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 honourably.
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.
(From The Essential Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks; Harper Collins, 1995. P. 104).
Coping with change
“When the storm is brewing and the winds are picking up all around you, moving to a different place in yourself is much more important than moving to a different place on the mountain”
Taken from Michael Gerber’s The E-Myth Mastery: The Seven Essential Disciplines for Building a World-Class Company.
If we consider that our own personal world is like a mountain, then this quote is very apt. Imagine climbing a mountain when the weather suddenly changes; the very first thing that needs to be done at least is to stop and take a decision about whether to continue climbing or not — and if you can’t do that. What is required is an inner shift. From that inner shift, you begin to think different, thoughts, feel (more...)