New Year's Eve with Ajahn Brahm | 31 December 2025

0:00 Excellent. So now we're going to give a little talk and talk followed by the meditation and the meditation followed by the countdown and chanting for the new year. It's a wonderful opportunity to have so many people here and I thank the monks with me for helping out and again especially Ajahn Mudito who put a lot of energy into the Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:30 The quiz, but it's not just putting energy into the quiz, it's also some of the teachings which we told there. And of course, there are no real winners, because every one of you is a winner because you came here to help out and to serve. We've been doing this so many years now, having a quiz night to make the Buddhism fun, enjoyable, for everybody, including the children. Report an error in the passage at 0:30 Highlight the passage at 0:30

1:00 And that was Ajahn Muditā's good idea to start off the quiz night for children. Even though many of you forgot how old you are. Report an error in the passage at 1:00 Highlight the passage at 1:00

1:12 Nevertheless, it's really good fun. And sometimes people don't realize just how important it is that in Buddhism we do have a lot of fun and enjoy our time as Buddhists. I do apologize for reincarnating many old jokes each year. Many you've heard many, many times, they still get being reborn again. But I do know that when you say those funny stories, they also carry some meaning behind them. Report an error in the passage at 1:12 Highlight the passage at 1:12

1:40 And that's also one of the reasons why it's lovely that many of you have been coming here for such a long time now. You've seen many of the monks. You've seen many of the monks like me get old. You've seen many of the new monks coming up and becoming mature monks. And for me also, because I'm very happy to see even like a monk like Ajahn Muditā just really entertain you all with his performance at the quiz. Report an error in the passage at 1:40 Highlight the passage at 1:40

2:10 I think he was excellent, wasn't he? Report an error in the passage at 2:10 Highlight the passage at 2:10

2:21 Sometimes I ask people, do you need a hand? And I can't help him, but what I mean by giving a hand is... But it was also Venerable Siddhi Bhutto who wanted to come here this evening. Why did you want to come here this evening? You said for inspiration. A monk who's just a new monk but nevertheless he gets a lot of inspiration through coming to a place like this and seeing how Buddhism is being taught over here. Report an error in the passage at 2:21 Highlight the passage at 2:21

2:56 He was from United States and what inspired you to become a monk? Report an error in the passage at 2:56 Highlight the passage at 2:56

3:09 He said he didn't have a choice. Report an error in the passage at 3:09 Highlight the passage at 3:09

3:16 So can you explain? Report an error in the passage at 3:16 Highlight the passage at 3:16

3:22 Now you did tell me there's a few things. You were listening to some of the talks from here on the internet. You're going, yes. And where did you listen to those talks? How far away were you? Where were you in the world when you listened to these talks? In South Texas. It was a retreat center on this ranch that was surrounded by all these other ranches where they hunted deer. Report an error in the passage at 3:22 Highlight the passage at 3:22

3:48 And there's this little... Oasis of this Buddhist meditation center. And I was introduced to Ajahn Brahm there basically. Report an error in the passage at 3:48 Highlight the passage at 3:48

3:59 And that was kind of where the decision was made. I wouldn't say that I made the decision, but the decision was made for me to come here. And so somehow it happened. And were you single at the time or did you have a partner? Pardon me? Were you single at the time or did you have a partner? I was single at the time. Report an error in the passage at 3:59 Highlight the passage at 3:59

4:20 I thought you had somebody you really respected. Yeah, I did. That was after. And what was her reaction? Oh, probably not as excited as I was. I remember you telling me about some experience you had where she was having a great difficulty with her health. Right, right. Can you let me know about that? Yeah, so I was in a relationship with somebody before I came here to become a monk. Report an error in the passage at 4:20 Highlight the passage at 4:20

4:50 And they were having a lot of difficulties with the previous injury that they had when they were a kid, but it had come back up. They had a herniation in their back, and they needed a fusion. And so they had this operation done. And actually before the fusion, it was like this operation to help with the herniated discs. Report an error in the passage at 4:50 Highlight the passage at 4:50

5:09 And that happened, but then it kind of recurred within a couple months of that. And so they decided, well, we can either redo the surgery or we can fuse your spine. I think she was 31 at the time, so that's pretty young to get a spinal fusion, I think, anyways. And so she ended up going ahead with the surgery, but there was kind of all this time between that surgery and the surgery to come. Report an error in the passage at 5:09 Highlight the passage at 5:09

5:37 And so during that period, she was prescribed all these painkillers and all these muscle relaxers and things like that. I was doing what I could to support her. We were living together at the time with her niece. And as the surgery was approaching, you know, she would take her pain medication. She wasn't working at the time. She was basically disabled. And so then as it was getting closer and closer, kind of the intensity of the pain and the duration and things were kind of increasing. Report an error in the passage at 5:37 Highlight the passage at 5:37

