Swami Beyondananda on optimism
[email protected]
Beyondanews -- December, 2002
Choosing the Optimystic Path in a Pessimystic World
Dear Friends:
The Swami has said there are two kinds of mystics in the
world, the optimystics and the pessimystics. Although pessimystics
seem to be more in touch with "reality," optimystics are happier and
live longer. It's the pessimystics who've been crying, "The sky is
falling, the sky is falling!" The optimystics simply smile and say,
"No. It only looks that way because we are ascending."
Of course, for those people who read the news -- not to
mention those unfortunate enough to be in the news -- this has not
been an easy year to offer an optimystic reframe to loads of
pessimystic evidence.
There's an old saying, "It always seems darkest before it gets really
dark," but we optimystics don't buy it. Call me a hopeless "hopium"
addict, but I say it can't hurt to look on the bright side.
Sure, you can say we human beings have moved further down
the path of self-destruction ... or you could say the earth is
ridding itself of its most virulent parasite. You can deplore the
increased war, disease and starvation, or you can go, "Hey,
population control without birth control or abortion!" You can worry
over America's turn toward totalitarianism or you can say, "Ah,
simplicity! We've boiled the Bill of Rights down to just one: You
have the right to remain silent."
Seriously, we do have a choice. One of my favorite stories
recently is about a Native American grandfather talking to his young
grandson. He tells the boy he has two wolves inside of him
struggling with each other. The first is the wolf of peace, love and
kindness. The other wolf is fear, greed and hatred. "Which wolf will
win, grandfather?" asks the young boy.
"Whichever one I feed," is the reply.
Every day -- every moment -- we have the choice to feed the
wolf of love or the wolf of fear. If war is a necessary evil, that
makes it all the more important to express peace as a necessary good.
Whatever love, kindness, laughter, or generosity we create in our
immediate vicinity radiates outward like a "perfect Ponzi scheme"
where everyone wins and nobody loses.
The wolf I have chosen to feed is the wolf of healing
laughter and conscious comedy. I am happy to say that I have
"combined farces" with producer Michael Mears ("The WiseZenHeimers")
to form the Laughmore Society, a membership organization designed to
encourage laughter as a tool for healing and awakening. We will have
our first "Wake Up Laughing" event in January (see attached flyer) at
Unity in Marin in Novato, California with the Swami and fellow comic
Richard Stockton (author of "Fondle the Fear" and master of the
reframe). At this event, for the first time, Swami will be
delivering his annual State of the Universe Address in front of a
live audience.
If you want tickets so you can be there in person and register
your personal laughter on the laugh track, just click on appearances
for details -- and you can buy your tickets online. This event will
be recorded so you can enjoy it post-humorously, and maybe even
webcast. Watch the January newsletter for more details.
http://www.wakeuplaughing.com/cgi-bin/thatsanorder_LE
How to Spread More Good Cheer This Season
If you're looking for a way to help the Swami's mission to
bring good cheerfulness, here is how you can "feed two birds with one
scone." First of all, Swami is making it even easier to give the gift
of laughter this season, and goodness knows, we need it!
* For every $35 special (Duck Soup book, Beyondananda and Beyond
cassette, Drive Your Karma, Curb Your Dogma CD) sold between now and
December 25th, the Swami will throw in a free book, tape or CD -- your
choice.
* Just click on the order page, and the field that says "where
did you hear about our site" just specify book, tape or CD. For the
same price, you can now have an extra stocking stuffer. Or, keep it
yourself to enjoy. As the old saying goes, the laugh you save may be
your own.
http://www.wakeuplaughing.com/cgi-bin/thatsanorder_LE
And for those who are more ambitious, you can join with
Swami's "matching funs" program and set up your own "Duck Soup
kitchen" by giving Duck Soup books to those who could most use a
laugh this holiday season.
* For $100 (includes shipping), we'll send you 15 books (5 free
books) for you to distribute wherever you like -- hospitals, nursing
homes, hospice, women's and homeless shelters.
* Or, tell us the kinds of places you'd like them donated, and
we'll distribute them for you locally.
* For $275 (includes UPS shipping), we'll ship you a box of 62
books (you're getting 35 books for free!) to distribute yourself (or
tell us where you want the box shipped).
* Just respond to this email or call Swami's toll free line at
(800) SWAMI-BE and say "duck soup," and leave any pertinent
information.
And finally, for this holiday season when things get hectic,
when family patterns erupt, or when an overdose of holiday "cheer"
has gotten you down, get quiet, take a deep breath and remember
Swami's holiday song, "There's No Place Like OM For the Holidays."
Till next year, may you wake up laughing .. and leave
laughter in your wake.
May the FARCE be with you,
Steve Bhaerman
http://www.wakeuplaughing.com
How would you like to talk to the Swami? Well now you can on
our Community Forums! Please visit http://www.wake
uplaughing.com/forums and take part in the conversation, or start
your own!
