Preaching to dead choirs, the gifts of inspiration and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

Odilia Rivera Santos

They sat quietly, with their purses clutched, watching my every move. I didn't have a pulpit but walked back and forth as if I did; it was unintentional - due to a cramp in my calf muscle from a long run. Despite what I thought to be a pedestrian approach and leaden delivery, the sound coming out of my mouth was the gospel of appreciation for gifts bestowed upon us at birth. They rifle through their mental purses looking for the gifts -

 "Nope, there ain't nothin' in there!"

The point was and is really about an awakening that I feel we all have in life, if we sit still, hands on our laps and pay attention. The gifts can be very subtle at times and may leave you wondering - is that all there is? ..to quote Peggy Lee.  

I discovered that gifts can be confusing, multifaceted and difficult to see - like a driver in a hail storm reading signs that point the way home. Language is a good place for me, but preaching to dead choirs leaves me with a dry mouth and even drier mind. I feel released after this epiphany. I retired gently, a feather gliding in search of a better place to land.

I believe in my power to release others from self-imposed prisons and to inspire some movement other than lateral. It didn't matter the other day; like a child who wants to collect her toys from the sandbox after another touches her things without permission, I wanted to move to Tahiti and become a complete hedonist. Fleeting thoughts I assure you. Instead, I went to a class on The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. 

I had registered for the course weeks earlier as if in anticipation of this moment of superficial spiritual disillusionment. It brought me back to this crazy calm that is one of my gifts - although you may hear loud music and see papers strewn about, my mind is at ease - organizing, retrieving, and cooking up some more inspiration for tomorrow morning. 

This morning, I finished my novel as I lay in bed. The characters have played their parts and stand on stage waiting for applause.

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