Finding Karma in Manhattan

We’re going to miss our flight! I muttered under my breath. We’d factored in an extra forty minutes to get to the airport, but the traffic! I gaped at the endless sea of cars.

Just steps from Rockefeller Center, my husband and I waited in front of our boutique hotel for our Uber driver. Across the street, the primary-color-parade of international flags hung in the late summer humidity, waving limply to the frustrated drivers. Kennedy International Airport shimmered in my mind’s-eye like a mirage.

The driver hopped out of his handsome black SUV, his shiny black hair gleaming in the sun, tossed our bags in his SUV, seated us, and hopped into the driver’s seat, all the while dazzling us with a broad, white smile. He would be the captain of our slow crawl through the city’s gridlock.

Adrenalin had quickened my heart rate, my tongue felt dry. As horns blared, our driver’s focus remained fixed ahead. No visible tension. He said, Would you like music? I have water. We listened and sipped, chirping our gratitude from the backseat.

Then I reached for the Crunch tool known as Victory Breath (borrowed from an Eastern tradition of Kundalini Yoga). I breathed in, held my breath for three counts, then silently exhaled, elongating the syllables, VIC-TO-RY. In and out, long gusts of breath. Through adrenalin’s metallic taste, through the mind’s racing message that we’d never make our flight, I breathed until my body-chemistry released its magic. Fear abated.

I was curious about our driver’s self-containment in the presence of noise and nerves.

My name is Karma; I’m from Nepal.

My husband’s eyes crinkled. We shared a smile of recognition. How delightful to be reminded of peaceful Buddhist influences in the crush of New York City. As a student of Buddhist traditions of all sorts, I figured that Karma from Nepal might know a practice or two for calming the agitated mind.

How do you remain steady when everyone around you is going crazy? I asked.

I just try to control myself, he said.

Not yet satisfied, I asked, No breathing practice? No centering awareness?

Nope.

My husband’s smile broadened.

So much for my assumptions.

Karma told us about his experience of seeking asylum in the U.S. He told us about getting familiar with the neighborhoods around his apartment. As we continued to creep along the highway, he pointed out art studios, parks, and restaurants. We were the newcomers to Karma’s world, soaking up his joy in sharing his corner of New York.

Conflict Crunch Clincher: Suddenly, the apartment buildings blurred before us as Karma’s tires beat a faster pace.

Karma smiled, You’ll make your flight.

Conflict Crunch Take-Away: Relax your ego enough to see the beauty around you. If you’re not as skilled as Karma, try Victory Breath.