6:07 And we thought, okay, well, we just have to kind of make it to the surgery. the surgery, but that was becoming more difficult for her and so one night whenever the pain was really bad I had to call the paramedics and so they came and they left and you just felt so out of sorts like you couldn't do anything to help you know that was like the one thing I wanted to do was to help but I couldn't do it and so they had left and then I I'm going into the long story here Ajahn this is not the shorter one Report an error in the passage at 6:07 Highlight the passage at 6:07

6:46 So they had left and then I said, well, what do we do if it happens again? And they said, well, just call us and we can come back again. I thought, okay, well, I didn't do any good the first time. But so I called them back again, then took her to the hospital. And this was during COVID. So they were kind of taking all the beds for COVID. And so she wasn't a COVID patient. Report an error in the passage at 6:46 Highlight the passage at 6:46

7:03 So they kind of gave her a bit of pain medication intravenously. And then they said, okay, well, time to go. So we went back home. Report an error in the passage at 7:03 Highlight the passage at 7:03

7:14 The pain was coming up again, and knowing secondhand the experiences that she went through in her life, it seemed like she had been through an enormous amount of pain, more than anything I could imagine. And so we were in this situation where the pain was coming back. She had already taken all the painkillers and muscle relaxers she could safely, basically, without threatening to cause harm. Report an error in the passage at 7:14 Highlight the passage at 7:14

7:45 Through taking more of them. And so I was sitting there at her bedside kind of thinking, well, what to do? And then the thought came up, oh, I could play an Ajahn Brahm talk. Which is the good Ajahn Brahm disciple, I guess. That's the first thing you think of. And so I play this talk about pain. And so I play the talk. Report an error in the passage at 7:45 Highlight the passage at 7:45

8:15 We got through the night and one of the things during that talk it was about Ajahn Brahm whenever he experienced that toothache and how the pain is always greater at night and so it seems to coincide with this experience. And one of the other things he says in that talk is what Ajahn Brahm said about, or sorry, Ajahn Chah, what he said about pain is, you know, there'll be a time whenever the pain is so bad that you can't go forward and you can't go backwards and you can't stay where you are. Report an error in the passage at 8:15 Highlight the passage at 8:15

8:44 So what do you do? You let go. And one of the other things that was really nice about that story was how she was very skeptical by nature just in her kind of training and her education and things. And she had said how kind of at every turn whenever he would say something she would kind of come up with an excuse to defeat kind of like what he had said but then he would respond to it like you know whenever Report an error in the passage at 8:44 Highlight the passage at 8:44

9:14 Whenever he was going through all this pain with his tooth, he would try walking meditation, but then he was doing running meditation, or he was trying chanting, but then he just realized he was just yelling. He could just never escape it. And so she was able to let go, basically, that night. And so we made it to the surgery, and she got the surgery, and she was doing better after that. Report an error in the passage at 9:14 Highlight the passage at 9:14

9:40 But then... A few months after that, she was recovering and she said, you know, oh, you remember that night that, you know, into the hospital and stuff? I said, yes, I think I do. And then she said, well, that night she had asked me, I think once we got back to the hospital, so that she went to kind of disturb me in the middle of the night for asking for any of the medications to just bring them by her nightstand. Report an error in the passage at 9:40 Highlight the passage at 9:40

10:06 And so I did that, trying to be a dutiful carer and partner. And she said, well, that night when I asked you to do that, I was planning on taking all of them to kill myself because the pain was so bad. Report an error in the passage at 10:06 Highlight the passage at 10:06

10:23 And, of course, I didn't know that at the time. I just thought I was trying to, I thought I was helping. And so, yeah, that talk was very powerful and it helped her so much. And so I know a lot of people have had that experience, you know, with these talks and how helpful they are. Report an error in the passage at 10:23 Highlight the passage at 10:23

10:44 [chanting]

10:50 Thank you for sharing that because those sorts of things are really important. You know, for me, you asked me to give a talk and I always try my best. But I'm also very amazed myself how powerful this dharma is, especially the meditation which is behind it. I'm not sure if you've been looking at my face, but this evening I've been very exhausted again. Report an error in the passage at 10:50 Highlight the passage at 10:50

11:16 I only just came back from Penang yesterday morning at 2 a.m. So I'm still, you know, another late night. But I don't mind doing that. The reason is because I have a lot of confidence. Just when you ever do good things, whenever you are kind and caring, you never ever, ever lose out. I always find a source of energy. Report an error in the passage at 11:16 Highlight the passage at 11:16

11:42 Which I can, even all these years, I can't really understand how powerful it is. And how easy it is whenever you're doing something good and helpful for others. Look around today and see all the people here today. And the hundreds of you. We're trying our best. And maybe I didn't contribute as much as I normally would. Report an error in the passage at 11:42 Highlight the passage at 11:42

