About a year or so after moving to Miami and helping to start an ashram there, my husband and I relocated from Coconut Grove to a large, two story house situated close to Jackson Memorial Hospital in a lovely neighborhood not far from the Miami River. Our neighbor’s properties had enormous, lush mango and avocado trees which we were welcomed to help ourselves to whenever we liked. Miami is certainly a paradise of tropical fruits and these were two of my favorites–we kept a steady supply in our kitchen.
By this time, we had several people living with us full time and visitors were oftentimes coming and going. My husband, who was the head of the ashram, had started a landscaping business with a few of the other men that lived with us and it was growing quickly.
We had settled into a regular routine with our new life in Miami and had managed to meet some kindred spirits and were attracting quite a few people to our yoga classes and intensive courses that we were offering. Two of these people, were Yogi Rama and Sita, his wife. Yogi Rama was a beautiful “old-timer” hatha yoga teacher and he and Sita lived in South Miami, not too far distance from us. We became good friends with this older couple and visited with them at their home on occasion.
Through Yogi Rama’s involvement with the community, a young woman had come to his attention who had a young daughter and needed a place to stay. So he thought of us. Back then, ashrams were very closely related to “flop houses”. We would be approached by all kinds of people trying to “find themselves” or wayward travelers thinking that they would give communal life a try for awhile. Apparently, we were an experiment in spirituality. But if we had the room and the people agreed to get up in the mornings and participate in our sadhana, most of the time we would allow them to stay with us for a nominal fee.
So we felt sorry for this single mother who apparently had nowhere to go and invited her to move in with us. But very soon it was obvious that this woman was trouble–in fact she was a lunatic! She was irrational, argumentative and confrontational and no one in the house could get along with her. Her poor little girl… We realized that we had to get her out of the house but she refused to leave. In no time, she and my (now ex) husband started butting heads and one day an ugly altercation broke out between them.
After the argument, things cooled down momentarily but we were left with a strong sense of uneasiness. What were we going to do? Soon the answer came knocking on our door, but it wasn’t the solution we had envisioned. The next afternoon, two police officers came to the door with two arrest warrants–one for my husband and one for me! What!? We were being arrested on assault and battery charges that we later discovered were brought against us by our wayward tenant. We were taken from the house, placed in the back of a squad car, driven to police headquarters where mug shots were taken, fingers printed and then booked into jail.
We spent several long hours in jail (separately)–well into the night until bail money could be scrounged up to get us out. When we finally returned home, the woman had vanished and never showed up for the scheduled court hearing. The bogus charges were dropped against us.
I think these days you have to have some kind of proof before the cops will just come and arrest you…right? I still sometimes find myself wondering about how that happened.
Trisha
/ October 17, 2010It was a disgusting affair. absolutely disgusting but not surprising. Sometimes a noble heart causes too much trouble.
I am happy that her excellency vanished, did not pressed the charges. What a nice return for all the kindness you showered on her.
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ October 17, 2010Yes, it was disgusting and I was so frightened when the police came and took us away. At least they put me in a cell by myself and not with all the other creepy ladies that kept parading by me.
We were naive to keep taking in all these nutty type people. She was the worst though!
LikeLike
trisha
/ October 18, 2010you were noble. and that virtue is most abused. it was a horrible, nightmarish experience. Good that the police gave you a separate cell.
Its true that most of the jail inmates are just like us but i have heard some are really bad, after watching shawshank redemption i can guess how bad.
you know if you do someone good and he/she stings you like a scorpion then i think God gives you extra credit for that charity.
lots of love.
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ October 18, 2010It’s very shocking when you open your heart to someone to help them and they basically spit on your and stomp you into the ground–wow!
I would feel better to know that I got some extra credit for having to go through that ordeal! 🙂
But I think she really was mentally unbalanced…
LikeLike
trisha
/ October 19, 2010I have seen sane people doing it again and again.
believe me, God certainly have kept that incident in mind with some extra credits added to it.
if she was mentally unstable the cops should not have done what they did.
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ October 19, 2010It just seemed pretty crazy of the police to not even investigate her charges against us–they simply came and took us away. She didn’t even have any bruises or marks on her that would have proved her story to them.
What were they thinking? What crazy law did they have in place that would support them coming and taking us away only by her word against us?
The whole thing simply did not make sense…
LikeLike
trisha
/ October 20, 2010Even if she had bruises they were supposed to make investigations before arresting you two.
a very irresponsible behaviour for sure.
