by Aranyakananda
Upon starting my current day-job back in August, just getting comfortable with the phone calls I was making, I found myself with “a case of the ums” as my supervisor put it. I said “Um” a lot. Eventually I got better. But recently, for some unknowable reason, the ums have returned.
I spoke with my wife about this, and she said that over all I do tend to say it a lot . She tried to reassure me by telling me that it just meant that I was a thinking person. I know, good try eh? I admit that I particularly notice this when I am at my Temple’s Bhagavad-Gita discussion group. Probably a little bit of insecurity with my grasp of the material.
So my wife and I discussed this, and she suggested a technique wherein any time you feel an “um” coming on, you just replace it with silent. Maybe say “um” in your head if you need to. I was familiar with this technique and said I’d try it. But maybe I appeared unconvinced. So in a moment of inspiration, I am sure, she suggested to me “Why don’t you say ‘Aum’ in your head instead of ‘um’ out loud?”
Surprisingly I had never thought of that. I thought it was brilliant. Replace a word which means literally nothing with a word which means literally everything!
Try it yourself! I tried it a bit today. If nothing else it gave me a smile.
I, off and on, find myself with the Ums too. Your wife’s first suggestion, involving silence is what works for me.
Cute post!