But it certainly kept my my my head warm without needing any beanie or something. So anyway, so I went back to my room after astrophysics of the galaxy and I never had any lunch. Ate in the morning and evening. Instead of having lunch, I decided to meditate. It surprised me how well it works. You sit down, close your eyes, you've just done an exam which is supposed to define your life. You pass and then you sort of, you know, you get a degree, you don't pass, and then you're stupid. I wish I'd have known I was going to become a monk. Honestly, I would have even tried, but I never knew that at the time. So anyway, so I tried my best but what I did was after uh sitting down, closing my eyes, the first thing I thought about was the past. How did I do? Did I answer the questions correctly? You do an exam. You worried about, you know, it's important for you. So you worry about was that the right answer? Did I do it correctly? But by that time I knew I couldn't change anything now. The exam papers were in finished. So I because I'd been a meditator, you could let go of the past. It gave you no assistance to actually worry about the past, where you came from, what had happened. And the next thing when I let that go, the next thing which came up, afternoon exam. Oh my goodness. Should I do some more revision? Should I look at the books again? And I said, "No, cuz this is just from uh from experience. Even at that age, the more you worry about the future and try and predict it, whatever you look at never ever comes up in the paper. Never. Not once." And I realize the best way of preparing for the future is not studying but relaxing. That's why any of you ever do important exams. Please relax before those exams. Relax to the max. Your brain needs to rest so it re-energizes so it can actually see those answers. So that's what I did. Let go of the future. Because as I say here every week when I'm here, the future is made right now

## Teaching point

Before a high-stakes test, deep rest beats anxious cramming.

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

Between gruelling Cambridge finals, young Ajahn Brahm skipped lunch and last-minute cramming to meditate instead. He let go of the morning's paper and simply rested his brain. Facing a big test? Relax to the max. The future is made by how you meet this moment, not by worrying about it.

## Source

- [Relax the Mind | Ajahn Brahm | 13 June 2025](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_HZAqnmAYM) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 43:58 to 47:45: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_HZAqnmAYM&t=2638s