12:01 But there's always somebody else like an Ajahn Muditā who comes along and makes it so much fun. I enjoyed that today, Ajahn Muditā. The quiz night. So again, thank you all for coming here and joining in, showing your support of the monks here. And it's wonderful you're going to be here tomorrow for actually when we do the New Year celebration. It's not just an evening beforehand. Report an error in the passage at 12:01 Highlight the passage at 12:01

12:31 We've been doing this for so many years now to make sure that you have some place to go on a Christmas. And that's where... Those of you who were here on the 25th could actually enjoy Ajahn Muditā's Christmas party. I don't know, we're not in competition with Santa Claus, but I think if we were, I think Santa Claus would have a lot to worry about. Report an error in the passage at 12:31 Highlight the passage at 12:31

12:58 Nevertheless, we try to do some giving and with our, the monks doing that giving for you, we encourage you to give to one another as well, to make a sense of community. And one part of that community, which I always think is important, to make sure your kids are felt welcome here. I see many of the kids that they're really so comfortable here, they go fast asleep and they're welcome. Report an error in the passage at 12:58 Highlight the passage at 12:58

13:30 Don't wake your sister up, she needs to sleep. And also is to see they become welcome in our Buddhist Society. And the monks are like their friends. Sometimes I don't know what to call the monks and what relation they have to your kids. But hopefully we can be trustworthy friends, like a godfather. But then that doesn't make sense. That word, you know, has psychological problems. But it's good actually to see your kids here. And it's good that your kids see the monks so they can grow up together and it can be a service to them later on. Report an error in the passage at 13:30 Highlight the passage at 13:30

14:10 It's like another member of your family, I'm talking about the monks here, you can always call on to help make sure your kid doesn't play so many video games. Report an error in the passage at 14:10 Highlight the passage at 14:10

14:24 It's not just teaching. school, but doesn't think they are trusted as well. A lot of times I get called on to get kids out of a jam. And of course, you do have contacts to be able to do that. It's not just teaching People about how to deal with pain in life but it's also how to deal with sometimes you don't and not very successful and things like school and stuff. Report an error in the passage at 14:24 Highlight the passage at 14:24

14:49 Please don't ever worry about that because there's a lot of kids who do so well in life. One of the things about being a monk for such a long time that I've seen so many kids who are kind of hopeless. There's one kid I think about right now. He was such a naughty boy. He was in Singapore. If he ever hears this tape, you know who I'm talking about. And I was kind of almost like a shock when I went to Singapore and asked how he was going. Report an error in the passage at 14:49 Highlight the passage at 14:49

15:22 And his mum told me, I was in Oxford now, doing a PhD on law. Him? Are we talking about the same kid? Yeah. So it's amazing just, you know, how, Being naughty when he was young, he really got his act together and was such an intelligent, successful, wonderful young man. And I kind of love that. How you've seen that so many times. You know, a young person, a young man, a young girl you think, you know, is problematical. And they totally, totally just surprise you by becoming wonderful kids you can be so proud of, actually super proud of. Report an error in the passage at 15:22 Highlight the passage at 15:22

16:09 Look at me. You know, I was doing well at school. What happened to me? I gave it all up. I became a monk. But I think a pretty successful monk. And one of the successes is not just by giving nice talks or getting awards and stuff. One of the things I really like is to see the effect on each one of you here. Report an error in the passage at 16:09 Highlight the passage at 16:09

16:37 One of the great parts of our society here, I'm very proud of, pleased of and kind of surprised of, is the people who come here. This place started off as a Thai monastery. Is it a Thai monastery now? It's a Buddhist monastery, an Australian Buddhist monastery. So we have great ties with Thailand. Even to the point that I'm still a Chow Kun. Chow Kun is one of the awards which was given, this one was given by the King of Thailand, King Rama the 9th. Report an error in the passage at 16:37 Highlight the passage at 16:37

17:19 That's very prestigious. But please I'll let you know that once I was awarded that title of Chow Kun, my full name, Chow Kun Pratwisudi Sangwaratera. Did you know that? Of course you don't. Report an error in the passage at 17:19 Highlight the passage at 17:19

17:38 Put it on a notice board anywhere. But what it did do, apparently, only apparently, you're supposed to get a pension from the government of Thailand. For years and years and years and years and years and years and years and years and years. I don't know what happened to that pension. I don't really mind at all. Report an error in the passage at 17:38 Highlight the passage at 17:38

18:01 Because you're not supposed to do things for money. It's the same that one year. I had a wonderful opportunity to actually go to a state dinner in Parliament House in Canberra with Her Majesty the Queen. You know the Queen of what? The Queen of Australia, who just happens to be the same as the Queen of England. Report an error in the passage at 18:01 Highlight the passage at 18:01