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[email protected]
Choosing the Optimystic Path in a Pessimystic World
Dear Friends:
The Swami has said there are two kinds of mystics in the
world, the optimystics and the pessimystics. Although pessimystics
seem to be more in touch with "reality," optimystics are happier and
live longer. It's the pessimystics who've been crying, "The sky is
falling, the sky is falling!" The optimystics simply smile and say,
"No. It only looks that way because we are ascending."
Of course, for those people who read the news -- not to
mention those unfortunate enough to be in the news -- this has not
been an easy year to offer an optimystic reframe to loads of
pessimystic evidence.
There's an old saying, "It always seems darkest before it gets really
dark," but we optimystics don't buy it. Call me a hopeless "hopium"
addict, but I say it can't hurt to look on the bright side.
Sure, you can say we human beings have moved further down
the path of self-destruction ... or you could say the earth is
ridding itself of its most virulent parasite. You can deplore the
increased war, disease and starvation, or you can go, "Hey,
population control without birth control or abortion!" You can worry
over America's turn toward totalitarianism or you can say, "Ah,
simplicity! We've boiled the Bill of Rights down to just one: You
have the right to remain silent."
Seriously, we do have a choice. One of my favorite stories
recently is about a Native American grandfather talking to his young
grandson. He tells the boy he has two wolves inside of him
struggling with each other. The first is the wolf of peace, love and
kindness. The other wolf is fear, greed and hatred. "Which wolf will
win, grandfather?" asks the young boy.
"Whichever one I feed," is the reply.
Every day -- every moment -- we have the choice to feed the
wolf of love or the wolf of fear. If war is a necessary evil, that
makes it all the more important to express peace as a necessary good.
Whatever love, kindness, laughter, or generosity we create in our
immediate vicinity radiates outward like a "perfect Ponzi scheme"
where everyone wins and nobody loses.
The wolf I have chosen to feed is the wolf of healing
laughter and conscious comedy. I am happy to say that I have
"combined farces" with producer Michael Mears ("The WiseZenHeimers")
to form the Laughmore Society, a membership organization designed to
encourage laughter as a tool for healing and awakening. We will have
our first "Wake Up Laughing" event in January (see attached flyer) at
Unity in Marin in Novato, California with the Swami and fellow comic
Richard Stockton (author of "Fondle the Fear" and master of the
reframe). At this event, for the first time, Swami will be
delivering his annual State of the Universe Address in front of a
live audience.
If you want tickets so you can be there in person and register
your personal laughter on the laugh track, just click on appearances
for details -- and you can buy your tickets online. This event will
be recorded so you can enjoy it post-humorously, and maybe even
webcast. Watch the January newsletter for more details.
http://www.wakeuplaughing.com/cgi-bin/thatsanorder_LE
How to Spread More Good Cheer This Season
If you're looking for a way to help the Swami's mission to
bring good cheerfulness, here is how you can "feed two birds with one
scone." First of all, Swami is making it even easier to give the gift
of laughter this season, and goodness knows, we need it!
* For every $35 special (Duck Soup book, Beyondananda and Beyond
cassette, Drive Your Karma, Curb Your Dogma CD) sold between now and
December 25th, the Swami will throw in a free book, tape or CD -- your
choice.
* Just click on the order page, and the field that says "where
did you hear about our site" just specify book, tape or CD. For the
same price, you can now have an extra stocking stuffer. Or, keep it
yourself to enjoy. As the old saying goes, the laugh you save may be
your own.
http://www.wakeuplaughing.com/cgi-bin/thatsanorder_LE
And for those who are more ambitious, you can join with
Swami's "matching funs" program and set up your own "Duck Soup
kitchen" by giving Duck Soup books to those who could most use a
laugh this holiday season.
* For $100 (includes shipping), we'll send you 15 books (5 free
books) for you to distribute wherever you like -- hospitals, nursing
homes, hospice, women's and homeless shelters.
* Or, tell us the kinds of places you'd like them donated, and
we'll distribute them for you locally.
* For $275 (includes UPS shipping), we'll ship you a box of 62
books (you're getting 35 books for free!) to distribute yourself (or
tell us where you want the box shipped).
* Just respond to this email or call Swami's toll free line at
(800) SWAMI-BE and say "duck soup," and leave any pertinent
information.
And finally, for this holiday season when things get hectic,
when family patterns erupt, or when an overdose of holiday "cheer"
has gotten you down, get quiet, take a deep breath and remember
Swami's holiday song, "There's No Place Like OM For the Holidays."
Till next year, may you wake up laughing .. and leave
laughter in your wake.
May the FARCE be with you,
Steve Bhaerman
http://www.wakeuplaughing.com
How would you like to talk to the Swami? Well now you can on
our Community Forums! Please visit http://www.wake
uplaughing.com/forums and take part in the conversation, or start
your own!
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[email protected]