This Saintly Man used Best SALES TECHNIQUE on Me!
“Come here”, We look back as soothing voice is calling us. A man who seemed like pandit wearing saffron clothes was calling us. No one around except us three friends, we walk hesitantly towards him. He sat on a chair with table in front of him.
There is some pamphlets lying on table with panoramic picture of temple we were in and some information below difficult to read from this distance. Big old record keeping register lies above scattered pamphlets. Tin box with slightly opened lid lies besides register. I saw similar box in my school used to keep money. Now I am sure he will ask for donation.
We stood in front of him, with me on the right. He was in his seventies, wearing a saffron-colored robe with a big tilak on his head. His hazel eyes looked at us with a smile, and his calm demeanor gave him a saintly aura. We immediately felt at ease.
“Where are you from?” he asked.
One by one, we each told him our places of origin.
“That’s great! Do you know the history of this place?” he asked.
We shook our heads no.
“Alright, let me tell you about it,” he said, and proceeded to explain the history of the temple and how it was founded.
“He said, ‘Most of the time, humans have very selfish tendencies. They say things like, “I did this, I did that, I helped you.” All of this is very egocentric and it stunts the spiritual growth of humans. Instead, say “This is done, we did this, you were helped.” This removes you from the center and helps prevent ego from developing. And it’s right because you alone cannot do everything; you need the help of others or of the divine, in some way or other.”’
We didn’t expect such profound thoughts coming our way, and in utter silence, we are standing in front of him, agreeing with everything he said.
“Do you know who wrote the Hanuman Chalisa?” he asks.
“Tulsidas,” Omkar said.
“Correct, and do you know when it was written?”
We just looked at each other. He noticed our cluelessness.
“It was written in…” he went on to tell the whole story and explain all the details.
I looked at my friends, their eyes glued to him, paying full attention. I had never seen them pay such focused attention to someone before. I wished I had such focus.
I am listening to his interesting story, but my skeptical mind keeps nagging me. I can’t help but think he’s going to ask for a donation.
He asked, “Do you know where humans spend 80% of their energy?”
“Working?” Dharmesh guessed.
“No,” he said.
“Thinking,” I said.
“You’re very close,” he said.
“Most of our energy is spent on talking”, He said, “which means our minds are in constant thinking mode. This leads to mental clutter that can make it difficult to focus when we need to. To gain a more focused mind, take some time each day to maintain silence. Your mind will automatically calm down, just like water stills itself after creating ripples”.
“Do you see that board? There’s a meditation hall near it. Go sit there and maintain silence for five minutes. If you want, you can chant the ‘Om’ mantra in your mind.” He went on explaining proper technique to chant the mantra.
The board read “Meditation center, Naukuchiyatal” in red letters.
As we enter the meditation hall, the atmosphere is filled with a profound sense of silence. A large photo of a saintly lady is prominently displayed on the stage, inspiring us to focus our minds. Rows of neatly lined white pillows are arranged on the floor to provide comfortable seating for our meditation practice.
We sat separately and meditated for 10 minutes. Omkar seemed to be in a trance and took longer to meditate than Dharmesh and I.
After leaving the meditation hall, man guided us to another temple above it, where we saw the idol of the saintly lady we had seen in a photo earlier. He told us she had maintained silence for 62 years!
After admiring the breathtaking view of the Naukuchiyatal hills, we left the temple. The guide then informed us of a “wish box” at the temple’s entrance, which we had not noticed before. Whatever wish you write and put in that box is granted.
Excitedly, we took out pen and paper and began writing our wishes. After writing my “impossibly possible” wish, we started to leave and thought to thank the guide for his help. He was talking to two other men, so we assumed he was busy and started walking towards the exit. However, he noticed us and called us back.
“So, how was your experience?” he asked, and I replied with a smile. “It was great! I talked about how refreshed I felt after meditating and how much less cluttered my mind was. The other two people in our group felt the same way, and we all looked pretty content.”
He gave us some helpful tips and anecdotes about how to improve our meditation practices and the impact it could have on our lives. We were all really receptive to what he had to say and felt grateful for the advice.
But then came the moment I had been dreading — the donation request. I knew it was coming and had been mentally preparing myself for it, but I still felt a little caught off guard.
He asked us to consider donating some money to the trust that keeps their work going, and I have to admit, I felt a much more obligated to give.
In the end, we made the donation and left feeling satisfied with our experience overall.
In his book ‘Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion’, Robert Cialdini discusses the Law of Reciprocity. I had the pleasure of reading this book many years ago and I am glad I did. Recently, I had the opportunity to witness this law being used on me and I must say, it was a powerful experience.
The Law of Reciprocity is an excellent sales technique used by seasoned professionals, and today, I was reminded just how effective it can be at breaking down our barriers.
It’s all about giving before you take. A law that everyone can use in their daily lives!