18:36 I told this story a lot because I found it very funny. As soon as I got the invitation, I had a look at it, prepared not to go. It was a long way and I traveled too much. But then I thought I had a good excuse. If you go to a state dinner, you know, in Parliament House in Canberra, there's something which you have to fulfill. Report an error in the passage at 18:36 Highlight the passage at 18:36

19:05 Dress code. Report an error in the passage at 19:05 Highlight the passage at 19:05

19:10 I don't have to fit a dress code over here. As the monks know that sometimes my robe is almost falling off, but over the hair you had no choice, you had to go for a dress code. And I looked, there's three options on the dress code. The first option on the dress code to go to a state dinner with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles, the first option was black tie. Report an error in the passage at 19:10 Highlight the passage at 19:10

19:41 I think I've told many of you, I hadn't... Not got a clue what that means. So I had to ask people who know much more than I do about this, is that all you wear in a state dinner? Because that's all they said, just a black tie. Report an error in the passage at 19:41 Highlight the passage at 19:41

20:03 They did explain it meant like a black tie, a suit, a white shirt, trousers. And honestly, we don't have anything like that in Bodhinyana Monastery. So I thought, okay, no need to go. But there were two more choices. The second choice was military uniform. We don't have military uniform in Bodhinyana Monastery. Report an error in the passage at 20:03 Highlight the passage at 20:03

20:30 And number two, I'm a pacifist. I can't wear military uniform. So I thought, definitely not going. Then I looked at the third option. And the third option, I thought, wow, I can go. The third option, long dress. And Report an error in the passage at 20:30 Highlight the passage at 20:30

20:56 honestly, that... That's what I said when I got stopped by security when I got to the entrance of Parliament House over in Canberra. He said, are you invited? And I said, yeah, I had my invitation there. And I said, look, sir, long dress. I'll get in. You know, it helps to have a sense of humor because then other people can enjoy listening to you and accepting your excuse. Report an error in the passage at 20:56 Highlight the passage at 20:56

21:30 Another time, you know that I give lots of talks overseas, I went to a, I'll say more about this, I should say first of all, the state dinner. Report an error in the passage at 21:30 Highlight the passage at 21:30

21:41 Many of you know, dinner. I'm not allowed to eat any dinner. Never do. So you know what I did? I was going to refuse everything, but just go there and just talk to people. But I was so surprised. It was a three-course dinner. And I saw the menus. I can't eat any of that in the evening. I've got my monastic rules. Report an error in the passage at 21:41 Highlight the passage at 21:41

22:08 But you know the first course they served to me? Cheese. And the second course they served to me? Another type of cheese. And I must admit that was some of the best cheese I've ever eaten. I mean, it was prepared for Her Majesty the Queen. So, of course, it was really high quality. And the last course, have a guess what the last course was of my three course meal. No, no, no tea, tea is what you drink, what you eat. Report an error in the passage at 22:08 Highlight the passage at 22:08

22:45 That's right, dark chocolate. I haven't got a clue where they found that out, that I could eat cheese and cheese and chocolate. But that's what I had with dinner with the Queen. Report an error in the passage at 22:45 Highlight the passage at 22:45

23:01 I was really happy that they did their research. So that was really good fun. But I also remember on that occasion, it was, Part of the 2019 or 20 Melbourne Commonwealth Games. And so there was a lot of invitations there. And I went there. They always have these invitations to state dinners and a meeting with the Queen. Ajahn Brahm and partner. Report an error in the passage at 23:01 Highlight the passage at 23:01

23:35 They do make some mistakes. So you know who I took as my partner? Ajahn Sujato. Report an error in the passage at 23:35 Highlight the passage at 23:35

23:47 You've seen him before. So I only had a few days to actually sort this out. So I called him over in Sydney and I said, I need your help. He said, I'm really busy. I said, to meet the queen. I never realized he was such a royalist. He said, really, the queen? Is it another one of your jokes? No, this is true. So he came along. And I'm glad he came along because... Report an error in the passage at 23:47 Highlight the passage at 23:47

24:19 If ever you go to any of these functions, sometimes obviously the Queen and maybe Prince Philip, they were the two main attractions. But there was also someone else there as well. And when I saw him being by himself, no one was taking any notice of him. And I thought, you've got to be kind, I'm a monk. So I said to Lhaja, I said, let's go and talk to this gentleman. And we talked to him. Report an error in the passage at 24:19 Highlight the passage at 24:19

24:49 And he had very little hair, it was getting very thin. And so, I'm Ajahn Brahm, you know me, so I couldn't help but telling a joke. And I said, if you lose any more of your hair, I'll invite you to become a monk with me and my friend. Report an error in the passage at 24:49 Highlight the passage at 24:49

