# The tight bud before it blossoms

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Analogy
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-flower-bud-before-blossom
- Themes: analogy, growth, patience, nature
- Life situations: hard times before change, retreat

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

First year in Perth someone tells him: watch a flower bud — petals press tight inside the protective sheath until catharsis, then it blooms gorgeous. Unpleasant pressure precedes beauty.

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

flower, somebody told me the first year I came here to to Perth. So many years ago, 36, 37 years ago now. They said, "Have you ever seen a flower just before it bursts into you know, the blossom, whatever it's called, bursts into flower? It's like a little bud. And if you can watch that bud, it gets you know, in the sheath. It gets so tight. As within that sheath which is supposed to be protecting it, all the little petals, the beautiful fragrant petals inside are growing and growing and growing. And the pressure is building up. In that sense, it must be very unpleasant for that time. But then there comes the point of catharsis and of change and the flower blooms. And it's gorgeous

## Teaching point

The sheath that protects can also squeeze until the bloom breaks through.

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

Someone showed Ajahn Brahm a flower bud: inside its tight sheath, petals grow and press until the bud bursts into bloom. That pressure must feel uncomfortable. Our worries and disappointments can be like that, the squeeze before insight and kindness open. When life isn't going to plan, wait. A blossom may be coming.

## Source

- [You're Good Enough | Ajahn Brahm | 3 July 2020](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMfUOTq2iwI) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 8:25 to 9:23: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMfUOTq2iwI&t=505s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Everybody Can Grow | Ajahn Brahm | 8 April 2020](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4b5FbcpP2s) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 5:03 to 5:56: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4b5FbcpP2s&t=303s