# George's lungs cleared

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-george-lung-cancer-vanished
- Themes: cancer, healing, meditation, hope
- Life situations: terminal cancer diagnosis, refusing treatment

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A heavy smoker, George, is shown X-rays with cancer throughout both lungs; his Armadale doctor offers treatment that might add a couple of months. After talking with his wife he declines and lets nature take its course. At the next routine X-ray the oncologist sits shaking his head — not because it's worse: in a week or two the cancers have disappeared. 'George, what have you been doing?' 'Meditating.' 'Very good. Carry on.'

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

stage four lung cancer, should be dead, came along, now he comes every year. Every year, another year of life, another donation to my monastery, "thank you very much Ajahn Brahm", still keeps coming back again, should be dead. There

## Teaching point

If the mind can create a blister, why can't it reduce a tumour? (his view)

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

A man with advanced lung cancer, Ajahn Brahm says, chose meditation, and later scans surprised his doctor. Another, with a sinus tumour, joined a retreat just in case. These are his anecdotes, not proof or medical advice, so follow your doctors. What they show is a mind that keeps hoping and practising.

## Source

- [Hope | Ajahn Brahm | 8 April 2016](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6OXWEWAeNE) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 38:55 to 39:21: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6OXWEWAeNE&t=2335s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Our Mind and Our Health | Ajahn Brahm | 7 July 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irCk-DJXisM) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 15:30 to 18:10: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irCk-DJXisM&t=930s
- [Transcending Negativity of Our World | Ajahn Brahm | 12 April 2019](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8WL9MQss2o) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 56:33 to 57:53: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8WL9MQss2o&t=3393s
- [The Mind and Brain | Ajahn Brahm | 1st April 2022](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6ZTU-gQPAc) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 48:59 to 50:51: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6ZTU-gQPAc&t=2939s
- [The Benefits of Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 13 December 2019](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5LJL6bgKO0) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 57:51 to 59:16: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5LJL6bgKO0&t=3471s
- [Joy and Power of Peace | Ajahn Brahm | 13 February 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaYAEgABL2M) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 34:43 to 36:39: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaYAEgABL2M&t=2083s