# The sandflies weren't in the brochure

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-new-zealand-sandflies
- Themes: craving, expectations, travel, humour
- Life situations: longing to travel, disappointment

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Invited to teach in New Zealand, Ajahn Brahm gets a brochure of Alpine mountains and placid lakes — just the kind of place a monk loves. But in the South Island he can't stand still for a minute: sandflies everywhere. The glossy pictures couldn't show the sandflies.

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

I remember to seeing a cuz I was invited to give some talks in New Zealand and so I got a brocher on New Zealand the most beautiful countryside there and know his mountains you know like the lakes with his like the Alps with his beautiful Placid lakes and there wonderful scenery there and I thought wow that is the sort of place a monk likes to go to mountains lakes beautiful Forest but when I went there I couldn't stand still for one minute sandflies for those who've been to New Zealand you know what I'm talking about and the South Island sandflies everywhere and so it was very tranquil on the pictures but the glossy u crossy pictures in the magazine they couldn't show you the sandflies

## Teaching point

What we crave rarely delivers what we expect; ask why you want something and what it will really give you.

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

The brochure showed tranquil lakes and mountains; in the South Island, Ajahn Brahm couldn't stand still for the sandflies. The glossy pictures never show them. When you crave something, ask why and what it will really give you. Often the best place to be happy is right where you are.

## Source

- [Wanting For Nothing | by Ajahn Brahm | 02-10-2012](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JXoSyx-G-Q) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 3:51 to 4:48: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JXoSyx-G-Q&t=231s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Guided Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 6 May 2017](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T71xrN1O-CQ) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 10:11 to 10:40: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T71xrN1O-CQ&t=611s