25:09 And the best part of that story was after we'd finished talking with this gentleman, Ajahn Sujato asked, who was that? He said, that was Prince Edward. Not Prince Andrew, wouldn't talk to him. Report an error in the passage at 25:09 Highlight the passage at 25:09

25:34 And he said to me, you can't talk making jokes to a prince. Well, I did and you did too, so they're going to have to arrest us. Report an error in the passage at 25:34 Highlight the passage at 25:34

25:46 So I like that because so often people don't talk to each other in a sense of like humanity, not in hierarchy. In a sense of kindness and just telling a silly joke. Just like when I went to give a... I give so many talks and every now and again you get these really interesting talks you can give. And this particular talk was in a human rights conference, a human resources conference over in London. Report an error in the passage at 25:46 Highlight the passage at 25:46

26:20 And the organizers were going to pay... Business class airfare and hotel fees just to go and give a talk at the Docklands in London at a new conference center on human rights, only for about half an hour, 45 minutes. Report an error in the passage at 26:20 Highlight the passage at 26:20

26:45 And I thought, okay, if you're willing, then why not? But then what I found out... Just about half an hour before I was going to give my presentation at this conference on the Buddhist idea of human resources and how we should look after each other and care for one another as an important part of human resources. Report an error in the passage at 26:45 Highlight the passage at 26:45

27:08 They said it was two people. They said they knew you were trying to get in the conference center for free. I said, who are they? So I went to go and have a look. And those... Two people trying to get in to my lecture for free was my brother and my niece. I said, what are you trying to get in for free? Report an error in the passage at 27:08 Highlight the passage at 27:08

27:34 You know, you work as a banker and you've got a job as well, niece. And they said, do you know how much they're charging? Just for one hour lecture, it was £90. £90 for one hour. Report an error in the passage at 27:34 Highlight the passage at 27:34

27:56 How much have you paid this evening to listen to me? Report an error in the passage at 27:56 Highlight the passage at 27:56

28:02 Now I know my market rate. I think I need to demand more from the BSWA. Is that a good idea? No, of course not. So I told, this is my brother and niece, they want to come and see me, so they came in to see me. And that was really good fun. But the talk was good, they enjoyed that, so much so, that as soon as I got back to Perth, I came back here. I got a letter from the National Health Service in UK. Report an error in the passage at 28:02 Highlight the passage at 28:02

28:40 All funded by the government. In the National Health Service, they said, we were at that conference. We liked your presentation. We want to invite you back to England to give... A presentation at our national conference being held in Birmingham in about a week's time. The national conference of the British National Health Service. Report an error in the passage at 28:40 Highlight the passage at 28:40

29:09 So I wrote back to them. I say, I'm really surprised at you. You should be ashamed of yourself. You of all people, the British National Health Service, should know how... Bad for your health it is to do too much international travel without any rest and I've just been to London and I just got back again and you want me to return once more? Report an error in the passage at 29:09 Highlight the passage at 29:09

29:36 No, of course not. And they really liked that refusal. They said they had that letter on the desk of all their senior people so they could never do that again. Report an error in the passage at 29:36 Highlight the passage at 29:36

29:49 Sometimes I enjoy being a bit cheeky but one of the best. One of the best conferences I ever went to, that was over in, I think you all know this story, over in South Korea. Report an error in the passage at 29:49 Highlight the passage at 29:49

30:06 Again, I got this invitation. Business class tickets, five-star hotel, all for half an hour work. That's all. It was at a, they wanted me to give The keynote address, not an ordinary part of the conference, the keynote address, which sets the whole mood of the conference for the World Computer Society. Report an error in the passage at 30:06 Highlight the passage at 30:06

30:45 So when I went there, I told all the monks, and you know this, Ajahn Muditā, we've been trying to tweak this questionnaire for the quiz this evening. He did most of the work. Report an error in the passage at 30:45 Highlight the passage at 30:45

31:01 Because he knows much more about computers than I'll ever know. And it was at the World Computer Conference. Because I didn't know anything about computers, not much at that time anyway, I thought, yeah, let's go. Report an error in the passage at 31:01 Highlight the passage at 31:01

31:15 And a lot of people there, they had all these incredibly intelligent people flying in, you know, from, I know one person I talked to a lot, he was the head of the EU. Cyber Security Division, some big professor, and he said to me, I've never heard about you before. Report an error in the passage at 31:15 Highlight the passage at 31:15

31:43 I'm glad he did, otherwise I'd be in trouble. European head of security for the European Union. But nevertheless, I made a lot of interesting contacts. Report an error in the passage at 31:43 Highlight the passage at 31:43

