# The Australian anjali

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-kangaroo-anjali-photos
- Themes: humour, letting go, fame
- Life situations: public attention, tedious obligations

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

At an international bhikkhuni conference, fed up with endless photos with palms joined, Ajahn Brahm suggests the senior nuns — Tenzin Palmo among them — do 'the Australian form', kangaroo paws instead, and they have fun with it.

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

so with the nuns I said look I'm an Australian Monk sort of instead of doing this Anjali it's called do the Australian form eventually kangaroo so all these photographs with all his senior nuns like tanzan Palmer why not don't get fed up with doing this so have a bit of fun funny guys it's much better than you know rabbit ears

## Teaching point

Letting go of control makes room for fun and creativity — even if someone says the joke went too far.

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

Tired of posing for photo after photo with palms joined, Ajahn Brahm got senior nuns to make kangaroo paws instead. Someone probably thought it went too far, and he'd accept that. Fun needs a little freedom from the fear of getting it wrong. Where life has gone stiff and formal, try a small, harmless bit of play and see what happens.

## Source

- [Relax. Everything's out of control! | by Ajahn Brahm | 26 June 2015](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY6Q-OnMTEE) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 48:54 to 49:26: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY6Q-OnMTEE&t=2934s

Other tellings of this story:

- [How to Prioritise | Ajahn Brahm | 29 May 2020](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKL6dlx52Uc) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 30:15 to 30:44: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKL6dlx52Uc&t=1815s