# Jimmy Hendrix cured the student cold

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-jimmy-hendrix-cured-the-cold
- Themes: illness, joy, music, humour
- Life situations: feeling sick, need a lift

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

As a student with a terrible cold he puts on music he loves (Jimmy Hendrix); excitement and joy make the cold feel totally gone — happiness as medicine (COVID gag nested).

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

my cold are totally gone. It's a great way to cure COVID. Listen, [laughter] Jimmy Hendris [laughter] or whatever else you like. For me, I was so excited, so enjoyed just listening to something which I hadn't listened to for a couple of weeks

## Teaching point

Joy can outrun a cold faster than another pill.

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

As a student flattened by a cold, Ajahn Brahm put on Jimi Hendrix after weeks without music and felt so happy the symptoms seemed to vanish. He jokes about curing COVID the same way. It's not medical advice, so see a doctor too. But how we meet illness matters. Find something to enjoy, even in bed.

## Source

- [Freedom Of Desire | Ajahn Brahm | 27 November 2020](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR0lYr9JctE) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 32:36 to 33:06: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR0lYr9JctE&t=1956s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Guided Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 8 May 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji7VkwwKgCs) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 4:04 to 6:00: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji7VkwwKgCs&t=244s
- [Meditation 28-07-2012](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=To5ECGeKKiY) (DhammalokaMeditation) — watch from 1:13:14 to 1:14:08: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=To5ECGeKKiY&t=4394s