Analogy · Ajahn Brahm
'Look out, behind you!'
The story — as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)
Sometimes I like to use the simile of watching a movie. There is a long time since I watched a movie in a movie theatre. Because monks aren't allowed to do that anymore nor allowed to go to cinema. But I remember to going to those cinemas, in the past, and siting in the theatre and watching this big screen. And I was amazed, just how people get so involved in what's going on that screen. So involved, there may be some horror movies, some monster is creping out, usually this beautiful girl an about do terrible things to her. And so often, actually beautiful boys don't get it, it's always the beautiful girls, is it still the same these days? Very sexist, but anyway. The monster, is usually a male, is creping out on the girl and there is always was somebody in the audience in the theatre, which shout out: Look out, behind you! How stupid that was, it was a movie. These weren't real people on the Screen. If you think that's stupid, now this weekend, maybe your husband is watching the football on the TV. And they say: "Kick the ball, stupid"! Look, your home, in the house. The football match may be in Subiaco over, they won't be able to hear you. But you can see, how we got involved, in just what's going on in a movie theatre. We like to get upset, we like to get emotionally connected to the movie. We get angry, we get afraid, we get emotionally tied up, we start crying. That is where we get emotionally tied to life. It's ok if you really want to get involved in some of the positive emotions in life. But please the negative emotions in life, fear and anger, see if you can look at what you are going through, just like a movie. You're sitting on the seat and the movie is out here somewhere. And that way is much easier to separate yourself, the observer of life, not to get involved and thereby you don't have to carry on with your anger. Just a movie being played at. It's just a drama, happening in your life.
▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 27:14 (to 29:46)
A reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)
Somebody in the cinema always shouts 'Look out, behind you!', and fans yell advice at the television that no player can hear. We love getting involved. When anger or fear takes the screen, try watching from your seat instead. It's a drama, it will end, and from there you can choose whether to engage or let go.
In brief (our summary)
Simile from his pre-monk cinema days: in a horror film someone in the audience always shouts 'Look out, behind you!' at a monster on the screen — or a husband shouts 'Kick the ball, stupid!' at the TV football. We love getting involved. Watch your fear and anger like a movie from your seat: it's just a drama, and it will end.
Teaching point
Detach a little from negative emotions by watching them like a film; then you can choose to let go.
When this story may help
- emotional overwhelm
- anger management
Themes
- detachment
- anger
- fear
- letting go
- humour
Source & credit
Told by Ajahn Brahm in On the Other Side of Anger | by Ajahn Brahm | 31-05-2013 · 2013-06-01 · ▶ watch from 27:14 to 29:46 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia
2 other tellings of this story
- How To Deal With Confusion | Ajahn Brahm | 19-12-2014 · 2014-12-22 · ▶ watch from 33:12 to 36:57 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia2014 telling: husbands shouting at TV cricket and football replays; as a kid at the film 'Tarantula' someone shouts 'look out behind you'; sit back and remember you're on the sofa.
- Understanding Mindfulness | Ajahn Brahm | 31-01-2014 · 2014-02-03 · ▶ watch from 9:33 to 10:02 · Buddhist Society of Western AustraliaJan 2014 telling: audience shouts at the screen; vampire/zombie cannot hear you across decades and oceans.
Caption notes: Manual (volunteer) captions; occasional misspellings kept as is.
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