Desiderata

In one of my more recent Bikram Yoga classes, we had a substitute instructor who decided that our savasna (the meditation portion at the end of yoga classes) would be best accompanied by her recitation of Max Ehrmann’s Desiderata. I was irritated. Why would we want to listen to this woman monotonously drag on about yada-yada-live a happy life-yada yada when we are trying to find a state of complete detachment and relaxation? My frustration grew with each verse. Eventually I folded; opened by eyes and began shifting uneasily on my mat; this was my attempt at a quiet, yoga-friendly rebellion. After she guided us back to full consciousness (as though we could have strayed with her annoying recitation) I eagerly sat up, rolled up my mat, and left class.

I was having a particularly blasé afternoon at work a few days later. Instead of logging on to Care2 or one of my other go-to websites, I found myself Google-ing “Desiderata”. The very text that had driven me crazy had crept back into the foreground from my trusty old subconscious (odd how that happens, isn’t it?) Anyway, I read over it a couple of times, thought nothing of it and clicked out. The next day it was the same thing, but this time I printed it out. The day after that, I was hanging it up at my desk. What had happened?
I am not a religious person. I think the idea of organized religion seems a bit contradictory in and of itself. “Come! Build a relationship with god and together you will make it through your darkest hours. However, make sure you abide by this or that rule or else god isn’t going to help you, or like you, or want to be your friend, even on Facebook.” Okay so maybe I have made a bit of a mockery of it, which isn’t fair. I think it is wonderful to feel connected to the people, the vibes, etc, that surround you. It must provide such comfort to believe in your heart that you are being watched over and protected, and I commend anyone who has secured their belief and contentedly carries out their days as such; bravo. As far as I’m concerned however, who is watching over me? Me (well, maybe my mom too). This is where something like “Desiderata” becomes invaluable.
As a nonreligious person, I have sought out a scripture, a mantra, a SOMETHING, that I could try to live by; a text for religion-nouveau; a god-free bible so-to-speak. Here in Max Ehrmann’s poem, I may have found just that. It touches on all the headliners, the big hitters: good will to others, truth, respect, embracing what you have and what you envision, balancing caution with awareness of virtue, maintaining peace in your soul, striving for high ideals, just to name a few.
Desiderata is the plural form of desideratum, meaning something that is desired and necessary. Max Ehrmann determined that if we can delineate our lives within the structure of these twenty or so sentences, we will find serenity and joy. Nowhere does it say, look up and tell your problems to the sky, nowhere does it say, if you don’t do this you will never find peace. With a sentiment similar to a parent and child, he merely suggests that we do our very best (with a few helpful hints of what the best may be) to give us the best chance at happiness. A religion-nouveau? Maybe. Something I can appreciate it and take with me? Definitely. Give it a try; don’t just roll up your yoga mat and leave :)