Here is my interpretation of Rumi’s poem ‘The Guest House’
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
Rumi says that being a human being and returning to this state of being in the body of a human is like coming to a guest house. We sleep every night and in the deep dreamless sleep state we get in touch with our true nature, i.e., we become pure consciousness. But in the morning – we wake up again and come back to this illusionary world.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
In this illusionary state, we will go back to being who we were before we slept. We will experience various feeling that come to us. Some due to our own accord, some due to others. Rumi says enjoy all of these feelings. These are simply vibrations – feel them and entertain them as guests in your house.
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.
If these feelings are uncomfortable, away from your true nature of joy and peace – still honor them. They might feel overwhelming and shake you to your core. However, such feelings are necessary too. We need to experience the whole spectrum of life in order to live it fully. Creation gives it all to us. Once we have fully enjoyed and experienced a feeling, we are clearing space for a new feeling to take it’s place. A new experience, a new energy, a new vibration. We need to experience it all.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Similarly for any other so called ‘bad thoughts/feelings/energy’ go through them. Feel them. Stay with them.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
Gratitude is an alchemic quality. So use it. It will alchemize your being. Whatever you feel in this human form is a message that Universe, Creation is trying to send to you. Listen to it, understand it, interpret it. It is a guide for you to walk in this human path, so use it as it is meant to shape you and take you to your ultimate purpose.
Taken from The Essential Rumi
translated by Coleman Barks
Image credit : https://parade.com/7476/viannguyen/top-10-cities-with-the-greenest-homes/
