# One toe in the pool

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Analogy
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-child-learns-to-swim-toe-first
- Themes: fear, change, courage, freedom
- Life situations: leaving a comfort zone, new beginnings, letting go of grief

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Simile: a four- or five-year-old who has only just learned to walk is taken to a pool for the first time. Mummy lets it dip one toe and take it out, then a foot, then a leg, still holding it — and finally lets it in. Once it's splashing about, it's very hard to get the child out again: too much fun. So with any new freedom — letting go of grief, a new career, meditation — take it gently, stage by stage.

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

just like the story of the kid being taken, maybe four or five year old kid taken to the swimming pool to learn how to swim for the first time. Imagine what it must feel like be a child. You've just learned to walk, you know, be able to stand up and run without falling over. And now you have to to somehow understand and cope with this stuff which is not solid water, the whole pool of it. It's okay jumping in a puddle and making everybody wet but just a whole pool. So how do you get a kid to do that? So the mommy just lets it put one toe in first of all. Take it out. That feels okay. A whole foot. Take it out. Let's say it's only a foot. A leg. then dip it in and then take it out again. Mommy's still holding it. And then eventually you let the kid go into the pool. And once the kid's in the pool splashing about enjoying itself, it's very hard to get the kid out of the pool again. It's too much fun.

## Teaching point

Fear of the new is overcome gently, little by little; then freedom becomes fun.

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

A small child meets the pool one toe at a time, then a foot, then a leg, with Mum holding on, and soon can't be coaxed out. New freedoms are like that: a career, meditation, life after grief. Fear softens bit by bit. Take it in small steps, keep someone's hand nearby, and enjoy the splash when it comes.

## Source

- [Being Afraid | Ajahn Brahm | 16 March 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYHTHj4PGPU) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 35:53 to 36:59: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYHTHj4PGPU&t=2153s