31:54 And a lot of people asked the same question of me. What are you doing here? Report an error in the passage at 31:54 Highlight the passage at 31:54

32:04 Why am I giving a keynote address at this prestigious conference in South Korea? And that's when I told them. I think I've mentioned this story somewhere recently. But do you know why they really enjoyed having a person who knows very little about computing come into their conference? Report an error in the passage at 32:04 Highlight the passage at 32:04

32:29 It was because there's something we call innovation. Innovation is... Again, like thinking outside the box. That's one of the reasons that I love giving advice and getting advice from people in different fields. Report an error in the passage at 32:29 Highlight the passage at 32:29

32:50 There is one person which I often, one type of person, one worker I always like asking questions of and that's the funeral workers. Report an error in the passage at 32:50 Highlight the passage at 32:50

33:02 There's this lady I remember talking to because If ever you go to a funeral service here in Australia, you always see the priest or the person conducting the funeral and the funeral manager, one of the workers, they walk in front and all the relations, they walk behind. So I have like a while to have a nice chat to all these funeral workers. And this lady, she said, she was the head of one of Bhau and Odia's offices here in Perth. Report an error in the passage at 33:02 Highlight the passage at 33:02

33:38 And I liked her honesty. I said, sometimes do you work alone in the office at night? She said, yes. Do you see any ghosts at night? She said, all the time. What do you see? Report an error in the passage at 33:38 Highlight the passage at 33:38

34:00 She said, sometimes she's in the office in the back doing some paperwork. And also she has to check on all the coffins they have there in cold storage. Report an error in the passage at 34:00 Highlight the passage at 34:00

34:14 And she said she was at the office once, and she's not once, many times she says this happens, and she sees one of the people who had died in cold storage walking past her office, a real ghost, the whole thing. Is it honest? She said, yeah, yeah, many times. What do you do? And she said, what she says, she shouts at that ghost, get back in your box. Report an error in the passage at 34:14 Highlight the passage at 34:14

34:51 Honestly, that's what she kept saying. I tell the ghost to go back in your box, stop messing around, I'm busy. So anyway, when it goes to all those little... I love telling those stories because I get it from the source and I ask her many times to make sure I trust her that she's telling the truth. I asked her once, what's the scariest? Report an error in the passage at 34:51 Highlight the passage at 34:51

35:15 Shall I tell the scariest story? What's the scariest story? She told me something I never really knew. In the funeral industry here in Australia, you know when the coffin goes in the hearse and the hearse goes to the crematorium or to the graveyard, that every time before the hearse leaves their quarters and when it comes back, they employ one person to clean. Report an error in the passage at 35:15 Highlight the passage at 35:15

35:54 The hearse, inside and outside, everything. So it's absolutely perfect for the next customer. And she said one day, she was in the funeral home at the time, the cleaner, once the hearse had come back from a previous funeral, had to clean it 100 % inside, outside, and they cleaned it on the inside and were starting to clean it on the outside. Report an error in the passage at 35:54 Highlight the passage at 35:54

36:26 I noticed something really, really weird. The windows inside started to mist up. It started to mist up and there was no air con on inside or anything causing this mist until the windows inside were misted all over. Report an error in the passage at 36:26 Highlight the passage at 36:26

36:48 Not on the outside, but just on the inside. And then she saw a handprint appear on that windscreen. It's pretty freaky. Something inside was trying to get out. Report an error in the passage at 36:48 Highlight the passage at 36:48

37:11 So what happened next? There was nothing, just the mist disappeared and everything was okay. I love stories like that. If anybody's writing books, or doing TV shows or something, or doing advertising, you can do advertising like that. It makes a lot of sense. Does it? Report an error in the passage at 37:11 Highlight the passage at 37:11

37:38 Yeah, advertising for don't clean your windows with ordinary cleaner, otherwise that might happen. Do a proper cleaning job inside so you don't get the handprints. Report an error in the passage at 37:38 Highlight the passage at 37:38

37:50 Anyway, so I love telling the stories like that. How tired are you? When I tell stories like that, no one ever falls asleep except the kids. Why? You're afraid of ghosts. No, the ghosts can never harm you. But anyhow, nevertheless, it's our new year now and I want to do a bit of meditation because I've been sitting here talking, doing all sorts of... Report an error in the passage at 37:50 Highlight the passage at 37:50

38:20 Do I look tired now? How come? Have I scared myself? Report an error in the passage at 38:20 Highlight the passage at 38:20

38:30 Sometimes, because I know how my body works, if you really put energy into what you're doing, you feel energy growing up in you. So right now I'll be perfectly awake until the midnight and at the midnight, When the midnight actually comes, then I will just be able to look at the clock and then, don't do a countdown, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, having talked about time in other realms, we'll say, welcome to 2026, and then we'll do the mettā chant for you. Report an error in the passage at 38:30 Highlight the passage at 38:30

