Mindful Living: Good Parking Karma and Other Magical Things

A couple of years ago my friend Lida told me that she could "image" parking spaces, and that because she could do this, she pretty much always had a spot. She explained that while she was driving somewhere, she'd see the parking space in her mind, one that was of course not only in existence but also right next to where she wanted to go. I didn't much buy the whole imaging thing, but then Lida was no airy fairy new ager - and most importantly, she insisted it worked. So, I listened and asked lot of questions. When I was done grilling her, I tried it. And… yes, I got my parking spaces. But I just couldn't discount coincidence and the fact that I live in Vermont where spaces are, mostly, plentiful. So I kept trying, and I kept finding the parking spaces.

One winter I was on my way to First Night, rushing out late and wondering how I'd ever find a place to park on a day when half the families in Vermont are cruising Burlington's streets. I had to find a place right away because I was singing with the Champlain Echoes at 6 PM sharp. As I trundled through the crowds I imaged my space. It was in a warm parking garage not far from the Library where we'd be performing. I got into Burlington, drove into the parking garage that seemed completely full, drove until I saw my space and turned right in.

You might say that it was just another coincidence in a long string of coincidences, but I guess I'm thinking that I have to draw the line somewhere. There's a point where you have to give up the rational arguments and take a leap of faith, and even though my inner voice sometimes has a moment of skepticism, I mostly walk that realm these days. Since then I've found that quite a few of my friends do the same thing, not just with parking spaces but with bigger challenges like careers, love, life. It's a nice connection when you find a friend who's had this same experience, and also pretty weird trying to explain it to people who think you're crazy as a hoot owl. Still, crazy or not, I'm here trying to do just that.

I've spent a fair bit of time thinking about it and I have this theory that you can't just drive up to the parking garage and assume a spot will be there. I think that you have to start imaging maybe twenty minutes before you get there; after all we have to give the universe time to give us what we want. Or in other words - I have to allow time for the person in my parking spot… to leave. I've also moved a bit beyond parking spaces and now image pretty much everything I want. The challenge is that I tend to micromanage the universe - telling it how I want life to happen exactly and worrying about the roadblocks along the way. It seems that if we put out mixed messages, we get a mixed response, which is pretty much reflected in my own life which is full of contradictions and confusions. I want to believe that all I have to do is wish upon the star of my choice and God will give me what I want, but we all know that doesn't work. But when I see clearly what I want, and open my heart and mind to the rightness of that new adventure, it surely does come. Sometimes not really soon enough for me who wants just about everything immediately if not sooner, but it does come in its own time. Waiting is the big battle. Maybe that twenty minutes translates into twenty days or twenty months when it comes to wishing for bigger things.

Then I ran into Lida again, and it turns out that she doesn't have to do this parking space imaging protocol of twenty minutes. She says that these days, she just has Good Parking Karma, which I guess is the grander version of imaging that one parking spot. How is it, I wondered, that she can just assume the parking spot, and I have to work for it? Then I thought of some areas where I have my own good "karma." For example, I have amazing apartment karma. I've always found great apartments, places that fulfilled my demanding needs from kitty-friendly to a walk-in closet. I never had to work at this; I've just always known at some deep level that I would have a home that would feed my inner spirit. And so I created a universe for myself where this was true. That's something, really.

Somewhere along the line, I started feeling spirit with me all the time. It's an effervescent stream, inviting me to dip my hands in and drink water that is fresh and sweet and light. If I can just remember to drink when I get thirsty, and maybe even a little before. The stream winds around and through all our lives, but most people hop right over, swim through, wash their hands, or just plain won't see it. I guess my question then is, if I know that I can live in alignment with the universe on a micro level (that one parking space) and on a bigger level (that apartment karma), how do I make the leap to faith to the things that I don't feel quite so confident about? Love. Work. Money. How do I create love in my life that will feed not just my superficial needs for affection and attention (which I have), but reach deep down into my most private heart space? How do I create a workplace where I can not only express all of my gifts (which I have) but know that there is safety in my career not just today or tomorrow, but always? How can I not just pay the bills today (which I do) but know that the bills will be paid tomorrow?

I wish I had all the answers so that I could lay them out for you here and be properly revered, but as is with most of my philosophical wanderings, there are more questions than answers. Still, it's nice to be on my way. Even with twists and bumps in the road, I know that when I get to the end, there will definitely be a parking space waiting just for me.

Copyright December, 2000