Being Mindful Stories

Story · Ajahn Brahm

Half an hour in a locked fire exit

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Success Without Stress | by Ajahn Brahm | 24 February 2012

1 min read

The story — as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

I remember going to Singapore once Friday night here; I think and overnight fight to Singapore as soon as you land, off to teaching and that particular time they had this concert on. matinee concert, one in the afternoon, what I was doing was just playing myself in this Buddhist type play. After play myself in the morning they went out for Supper, pre-dinner after lunch, I don't know what they called it, but they ate at any time in Singapore, like most of Asia, I don't know what they call it Lunch, Dinner they just eat, that's all it is. Any way they went off to eat and of course being a monk you couldn't have any dinner. I was so wasted, so tired, I know, there was another performance coming on in a half an hour, I had to fun everybody, entertain them and say something wise, or smart, that's why you come up here, so I can say something wise and smart and otherwise you think you come and wasted your Friday night. So, every Friday night, the pressure is on I'v got to say something smart, wise, so you could actually say ahh..it's worth coming anyway, there the pressure was on and I was totally exhausted. So, that's exactly what I did I found a quiet place, it was actually a locked exit, so no one can go through, and I just sat down there and meditated, let go of the past, let go of the future and you could feel the tiredness in your body and in your brain and just rest with them, don't do anything, make peace with them, be kind to it, and the energy starts coming back again. So, in the afternoon when I came out of the half an hour meditation, I could perform to a very high standard.

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 24:29 (to 26:20)

A reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

Exhausted after an overnight flight, teaching and a matinee, with another show half an hour away, Ajahn Brahm hid in a locked fire exit and simply rested with the tiredness. He came out able to perform at his best. Pushing on while drained is poor strategy. A short, kind pause usually returns more than it costs.

In brief (our summary)

Arriving in Singapore after an overnight flight and straight into teaching, then playing himself in a Buddhist play's matinee, Ajahn Brahm is exhausted with another performance half an hour away. While the others eat, he sits in a locked exit, lets go of past and future, rests with the tiredness — and comes out able to perform at a very high standard.

Teaching point

When tired, take a short rest; pushing through tiredness is inefficient.

When this story may help

  • exhaustion at work
  • performing under pressure
  • jet lag

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Success Without Stress | by Ajahn Brahm | 24 February 2012 · 2012-03-01 · ▶ watch from 24:29 to 26:20 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

3 other tellings of this story

Caption notes: Volunteer transcript: contains editorial annotations such as '(audience laughs)' and occasional misspellings ('bugler', 'tample'); 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

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