39:05 It's a great way of starting this year. I'm not quite sure what you've got planned for this year, but I know that... Many of the monks here, Ajahn Brahmali, Ajahn Buddhita, so many of our monks, we travel the world. Is it good we travel the world? Report an error in the passage at 39:05 Highlight the passage at 39:05

39:26 Some say yes, some say no. Because some of you first saw me when I traveled the world. We've got many people here from Indonesia. You're here because I first saw you in Medan or other places in the world. How many of you have seen me in Sri Lanka? How many of you have seen me in Thailand, in Singapore, in Malaysia, in UK? One of the next places I'm going to, I saw the couple earlier, is going to be Poland. Report an error in the passage at 39:26 Highlight the passage at 39:26

39:59 There are two Polish people over there. No, no. Have you gone to bed now? They're getting old. They're probably jet-lagged as well. Report an error in the passage at 39:59 Highlight the passage at 39:59

40:10 Sorry? Okay, yeah. And also Burmese. So many times you've come here over so many years. You have other temples. You always come here on this day. You're always really, really, really, really, really, really, really welcome. And of course from New York. No, sorry, Texas. From the ranches. Real Texas. It's a real American. Is that true? John Wayne territory. Is that correct? Report an error in the passage at 40:10 Highlight the passage at 40:10

40:47 No, probably not. But anyway, so nice to see you all here. And from every other country and land you've come from, welcome here. Of course, New Zealand and Greece. Report an error in the passage at 40:47 Highlight the passage at 40:47

41:02 Where else? Australia. Oh, that's it. I always miss out Australia. I don't know why. But anyhow, it's nice to see you all. And it's nice that this brings so many people together on a New Year's Eve. It's a wonderful tradition. So thank you all for coming here. I'm now going to start some meditation for, it's only 20 minutes. It won't seem that long. Only about maybe 15 minutes long. Report an error in the passage at 41:02 Highlight the passage at 41:02

41:30 That's all it seems. I'm from Vietnam. I don't know if I've told you or made that announcement. My next trip overseas, where's it going to be? Report an error in the passage at 41:30 Highlight the passage at 41:30

41:49 Where? Report an error in the passage at 41:49 Highlight the passage at 41:49

41:53 Vietnam, yeah. On the 27th of January. Ho Chi Minh. Report an error in the passage at 41:53 Highlight the passage at 41:53

42:06 So as long as I survive the new year, I'll be in Vietnam next year. Is that good? How many were nodding their head, come from Vietnam? Report an error in the passage at 42:06 Highlight the passage at 42:06

42:18 Okay, anyway, so I kind of enjoy seeing so many different parts of the world where you're really, really, really, really respected. So let's do some meditation now, as best you possibly can. So, oh, the lights are already dimming down. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 42:18 Highlight the passage at 42:18

42:37 So please close your eyes. If you want to leave the eyes open, that's fine too. Report an error in the passage at 42:37 Highlight the passage at 42:37

42:46 And with the eyes closed or half open, it doesn't make much difference. There's nothing much to see. Then we can start, first of all, being kind to ourselves. Report an error in the passage at 42:46 Highlight the passage at 42:46

43:00 Now I'm paying attention to my body. Ever since I came in here, I've been sitting here, haven't gone out. My body's kind of used to that. Report an error in the passage at 43:00 Highlight the passage at 43:00

43:11 It knows how to behave as well. Well taught by Ajahn Chah. As long as he was giving a talk he just, he shouldn't move or go out. He gave talk for hours sometimes. I hated it at the time but it really got my body well suited to being a monk, sitting for long periods of time. Report an error in the passage at 43:11 Highlight the passage at 43:11

43:43 One of the first things I kind of manufacture at first, I create this sense of being happy, I'm in this little community, in this temple which we built such a long time ago, really trying to do my best. Report an error in the passage at 43:43 Highlight the passage at 43:43

44:07 And if ever I fail or make a mistake, I never hide it. I make sure that I do what an Ajahn Chah would do, which is make fun, enjoying no matter what I have to do. And Report an error in the passage at 44:07 Highlight the passage at 44:07

44:28 I feel my whole body. Report an error in the passage at 44:28 Highlight the passage at 44:28

44:33 This is my 75th year in this body, 51st year as a monk, actually 52nd, and I kind of have this gratitude towards my own body. Thank you for lasting so long. Report an error in the passage at 44:33 Highlight the passage at 44:33

44:59 And that feeling of gratitude is one of those positive emotions which kind of dispels all negativity, all fault finding. Report an error in the passage at 44:59 Highlight the passage at 44:59

