Spontaneity

Author : Katheryn Hoban
I think some of the absolute funniest, warmest moments that I remember were those moments that just came together, when someone said or did something funny or inventive and everyone added to the collective spontaneity. When you accept an invitation to a new place, or to a party or event, and something wonderful happens, it is very joyful.When you meet someone new and there is a strong
bond, and you spontaneously embrace them, this fantastic
exchange of energy and warm feelings is created and
carried with you. The great thing is, you really don't
now what will happen!! You just go with the flow in
the present moment and let the next moment unfold.If you are open to people, they will respond to you in
that same open manner. The great guides of the past
worked very spontaneously as well. Jesus did not really
plan his day, and he walked wherever he was led.
If someone asked him for help he would leave what he was
doing and go with him or her. I think Buddha, who was credited
with great compassion, also worked in that same manner.
The Dalai Lama is known to be very spontaneous.There is a fluidity about spontaneity that the great masters recognized.
The moment is about now. What is occurring or about to
occur happens now. You can decide the outcome by
accepting the invitation, or turning it down, by embracing a
stranger, or widening the gap, being fearless or fearful.
Of course it is not appropriate to accept every invitation, or
go off on every spontaneous adventure that comes along.
But be open to that moment as it presents itself.I am comfortable being by myself, moving
around by myself and talking to people. There
were several times while I was attending school at
USC in Los Angeles that I was enjoying something by
myself and started a conversation with a stranger,
and I was invited for a dinner or something that I
really didn't expect but thought it would be enjoyable.
So I spontaneously accepted.One time, at night, and I was walking around an
outdoor fair in Westwood which is the home of
UCLA, the major rival of USC. There were many
merchants displaying their wares: jewelry, colorful
scarves, ornamental boxes, animal statues, flags etc. I
loved wild earrings at that time and I was at one booth
going through all the long dangling earrings. I was holding
each one up to my ear to see if it was just the right one.
I came across this one that wasn't part of a matching pair.
It was a battle-ax with a skull and a feather, in an antique
silver color. I looked at this and thought to myself: now who
would wear something like this earring?! I was holding it
up and looking deeply at it still deciding that whoever would
wore this would be into heavy metal or into some wild things.
As I was standing there with this particular earring in my
hand, an attractive guy with long blond shaggy hair and a
beard, wearing a black leather vest, black leather pants, and
black cowboy boots, moved next to me, and was also
looking at the earrings. I started a conversation with him
and showed him the earring."Hey, check this one out. Kind of wild isn't?"
He looked at it with admiration, and said,"I think it's kind of cool. Why don't you try it on?"
"It's a little too heavy- metal for me. I think it's for
someone who's into some death and destruction."
We laugh.
"Too wild for you, huh? I like heavy metal."
"Yeah, so if you're into heavy metal why don't you
get it? It will look good with your hair."
"Oh, you think so? Why? Are you trying to
say I'm into death and destruction?"
We laugh a little. "Hey, check this out." With that
he pulls back his hair and reveals that he is already wearing the same earring. He was wearing it whole time.
We start laughing."So you are into a little death and destruction, huh?"
With that his friend comes over to join him. He is a tall
good-looking guy, also with long blond hair. He is taller
and slimmer than his friend. He is wearing brown leather
pants. He has a beautiful smile and comes over and joins our conversation."What are you two laughing about?" I
showed him the earring and I told him about what happened.
He joined our laughing. It was obvious from some of
their questions that they were both from out of town.
We continued to look at the jewelry, showing each
other great pieces, and talking and joking with each other.
I asked them where they were from. They told me
Florida, and then I asked them what they did. The taller
and slimmer one answered me mysteriously "We are in a
small band from Florida.""Oh really? You guys are in a band? Let me guess.
Heavy metal?" We all laugh."No no, we play a different style, very far from
being metal heads. Kind of a Congo style with Maracas and Congo drums.""Sounds nice. Do you tour? Or do you just play
locally?""No, we tour, that's why we're here in Los Angeles.""Oh really? What is the name of your band? Maybe
I know it?" He paused and put his hands into a prayer
position in front of his mouth. He said, "Miami Sound Machine.
