As part of my job covering the spirituality beat here at ABC News, I've interviewed a gaggle of self-help gurus over the years. At times, these celebrity swamis have told me some very interesting things. At other times, they've made comments that have left me aghast, agog - or just deeply confused. This video listicle compiles my six favorite examples from the latter category.

9 Surprising Meditators

Self-help is estimated to be an $11 billion a year industry. I sometimes call it "Happiness, Inc." Part of the reason I've insisted on interviewing so many of the gurus over the years is that I, too, was interested in getting a little bit happier. While I've picked up a few useful nuggets rooting around in this distinctly American subculture, mostly what I encountered was a riptide of inanity.

I did eventually find something extremely useful. Unlike what the gurus promise, however, it's not a miracle cure. There's no positive thinking, no promises of instant wealth. It's simple, scientifically tested, and completely free. And here comes a blatant, self-help guru-style plug: You can read about it in my new book, 10% Happier .