# Ajahn Chah's cure for sexual fantasies

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-chah-monk-sexual-fantasies-public-talk
- Themes: addiction, honesty, humour, monastic life
- Life situations: addiction, compulsive thoughts, denial

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A very good monk, a friend from Ajahn Brahm's early years, couldn't stop having sexual fantasies and asked Ajahn Chah how to stop. 'Very easy. Next time there's a public talk, get up and give the talk and tell them exactly what you're thinking — all your sexual fantasies in detail. People are very interested; they'll probably listen all the way through.' It was far too embarrassing; he never did it.

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

When one of the people we know very well - he's a very, very good monk, but he couldn't stop having sexual fantasies, he was addicted to sexual fantasies. So he went to see the great Ajahn Chah and he said: ‘What can I do to stop these things? I want to be a monk, I want to meditate, how can I stop my addiction to sexual fantasies?’ ‘Very easy. All you need to do is the next time there's a public talk, you get up and give the talk and tell them exactly what you're thinking. All your sexual fantasies in detail. People are very interested, they'll probably listen all the while through’. [laughter] But of course, that's far too embarrassing, he never did it.

## Teaching point

The first step with any addiction is to admit it openly.

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

A good monk asked Ajahn Chah how to stop his sexual fantasies. Easy, came the reply: describe them all at the next public talk. Too embarrassing, of course. But admitting a habit is the first step. A gentle video of someone's drunken or angry outburst, shown when they're calm, can open their eyes too.

## Source

- [Dealing with addictions | by Ajahn Brahm | 19 June 2015](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9eiGPAIyK8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 3:45 to 4:27: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9eiGPAIyK8&t=225s