45:15 With two Polish people who were here earlier, they said one of the most important stories which they associated with me was the two bad bricks in the wall, not focusing on their mistakes, which are always going to be there, but on the 998 beautiful bricks, which I hadn't noticed. Report an error in the passage at 45:15 Highlight the passage at 45:15

45:40 So right now, even though some parts of my body are sore, nevertheless I look at all of the parts of the body, Which are really behaving incredibly well. My voice, my head, my back. Report an error in the passage at 45:40 Highlight the passage at 45:40

46:01 I've got sore knees, but they're not that bad. And the rest of my legs. It's a pretty good, good enough body to meditate here with you until midnight. Report an error in the passage at 46:01 Highlight the passage at 46:01

46:24 When I feel that gratitude and respect and being happy that my body is It gives me a sense of joy, literally. And that joy keeps me happy. Report an error in the passage at 46:24 Highlight the passage at 46:24

46:48 And in that joy I realize that what a wonderful way this is to finish off the year of 2025. Report an error in the passage at 46:48 Highlight the passage at 46:48

47:04 Any logical monk who followed their doctor would not be allowed to stay up so late. But I've always been rebellious. I always feel I should know my body better than any doctor. I know my body can handle this with ease. I Report an error in the passage at 47:04 Highlight the passage at 47:04

47:33 make ease in my body. I never fight against pain. I never make a battle with it. I make friends with it. I Report an error in the passage at 47:33 Highlight the passage at 47:33

47:55 learn how to make peace with everything which I find. It should be better. It means I don't go to war. Report an error in the passage at 47:55 Highlight the passage at 47:55

48:09 I don't have arguments. It never feels correct. Report an error in the passage at 48:09 Highlight the passage at 48:09

48:23 So I'm just observing, being mindful, aware of how my body feels, aware of the energy that I feel coming from each one of you. Report an error in the passage at 48:23 Highlight the passage at 48:23

48:41 I realize even though I'm a senior monk, I'm responsible for many of those buildings, including this one here. This hall here was designed by this monk called Ajahn Brahm, and Report an error in the passage at 48:41 Highlight the passage at 48:41

48:59 I never thought after so many years there'd be so many amazing laymen and laywomen from so many parts of the world sitting here. And here am I, sitting between two wonderful Buddhist friends. One from Finland, the other one from Texas. That brings me joy. And it's the joy, it's the happiness, which overcomes any discomfort. Report an error in the passage at 48:59 Highlight the passage at 48:59

49:39 There's Report an error in the passage at 49:39 Highlight the passage at 49:39

49:44 about ten minutes to go. So I'm going to start being quiet. About Report an error in the passage at 49:44 Highlight the passage at 49:44

· · · silence, 8 minutes

57:33 three minutes to go. One Report an error in the passage at 57:33 Highlight the passage at 57:33

· · · silence, 1 minute

58:51 minute. Report an error in the passage at 58:51 Highlight the passage at 58:51

· · · silence, 1 minute

59:58 Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One and a half. Report an error in the passage at 59:58 Highlight the passage at 59:58

1:00:13 Happy New Year everybody. Happy New Year. Please don't give greetings yet, we'll give the chanting first. And please join in if you wish, the Mettā Sūtra in English. This is what should be done by one who is skilled in goodness and who knows the path of peace. Let them be able and upright, straightforward and gentle in speech, humble and not conceited, contented and easily satisfied, not busy with duties Report an error in the passage at 1:00:13 Highlight the passage at 1:00:13

1:01:11 Satsang with Mooji Satsang with Mooji in nature let them not do the slightest thing That the wise would later improve, wishing in gladness and in safety, may all beings be happy, whatever living beings there may be, whether they are weak or strong. Omitting none the great or the mighty, medium, short or small, the seen and the unseen, those living near and far away, those born and to be born. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:11 Highlight the passage at 1:01:11

1:02:31 May all beings be happy. Let none deceive another or despise any being in any state. Let none through anger or ill will wish harm upon another. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:31 Highlight the passage at 1:02:31

1:02:58 Even as a mother protects with her life her child, her only child, so with a boundless heart should one cherish all living beings radiating kindness kindness over the entire world. Copyright © 2020 Mooji Media Ltd. All Rights Reserved. No part of this recording may be reproduced Seated or lying down, freed from drowsiness, one should sustain this recollection. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:58 Highlight the passage at 1:02:58

1:04:03 This is said to be the sublime abiding by not holding to false views. The pure-hearted one, Having clarity of vision, being free from all sense desires, is now born again into this world. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:03 Highlight the passage at 1:04:03

1:04:40 Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu. Happy 2026. Yes, yeah. Happy New Year to you all. Okay, so now to say Happy New Year to one another and we'll see you next time. See you next Report an error in the passage at 1:04:40 Highlight the passage at 1:04:40