Kundalini Splendor

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, 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.

Jelalludin Rumi


This poem by Rumi carries a very important message. Some folks think it is wrong to admit certain feelings into consciousness--they wish to turn every bleak thought into a positive one, to repress every twinge of pain and pretend nothing is wrong. Rumi reminds us that all of our feelings are important, and should be welcomed into our own personal "guest house." Once they enter, we name them and then release them rather than holding on to them permanently. As humans, we feel various emotions, from anger to frustration to despair, and we also feel the emotions of joy, happiness, and bliss. All are part of our own repertoire of possible feelings.

The goal, I think, is not to repress, but to allow each to emerge in turn and give it its due, then bid it farewell. After all, ours is a "guest house," not a permanent residence.

This counsel is of especial importance to those undergoing Kundalini awakening, where the emotional swings can resemble a roller coaster of constantly shifting feelings. Often pain and ecstasy occur in bewildering alternations. But each is part of the process, and each should be acknowledged and released in turn.

(Image from unknown source)