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ October 20, 2010I’ve never been able to figure out how that could happen.
LikeLike
trisha
/ October 22, 2010in india its quite common but even then its a shame.
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ October 22, 2010Yes, a deep shame for innocent people to be wrongly accused.
LikeLike
trisha
/ October 23, 2010people usually have a horror for jail. atleast i have. and to go there because of a fruitcake is too much.
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ October 23, 2010I was treated quite respectfully while there. I just was very apprehensive because I didn’t know when I would be getting out!
LikeLike
trisha
/ October 24, 2010Well its good that they treated you respectfully. thats the way it should have been.
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ October 24, 2010Yes, at least they did that right!
LikeLike
soulbro*
/ October 17, 2010Beware my Dearest Bodhirose….all carry KARMA in this world as to balance the KARMA in your world the heart knows who is felt through Love and you will see this in balanced KARMA…why?…Now all things become transparent as for all things beyond that move on and you remain in balance….enjoy as well(+)
soulbro* 🙂 xo—-{–@
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ October 17, 2010Yes, realize that it was karma at work–it has moved on and I now remain in balance. 🙂
LikeLike
Samsara
/ October 18, 2010Interesting thoughts. Will have to get deeper into that matter. Very inspiring, thanks.
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ October 18, 2010Thanks for reading my story, Samsara.
LikeLike
Olivia
/ October 21, 2010My Dear Gayle,
I had to come here and read this. I’ll do some more reading here!! No wonder you could read Me beyond my words..!!
I’m trying to write it here since you are spirituality aligned.. If you look at it this way.. At times, we get to serve our previous balance in the manner that’s most ugly.. Maybe, there was some unfinished business that she had to level against you!! I mean maybe you owed her some.. 😦
That said, this was certainly not at all an incident that can be taken into stride that easily.. To even think oneself there, is pretty difficult!! One loses faith and charm to survive- both.. and for what again..!!
God bless that unrestful soul!!
That apart, I admire your strength and courage to write about this here. I know and you know it too- not many of us really speak up or talk about things.. Stay blessed always Dear.. 😀
Loads of Hugs and Love
Olivia xoxox
LikeLike
Olivia
/ October 21, 2010Cops aren’t the best thing that a Society needs- be it any country- they are the biggest pest around..
Peace My Dear- Hugs xx
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ October 21, 2010There’s certainly some crooked cops out there–but here in US, I have been very grateful that they have been there to call on when I have needed their help.
Love and hugs,
Gayle
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ October 21, 2010Olivia, I totally understand what happened to me on a karmic level and understand that I was somehow paying off some previous “balance” owed. But I couldn’t understand how the police could come and take us away without any kind of proof of our alleged assault on this person. It made no sense at all…
That woman was to be pitied and her child even more. 😦
Thank you for reading my post today and for your kind comments. I’m just trying to share some of myself through my writing and perhaps in some way my stories will entertain, inspire or help others along their path.
Love and blessings to you as well, Olivia. xoxo
LikeLike
Olivia
/ October 21, 2010Maybe the woman was involved with the cops too- I mean could be a gang or something- maybe that woman was of a very DC and hence the confusion.. You maybe knowing it better- but again- all said and done.. It’s very sad. No matter what amount of reasoning we could whip our brains with- the pain and hurt is never compensated.. Trust me- the cops only unbalanced their Karmas here- maybe- someday, they’ll get to pay heavily..
This is One another thing that I have witnessed- nothing goes unbalanced.. You seem to be a very strong willed one- stay that way.. I feel stronger when in Company with like you are.. 😀
Loads of Prayers and wishes.. xx From here on, we walk together..
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ October 21, 2010Everything evens out, I believe–in perfect balance and harmony.
I feel stronger too in the company of people who have a strength of fortitude–I welcome your company!
Love and blessings always,
Gayle xoxo
LikeLike
Jamie Dedes, all rights reserved
/ November 21, 2010What a disconcerting event. It reminds me that my son always warns me: no good deed will go unpunshed!
I wonder what happened to the little girl. Today you would call Child Protective Services, but that’s not a really good alternative.
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ November 23, 2010I’ve always wondered about that: Why is it that no good deed goes without being punished. What’s up with that?! Why when you do something good–oftentimes you get slammed for it–it’s puzzles me…
I think about that little girl too–having a sick mother caring for her–or not.
LikeLike