# Three thousand Singapore executives heard the gaps

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-singapore-3000-space-between-words
- Themes: meditation, silence, busyness, Singapore
- Life situations: busy mind, first meditation, corporate stress

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

In a Singapore hall of about 3,000 busy executives who said they could not meditate, he asked them to notice the gaps between his words — and in those spaces nothing was happening. For many it was their first taste of silence and peace. He adds: peace is shy; name her and she runs away.

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

First time I did this was in Singapore in a big hall about 3,000 people and people said, "Oh, we can't meditate. We got too busy minds. Always these are executives, business people. I mean, it's very tough in Singapore to get by and to make a dollar and to keep the dollar and whatever else they're trying to find and keep. So, we can't meditate. It's waste of time. Oo. Oh, [laughter] there's another thing which there's always noise around or is there? Can you hear the space between the noises? That's amazing. After a while, you find that so delightful. And that's actually in this little exercise I did for these Singaporeans, 3,000 of them. Simple. Just ask them to please be aware when I'm speaking. You always, you know, listen to what I say, but also there's a reaction to what I say. Sometimes I say something stupid. Oh yeah, I've heard that one before. Oh yeah, that's not very smart. Oh, I don't agree with that. You have a reaction in your mind. But now, what is the reaction in your mind as I'm speaking now? Because you'll start to notice many gaps between my words. In those spaces, what was happening inside? Nothing was happening. And it felt so peaceful. It felt profound. And that was the first time many of those 3,000 they were business people. First time they experienced some silence, stillness, peace. There it was again. So simple, isn't it? Now see if you can remain still for half an hour. If you notice it beauty and his joy, his good qualities is so easy to stay there. You don't need to give it a name. You don't need to try and capture it. Peace is very shy. If you mention her name, she runs away

## Teaching point

Stillness is already there between the noises; you don't have to manufacture it.

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

Three thousand busy executives in Singapore said they couldn't meditate, so Ajahn Brahm asked them to notice the gaps between his words. In those spaces, nothing was happening, and many tasted peace for the first time. Don't chase stillness or name it. Try an afternoon of truly doing nothing.

## Source

- [A Talk About Nothing | Ajahn Brahm | 16 July 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u40j_OlBL2U) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 33:07 to 36:38: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u40j_OlBL2U&t=1987s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Guided Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 14 January 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2Jdee1LDrw) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 15:39 to 16:46: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2Jdee1LDrw&t=939s