In one of his most famous poems, Rumi says, “This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.” The poet urges us to consider every emotion that comes knocking on the door of our awareness with a spirit of openness and curiosity. “A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.” he says. “Welcome and attend them all!” (Read the whole poem here.)
I love this image so very much. I imagine us going about our lives, puttering about in in our slippers, and then hearing the doorbell ring. I imagine us heading toward the door with eagerness rather than impatience or even dread. I imagine us graciously greeting whoever stands at the threshold, offering a warm smile and a welcoming spirit.
What if we treated every experience in our lives with such reverence and respect? What if we welcomed everyone into our field of awareness with whole heart, even - and perhaps especially - the ones we’re not sure we want? Most days, this may be a bit of a stretch. But, doesn’t it also sound like an enlightened way of being in the world?
In this 25-minute gentle flow - interspersed with a generous helping of what meditation teacher Jack Kornfield calls “benevolent rest” - we’ll continually revisit the inner sensations of our lives as honored guests worthy of our attention. We’ll nudge ourselves toward accommodating with warmth the experience of the moment, moving beyond simply loving or hating every sensation we meet.
And maybe, through this experience, we’ll find ourselves settling just a little more faithfully into the guest house of our lives - welcoming all that is with respect, curiosity, and tenderness.
Guesthouse of Awareness