# Giving up beer at 18

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-gave-up-beer-as-student
- Themes: addiction, alcohol, freedom, youth
- Life situations: drinking, student life, quitting a habit

## Synopsis (editorial 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.

## 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.

## Teaching point

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

## 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.

## Source

- [Dealing with addictions | by Ajahn Brahm | 19 June 2015](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9eiGPAIyK8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 13:15 to 14:38: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9eiGPAIyK8&t=795s