Ajahn Brahm Podcast Facing Life's Challenges
Jun 3, 2025
Life's challenges can be both external and internal, and Ajahn Brahm urges us to examine how we face them. He discusses whether we should seek difficulties for growth and highlights the importance of genuine practice over mere displays of toughness. Personal stories, like quitting alcohol, illustrate the rewards of overcoming struggles. Brahm emphasizes the transformative power of pain, encourages better relationships, and offers insight into karma's role in shaping our choices. Ultimately, he reminds us that challenges will always be part of life.
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External Success Feels Hollow
- External measures of success (wealth, looks, status) often feel hollow and unfulfilling.
- Ajahn Brahm says inner peace and meaning are the deeper life challenge worth pursuing.
Choose Wise Challenges
- Avoid deliberately seeking foolish or extreme tests that add no real wisdom.
- Do push yourself gently to prevent stagnation and grow spiritually, balancing caution and effort.
Silly Early Monk Tests
- Ajahn Brahm recounts silly early monk tests like staying awake or mixing gross food into sludge.
- He calls those practices pointless examples of pride and wasted time.