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Ask the Swami
by Swami
Beyondananda
Dear Swami:
It's about my teenage son. For
many years, I have followed your
advice and given him regular "esteem
baths" where I told him how
terrific he was. When he was younger, he
used to soak these compliments
up. But lately, he's been saying things
like, "Aw, mom, cut it out!" or
even leaving the room. I'm a little
worried that peer pressure is
causing him to think less of himself. Do
you think there is any cause
for concern?
Bess K. Sennario,
Worcester, Massachusetts
Dear Bess:
His behavior sounds pretty normal to me.
Sometimes when you fill a
child with too much esteem, this can create a
lot of pressure. Unless
this pressure is released, your child can
become so full of himself that
his head actually gets bigger! So I
wouldn't worry. He was just
releasing some of the pressure by blowing off
some esteem.
* * * *
Dear Swami:
I've been studying spiritual tracts for years,
and have long been an
expert on theology and metaphysics.
However, I recently became stuck and haven't been able to get unstuck.
Right in the middle of my
reading, my mind just suddenly stopped and it
hasn't wanted to go on.
Now I have no idea what's true anymore.
I am totally stressed out, and
I'm hoping you'll be able to help.
Hugh Briss,
New York, New York
Dear Hugh:
Sounds to me like you have a serious case of
truth decay, and it's
stopped you dead in your tracts. You
need to begin using mental floss
to dislodge all of the excess flossophy that
has gotten stuck in your
head. You know, when people come to me
with problems like yours, the
first thing I do is check their flossing
habits. It's dollars to
doughnuts they've never used mental floss.
Why is it that the easiest
things are the ones we most often neglect?
How difficult can it be to
take a few moments every day, hold your thumb
and forefinger on either
side of your ears, and move them back and
forth gently? Whenever
stress, confusion or irregularhilarity is
starting to get the best of
you, I recommend that you stop and floss.
Stuck in traffic? Take those
hands off the steering wheel (no need to hold
the wheel when the vehicle
isn't moving) and floss. Trapped in a
social setting with an assaholic
or a whino? There is no law that says
you can't whip the floss out on
the spot and clear your thoughts. If
your dysFUNsional company asks
what you are doing, you can truthfully tell
them you are preventing them
from getting a bucket of ice water poured on
their head.
But don't take my word for it. The
American Transcendental Association
tells us that mental floss is the easiest way
to prevent truth loss and malconclusion. That gentle
back-and-forth motion goes deep beneath the
hairline to dislodge all of the crusty old
flossophy that keeps us from
hearing the laugh track. I guarantee it.
Try this simple exercise for
a week or two, and instead of being at wit's
end, you'll be back at
wit's beginning.
* * * *
Dear Swami:
I've been following your antics for years, and
I've always been
impressed with how you've been able to make a
living purveying your
wisdom and selling your books and tapes.
I know you live on a beautiful
ranch, stay in nice places, eat at
great restaurants, and I've
been curious about your secret. Is there
any advice you can give me to
help me create more prosperity and increase my
sales?
Feivel Getchutenne,
Scottsdale, Arizona
Dear Feivel:
The Swami has been on the sell-a-bit path for
many years, and I do
indeed have a secret that has helped me sell a
bit more. So here is the
secret of vastly increased sales: TAKE
CHARGE! Yes, it is true. When
I just took cash and checks, my sales were
paltry. But ever since I
made the decision to take charge as well,
sales have quadrupled.
* * * *
Copyright 2000 by Steve Bhaerman. All rights reserved.
Read also:
"Who
Is Swami Beyondananda?"
and
more
articles from the Swami
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