Story · Ajahn Brahm
Two fingers to push up a smile
The story — as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)
Because this is what I was taught for two years by a meditation teacher when I was still a student Said when you get up in the morning, what do you do? And go to toilet great. Is there a mirror in your toilet of course there's a mirror in the toilet and my teacher? Toby I want you to look at yourself in the mirror and smile at yourself And I told my teacher get real. I'm a student. You know you look at teenagers or 20 year olds What do they look like in the morning? Really grumpy miserable me Especially they've been drinking alcohol staying up late at night like I used to do it no Stace I said sir if I looked at myself in the mirror in the morning first thing. I probably scream And he said smart yourself Impossible and that's when he told me things this great teacher simple Two fingers and push up That's what he taught me So I did that for two years Two years I followed that and every morning You got up there and looked at the mirror Impart to fingers up and this saw this stupid young man Smiling making a face in the mirror and when you when you do that. You know if I make a face. Yeah, it's working You're smarting now You do that to yourself everybody don't need anybody and then after a while you smile smile smile. I started laughing at myself I laughed at myself every morning for two years
▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 38:55 (to 40:29)
A reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)
A hungover student was told to smile at himself in the mirror each morning, using two fingers to push his mouth up if needed. Before long he was laughing at the silly face looking back. It's a small, slightly ridiculous practice, and that's its charm. Try greeting yourself kindly tomorrow before the day begins.
In brief (our summary)
As a student, his meditation teacher tells him to smile at himself in the toilet mirror every morning. Ajahn Brahm protests he'd scream at a hungover student's face; the teacher says use two fingers to push your mouth up. He does it for two years and ends up laughing at himself every morning.
Teaching point
A simple daily smile changes mood, health and how others respond to you.
When this story may help
- anxiety and depression
- dreading getting up for work
- low mood in the morning
Themes
Source & credit
Told by Ajahn Brahm in Stress - Overreaction to Life | Ajahn Brahm | 9 March 2018 · 2018-03-18 · ▶ watch from 38:55 to 40:29 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia
5 other tellings of this story
- Am I Good Enough? | Ajahn Brahm | 28 April 2017 · 2017-04-28 · ▶ watch from 41:09 to 42:47 · Buddhist Society of Western AustraliaApr 2017 telling: the bathroom mirror; student nights at the pub; told as learning to love yourself by laughing at yourself.
- Why Is It So Hard To Be Kind? | Ajahn Brahm | 05 March 2010 · 2010-04-12 · ▶ watch from 53:29 to 54:42 · Buddhist Society of Western AustraliaMarch 2010 telling: 'go to the loo'; students get up any time before midday; adds the joke about pushing up your wife's mouth.
- Making Our Own Joy | Ajahn Brahm | 04 Dec 2015 · 2015-12-06 · ▶ watch from 36:13 to 37:50 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia2015 telling: aged 19–20, sometimes hung over; two fingers to push up a smile in the toilet mirror every morning for two years; credits it for being happy and doing well at university.
- Growing from Difficult Times | Ajahn Brahm | 21 April 2023 · 2023-04-22 · ▶ watch from 10:40 to 12:27 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia2023 telling: his 'ten push-ups' at 71 are the two-finger smile in the mirror; the tip came from his first meditation teacher, a Thai, who said he wasn't smiling enough; he began as a student with hangovers.
- Relax the Mind | Ajahn Brahm | 13 June 2025 · 2025-06-13 · ▶ watch from 7:36 to 8:16 · Buddhist Society of Western AustraliaJun 2025 telling: student Peter; hungover face; two fingers push the smile up.
Caption notes: Captions are unpunctuated with many mis-hearings although TubeAlfred marks them non-auto; words left as captioned.
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