Wax On/Wax Off #2: The Easiest Way Ever to Fatten Up Your Awesome Cells

Since we haven’t seen Mr. Miyagi in awhile, I thought I’d invite him back for our Wax On/Wax Off Series. Here he is pictured with his disciple, Daniel-san, he of the Rising Sun Headband.

Wax On/Wax Off is a series of posts (and by series I mean once every, oh, three months or so) about practical, even worldly, applications to things I learned during my years in a Hindu monastery, or ashram. As you might recall, last time, we learned about Parenting the Mind.

Of course, I am aware that Mr. Miyagi was not a Vedic guru but a fictional Buddhist Karate Master. However, he was so very cute that we will overlook this and proceed with the lesson anyway. Agreed?

Very well. Let’s begin.

:::

If you have any interest whatsoever in fattening up your Awesome Cells, there’s a secret to it that’s so easy, it’s amazing. In fact, I run the risk of sounding like one of those Get Rich Quick ads (“Make Money Watching TV!”) or crazy Weight Loss Systems (“Lose 20 Pounds in One Weekend Eating Nothing But Cookies!”) because it’s so effortless, it seems kind of magical.  It’s this:

ASSOCIATION.

We develop the qualities of the company we keep.

• Want to develop your sense of humor? Hang around with someone funny; you will become funnier just to keep up.
• Want to develop your intelligence? Hang around with someone just a little smarter than you are (and ask questions if you need to); you will get smarter. I promise. Can’t find anyone? “Associate” with an author who challenges you.
• Want to lose weight? Hang around with someone whose lifestyle supports physical fitness. You don’t even need to go running with them or eat meals with them. Just spend time together. Your values will gradually change. And then your habits. And then…you get the idea.
• Want to shake your lethargy? Hang around with people who are focused and energized. Some of their energy will rub off on you. Ditto depression: Hang out with the happy.
• Want to become Self-realized in this lifetime? Hang around with genuine saints (Yes, they do exist.). Render service. You will experience realizations beyond your wildest imagination.

Of course, the opposite is also true: Hang out with haters, complainers or self-loathers for any length of time and your sense of hopefulness will be extinguished.

It is the rare person who is not influenced by his or her association. That person is Guru (which means, “heavy” in Sanskrit) and cannot be moved by material influences.

For the rest of us,

we will become like the people with whom we surround ourselves.

So choose carefully.

Aim high.

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