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. copyright 2006 Yoga Kat