# Jack Kornfield waited outside Elizabeth Arden

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-kornfield-elizabeth-arden-waiting
- Themes: humour, family, monastic life, America
- Life situations: awkward family visits, culture clash

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Jack Kornfield back in the US still in robes visits his sister; she is in Elizabeth Arden; he sits outside in the chairs waiting — Westerner in robes amid the beauty salon.

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

Jack Cornfield he's just wrote quite a few books but I remember him coming to visit uh Thailand once and telling us one of his stories as soon as he went back to uh America you took this robe and just uh to get a job but he went to see his sister he was still in monk's robes so he was a like a westerner in monk's robes and he says I said I I'm I'm doing a like a a beauty thing in Elizabeth Arden

## Teaching point

Even a famous teacher can look absurd waiting outside a salon in robes.

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

Freshly back from Thailand, Jack Kornfield sat in his monk's robes outside a New York Elizabeth Arden salon, waiting for his sister. Passers-by wondered what treatment he was there for. He was mortified. Ajahn Brahm loves such stories. Awkward moments are funny once you stop protecting your dignity.

## Source

- [Freedom Of Desire | Ajahn Brahm | 27 November 2020](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR0lYr9JctE) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 13:54 to 14:27: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR0lYr9JctE&t=834s