# She flew from Bern just to say thank you

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-swiss-woman-book-cured-her
- Themes: books, healing, gratitude, mental health, cancer
- Life situations: recovering from illness, depression, wanting to thank someone

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Asked for a new foreword to Opening the Door of Your Heart, Ajahn Brahm recalls a woman from Bern who had flown to Perth only to thank him and go home. She had had cancer, anxiety and depression; doctors and psychologists had not helped; someone gave her his book and she reported full remission and a psychologist's discharge. Her dog-eared copy, signed, made her weep. He offers it as another kind of disaster relief — with the usual caveat that he believes her.

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

A woman came to Bodhinyana Monastery from Bern in Switzerland. And she came and she had no reason to lie. I believe exactly what she said. She said, "I flew all that way from Switzerland to Perth to find you. Now I found you, I'll go home. I wanted to say thank you personally. Cuz she had cancer, anxiety disorder, depression, you know, the whole works. You know, when you really get, you know, really screwed up inside. Said, "Doctors, no help. Psychologists, no help. Someone gave me your book, cured. Full remission. No anxiety anymore. Psychologist said, 'Go. You're okay.'" So, she wanted to come and thank me for that. And of course, as soon as said, "You have to remember, can you sign my book?" It was one of these dog-eared books. Not one of these books you put on the shelf. She had read this, I don't know how many times. "Can you please sign it?" When I signed it, she started weeping, crying. That is helping. That is aid. That is disaster relief in another way.

## Teaching point

Inner relief — a change of heart — can be as real a form of aid as blankets and food.

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

A woman flew from Switzerland just to thank Ajahn Brahm; she said his book had helped her through cancer, anxiety and depression. She wept as he signed her dog-eared copy. Her experience, not a medical claim. Support charities that bring food and shelter. Healing hearts is aid too.

## Source

- [Oh What A Relief! | by Ajahn Brahm | 16-05-2013](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_3cozc023Y) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 34:45 to 36:12: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_3cozc023Y&t=2085s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Transcendence | Ajahn Brahm | 30 April 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l903MO8kgY) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 28:34 to 30:47: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l903MO8kgY&t=1714s