# 'Look out, behind you!'

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Analogy
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-movie-look-out-behind-you
- Themes: detachment, anger, fear, letting go, humour
- Life situations: emotional overwhelm, anger management

## Synopsis (editorial 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.

## 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.

## Teaching point

Detach a little from negative emotions by watching them like a film; then you can choose to let go.

## 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.

## Source

- [On the Other Side of Anger | by Ajahn Brahm | 31-05-2013](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7fm_Es5THY) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 27:14 to 29:46: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7fm_Es5THY&t=1634s

Other tellings of this story:

- [How To Deal With Confusion | Ajahn Brahm | 19-12-2014](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lln7FHZv6VQ) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 33:12 to 36:57: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lln7FHZv6VQ&t=1992s
- [Understanding Mindfulness | Ajahn Brahm | 31-01-2014](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwCfjVxsZXA) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 9:33 to 10:02: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwCfjVxsZXA&t=573s
- [Guided Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 7 December 2019](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdLHPJDYsoQ) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 3:02 to 6:37: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdLHPJDYsoQ&t=182s
- [Guided Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 12 May 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31SCOa3_vAM) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 13:14 to 13:40: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31SCOa3_vAM&t=794s
- [12 Insight Into the Path](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO3bq37SIGY) (BSWA Retreats 2011-15 & Media) — watch from 23:29 to 24:08: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO3bq37SIGY&t=1409s