# First walk up Kingsbury Drive

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-kingsbury-drive-first-walk
- Themes: mindfulness, place, slowing-down, monastery
- Life situations: monastery, walking

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Building Bodhinyana, Brahm sends the car ahead and walks Kingsbury Drive alone for the first time after years living at the top — so slowly, turning to valley and hillside, that he barely recognises where he is; the hill looks totally different on foot.

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

I'm going to walk up the hill today alone." So, I send the car with a driver up ahead. I'm going to walk. And that kind of really shocked me. What I didn't get much exercise, I must admit, because I did walk so slowly. And every now and again, I turn to the left to see the valley, turn to the right and see the hillside. And my goodness, often I had to ask myself, "Where am I?" I could not recognize my location. And I've been living up that uh the top of that hill for about 5 or 6 years by that time. The first time I actually walked up that hill. It looked totally different

## Teaching point

The same road is a new world when you walk it without hurry.

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

After years of being driven, Ajahn Brahm walked up the monastery road slowly for the first time and barely recognised it. From a car, each new image knocks out the last before you take it in. Slow down or stop now and then, and you see far more of life. Try it on your own street.

## Source

- [Factors of Enlightenment | Ajahn Brahm | 3 July 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMrqHgqN_vQ) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 25:12 to 26:17: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMrqHgqN_vQ&t=1512s

Other tellings of this story:

- [1. Happy To Be Here - November 2011](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jybf_72fzxQ) (BSWA Retreats 2011-15 & Media) — watch from 29:22 to 31:12: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jybf_72fzxQ&t=1762s
- [Word of the Buddha (Part 3) | Ajahn Brahm | 9 February 2025](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVGb4Nn84lo) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 29:16 to 32:15: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVGb4Nn84lo&t=1756s