Story · Ajahn Brahm
Hypnosis made the ice bath feel warm
Content note: hypnosis
The story — as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)
put a person in a freezing cold tub of water but they convinced this guy under hypnosis that it was nice and warm, just like a warm hot bath. You like going in warm hot baths this time of year? Really nice, warm and hot is very very nice. I don't usually indulge but I remember one of the people here we went to Bhutan together. When I walked up this mountain when you came down again, all your legs were very sore because really exerting yourself. I remember just going into the bath, a good excuse at last, a monk can have a hot bath. Lovely just to relax there. But in this particular case it was ice cold water. But they convinced him it was a warm hot bath and he was having a wonderful time in the cold icy water
▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 5:48 (to 6:42)
A reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)
Hypnotised to believe it was warm, a man happily lounged in icy water on a TV show. On a freezing Perth morning, Ajahn Brahm suggests telling yourself what a lovely day it is. Cold preserves milk, he jokes, so it might add years to your life. Much of discomfort is the story we tell. Change the story.
In brief (our summary)
On a TV hypnosis show a man sat in freezing water convinced it was a warm bath and enjoyed it — illustrating how much of cold and pain is mental.
Teaching point
Much of discomfort is the story the mind adds.
When this story may help
- cold weather
- chronic discomfort
Themes
Source & credit
Told by Ajahn Brahm in How to deal with chronic pain | Ajahn Brahm | 04-07-2014 · 2014-07-06 · ▶ watch from 5:48 to 6:42 · 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