One of my favorite poems, The Guesthouse, was written by Rumi, a 13th century Persian poet. This poem intrigued me from the moment I read it. We try really hard to create a happy life-often times with futility. When we struggle, we automatically think something is wrong. When we aren’t “feeling” our best, we wish we would “feel” something different. Sometimes life is hard, and we want it to be easier. The Guesthouse challenges us to think differently about life, emotions, people, and situations. What if everything we experienced was a blessing? What if we looked at life through a different lens? What if instead of shoeing away our negative emotions, we sat with them-for just a bit?
I recently experienced a hard time in a relationship with someone I love. It felt like a horrible situation. Someone I trusted had done something untrustworthy. There were several days of not really knowing what to do. I sat with it, not making any big decisions on a whim. I felt angry, sad, betrayed, and just really confused. It’s easy to want to move, decide, and change the situation quickly to escape the pain. When we sit with our pain, anger, sorrow-whatever emotion it is, we are allowing ourselves to be mindful and present. Sitting with our emotions allows us to ask, “Why am I feeling this way?” “What is the next right step for me?” “How can I view this differently?” When we sit with our emotions, we are letting things unfold. It feels more peaceful and loving to react this way. It is a practice in self-care as well. When we are patient, we are letting the best solution come forward. We are practicing self-love and using our deepest intuition to guide us.
Rumi’s poem is a metaphor. Being human is a guesthouse. Every day brings new challenges and emotions. Sometimes what comes our way is happy and fun, and sometimes it’s not. This is what it means to be human. Do we allow ourselves to experience the good and the bad? Do we move consciously through the painful emotions as well as the pleasant ones? Can you take what each day brings and be grateful? The lesson in the poem is this: everything that comes our way is truly helping us to learn and grow and become the resilient people we are meant to be. Allow whatever comes to come. Don’t be afraid, be grateful. All that is sent to us is a guide from beyond.
The Guest House
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