Have you heard of it?" I started to smile and I raised my
eyebrow and looked at him. Because the Miami Sound
Machine, with the lead singer Gloria Estafan, was one of the biggest bands, on the charts at that time."Miami Sound Machine?! Yea, I think I've heard
of it!! Just a small band from Florida, huh?! We all start
laughing at the joke."So what instruments do you play?" The guy
with the beard and mustache said that he played the
drums, and the taller one said that he plays bass guitar."So is Gloria with you? I asked."No, she's back at the hotel resting.""Are you guys pulling my leg?!""No, if you want we could get you some tickets to a concert here in L.A.""Oh great!! What are the dates that you are
playing?" He named the dates, but they were for days that I would be traveling back to Massachusetts.
I thanked him, and just thought that would be all.
But the taller bass guitar player asked me if I knew of
a good place to have some dinner in Westwood. I began to point out some places, and started to say
good-bye, and they both invited me to dinner with them.I was stunned at the invitation but I accepted. Shortly,
other band members joined us and we sat and ate at a
Tex-Mex restaurant. It was a lot of fun and we were
laughing and joking. I had a fantastic time, and dinner
with the Miami Sound Machine, because of spontaneity.
There are many other wonderful memories I have
from spontaneous meetings or events. Another
time I was at a car wash in Los Angeles, and my car was filthy!
I was standing in the viewing room as my car came
through. The car in front of me was a BMW with both USC and MD noted on the plate. My car had a
USC sticker on the car too.
I was laughing because my car was so dirty
and was making little comments about how my
school is being poorly represented by a dirty car
like this one. I'm pretending that the dirty filthy car
is not my car. I'm hiding my face in embarrassment.A young guy comes over and makes conversation about USC. He is laughing with me at my car. I
say, " Can you believe that car is from USC? Who
can own such a car?! I mean USC is such a great school."He is eating yogurt and offers me a taste. I take a
taste. He is also making comments about the car.
"That's the dirtiest car I've ever seen." We laughed
and I then say about the BMW, "How ironic that
it should come right after the shiny BMW owned by
a doctor." He smiled and told me that is his car.
"That's your car?" I asked stunned."Yep."
"You graduated from 'SC?" He nods with a smirk.
"You're the doctor?!"
"That's me. So where's your car. It didn't come
through yet?"
"Remember the dirtiest car ever? That's me."
We laughed a little. We talked about running, and
at the time I was running about 2-5 miles a day. It
turned out that the doctor also ran. So spontaneously,
he asked me if I would like to go running on the beach
in Malibu. That he was just about to go for a run,
would I like to join him? It was really like a challenge.So I told him yes. We agreed to meet in about forty minutes.
The amazing thing is we both showed up.
We ran on the beach for about twenty
minutes. He gave out a moment or two
before I did and exhausted and sweaty we went
up to his apartment for a drink of water and
lemonade. He said "Why don't we have
dinner later?" I left to change and shower, and
I came back about an hour later. It was a warm
balmy night; he took me to a sidewalk café,
overlooking the city, where we enjoyed two glasses
of wine and a great Italian dinner. It could have
continued into the evening but I didn't want more.One other time that I will share with you is a
time that I was invited by friends to a
Halloween party at their house. We got up to dance, and
they had this electronic bat that flapped its wings
and made spooky sounds with movement. I started d
ancing with this bat with the sounds and the wings
flapping. Everyone was laughing. Then in another
instant I was pretending that I couldn't dance, and I was
not very coordinated. I started dancing with intensity
and concentration, as if I really needed to concentrate,
but the act was no matter how I concentrated I couldn't
dance well. At one point I just danced right out of the
room into the bedroom and danced back out again
like I made a mistake. It was hilarious. Everyone at
the party was falling on the floor laughing.It's those spontaneous moments that add fun
and laughter to our lives. So be spontaneous.
Take a chance. Enjoy life. Live in this moment. Explore.Yoga Kat--aka Katheryn Hoban is a yoga teacher with twelve years experience. She teaches children's yoga ages 3-6, and 7-12 and Adults privately in NJ. She is the author the book DAUGHTER BELOVED which will come out next year. She has created a children's affirmation CD (ages 3-6) and an affirmation CD for adults. Yoga Kat is available for speaking or writing and can be reached at katscoolcorner@yahoo.com or 201 970-9340
Keyword : Spontaneity, laughter, humor,