Being Mindful Stories

Story · Ajahn Brahm

Giving up beer at 18

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Dealing with addictions | by Ajahn Brahm | 19 June 2015

1 min read

Content note: alcohol; mild sexual reference

The story — as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

that's what I did, when I was a young man, I was a Buddhist and my teacher kept on telling me: ‘You shouldn't drink alcohol’. I liked my beer, I didn't like the other stuff, but beer, I used to love beer. And he said: ‘No, you can't take that anymore, you're a Buddhist, you meditate. ‘Do I really have to?’ He said: ‘yes, you do’, so I said: ‘okay I'll give it a try.’ And as soon as I tried it, just giving up beer, I felt this great sense of power inside of me. It was like I had the choice and I was exercising the choice. I could take it or leave it, I was proving to myself I could leave it. And I could go into a party and still enjoy myself and have… Actually, I found out it was more fun when I was sober. Okay, I was only 18-19 at the time. The best time at a party, when you find a nice girl, you’re in the corner, messing around… when I used to have beer and alcohol, I didn't remember that part. [laughter] And that was the best part. And when I was sober, I had much more fun. And so little things like that, ordinary things, meant you started to enjoy yourself more. Which meant, what's the point of going back to alcohol? And I was a student at the time it cost so much money, I had so much more money to use for other things.

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 13:15 (to 14:38)

A reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

As a student who loved beer, Ajahn Brahm tried giving it up and felt a surprising sense of power. Parties were more fun sober, he remembered the best bits, and he had more money. Give up a habit for a short while and you discover two things: inner strength, and more enjoyment. That keeps you from going back.

In brief (our summary)

As a young Buddhist student who loved beer, Ajahn Brahm was told by his teacher that he shouldn't drink. He tried giving it up and felt a great sense of power — he had a choice and was exercising it. He found parties were more fun sober: 'when I used to have beer... I didn't remember that part' — the best part, with a nice girl in the corner. And he had more money for other things.

Teaching point

Giving up an addiction brings empowerment and more enjoyment, which keeps you from going back.

When this story may help

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Dealing with addictions | by Ajahn Brahm | 19 June 2015 · 2015-06-22 · ▶ watch from 13:15 to 14:38 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Caption notes: Manual (volunteer) captions; occasional misspellings kept as is.

The narrative is Ajahn Brahm's own telling, quoted from the talk captions. The summary and reflection are Being Mindful Stories's editorial notes. Please credit the teacher and link the original talk. Markdown version

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