A STORYA few weeks back I was a bit frustrated at the lack of Hispanicinvolvement in ART of Living in Miami, especially when in SouthFlorida the Hispanic population is so prevalent. Some efforts toprocure spaces for courses had run into snags and it seemed as thoughthings would not move. I had run out of logic and decided to walk infaith. "Today", I said to the universe, "please manifest a locationfor the Spanish Courses in Miami." I got up trusting that the Divine,indeed would speak to me in some way and point me in the rightdirection. Hialeah, where I currently stay, is a Hispanic barrio. Notfar away from every home in a Spanish barrio is a typical family ownedrestaurant, and by my house "Yoyito's" serves Cuban food. At I simpletable I sat, surrounded by blue collar workers who came in trucks,city workers, elderly citizens and the cook's three year old daughterwho wonders freely throughout the restaurant. " All these people toserve", I thought, "but how?" "O.K., Guruji, the ball is in yourcourt, I said. I am simply taking action and letting you steer." Asthe waitress dressed in jeans and a green t-shirt approached me Isaid, "I'm a yoga teacher and would like to give stress managementclasses free for the people. Do you know any hall that would let meuse their space for two hours?" The girl thought and thought. Shesaid, "Try down 12 Avenue, I have seen empty businesses. Perhaps ifyou call the owner he will let you use them. It might give himexposure and help him rent the spaces." Now my mind would say to me"Your crazy to roam the streets on a Saturday afternoon and expectsomeone that doesn't know you to lend you a hall!" However, when youwalk in Faith, you turn "off" the logic switch off for a while andjust walk.
"Allright Guruji, I said, "I'm trusting. "Let's see where you takeme." Twelve Avenue in Hialeah is a busy street with strip shoppingcenters and businesses. A sign for a karate studio caught my eye andI pulled into the first strip mall. Inside it felt UNCOMFORTABLE tobe randomly searching for a space. Yet the commitment to walk infaith had me put this uneasiness aside. You cannot see miraclesotherwise. After taking down the phone numbers of several store frontbusinesses I noticed at one end of the strip a banquet hall. With abit of shyness, which I could feel like a lump in the throat or aslight tightening in the chest, I approached a man standing outsideand asked to see the manager. He takes me inside to what is anabsolutely striking hall. Here I am conscious of being a 50 year oldwoman a bit overweight and with grey hair saying, " I am a yogateacher and would like to know if you will lend me the hall to givefree stress management courses in Spanish for the people." The youngwoman looks at me, gently smiles and says, ""Perhaps. Let me takedown you information and I will call the owners on Monday." I couldfeel relief inside. Well, that was not a rejection. It was a maybe.I took a risk and it was O.K."
When you walk in faith, you keep walking until you get a YES, or youjust simply cannot walk anymore for reasons beyond your control. Thenext shopping center and had another Banquet hall. Again, I took adeep breath in, felt a bit uncomfortable at putting myself out andasking to use a hall for free, but I went anyway. Neither theprophets in the Bible, nor the great men of science ever accomplishedanything by giving into fear. When I explained my situation in thesame manner I had previously done twice, she the gentleman who ownedthe hall looked at me straight in the eyes and said, "I absolutely donot give anything for free." And here I realized that rejectiondoesn't hurt very much at all.
Not yet exhausted I continued to a third shopping mall and a thirdhall. A bit shyer since the last experience I hesitated before thesign of the hall. None the less, I was there, "so let it happen", Ithought. A middle aged woman was arranging chairs when I entered."Hello, I said, I am a yoga teacher…" You know the rest. She lookedat me and said, "Why not? If I'm not using it, why shouldn't you useit? The hall is just sitting here." Alleluhia and Jai Guru Dev!Bingo! She even agreed to stay opened an extra hour so that I couldhave the Public Intro Talk. I sat in the car and cried fromgratitude. People are so noble and kind. When these qualitiesmanifest they are of incomparable beauty and have the ability ofbringing others to tears in the same way a fine painting or a stirringconcerto moves one to tears.Aura Arce , a volunteer who has been struggling with health issues,pushed beyond her comfort zone and calling COLD, from the phone bookin one day arranged a radio interview and a television show for thenext week. We felt the need to further advertise and without muchtime, Aura, Diana and I pushed again beyond our comfort zone and stoodon a street corner in Hialeah on a Saturday afternoon and gave outflyers to drivers ,at red lights. We did the same as the vendors whosell water bottles or flowers. When the light turned red we walkedbetween the cars and slipped the flyers through slightly openedwindows or into open palms. Three and a half hours later about 1,200had been distributed. Somehow although our feet ached our faces borea glow that can't be purchased at cosmetic counters. And our heartsfelt a smile.
The day of the Intro talk 47 people attended and filled a room thatwas beautifully arranged with chairs elegantly adorned with whitedresses. A reception table was set with green velvet. Even abeautiful gold stand for the large easel I brought sat in the frontwaiting to be used as if specially ordered for the occasion. Men,women and teenagers all learned breathing techniques and ways ofthinking to alleviate the pain of tension. At the end of this verysuccessful evening I thanked the owner for her graciousness andoffered to bring her a gift the following day. "Don't you dare.Everything in life is not money. While you where speaking in theconference we signed four contracts for the rental of the hall." And,yes my eyes filled with tears, because of the beauty in the noblequalities that are both divine and human: sacrifice, fidelity,courage, compassion, strength, commitment, dedication, determination,devotion, trust and love can be best seen when we push ourselvesbeyond our comfort zone……and into the realm of faith. Dare to travelthe path of faith, for it is only from here that we can experience themiracles….. they are always beyond our comfort zone. And from thisvantage point we become aware of the infinite love of the divine
- Anonymous
