Being Mindful Stories

Story · Ajahn Brahm

Judy and Richard Gere in Dharamsala

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Kindness Creates Peace | Ajahn Brahm | 18 February 2022

1 min read

Content note: named private person (Judy); celebrity

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

this one lady who was one of our members years ago, Judy, and she uh went over to um to Damasala, not Damasala, Damasala, that's where the Hodness put the Dal Lama lives and just went to try and get an interview with him. Had to wait for a few days. But over there, he she would get up early in the morning and meditate. She was meditating in the room one day and then somebody came and sat next to another meditator and she made the mistake of looking who it was. It was Richard Gia. She was single. And then she didn't have to focus on looking at Richard Gear. She just couldn't stop

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 1:26:27 (to 1:27:16)

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

Meditating early one morning in Dharamsala, a single woman glanced at the newcomer beside her: Richard Gere. After that, focus took no effort at all. Ajahn Brahm laughs that beauty pulls the mind by itself. Let the breath become delightful, and you won't need to force your attention. It simply stays.

In brief (our summary)

Judy, a BSWA member, goes to Dharamsala hoping to interview the Dalai Lama. Meditating one morning she glances at who sat next to her: Richard Gere. Single, she cannot stop looking — beauty pulls the mind without effort.

Teaching point

When the meditation object becomes delightful, you don't force focus — it draws you in.

When this story may help

  • distraction in meditation
  • travel

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Kindness Creates Peace | Ajahn Brahm | 18 February 2022 · 2022-02-18 · ▶ watch from 1:26:27 to 1:27:16 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Caption notes: YouTube auto-captions with machine-added punctuation; words left exactly as captioned.

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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