Meet Them at the Door, Laughing

 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.

This is a poem by the Sufi mystic poet Rumi that I heard for the first time while doing a guided meditation.  Mostly I sit quietly when I meditate but sometimes I listen to a teacher.  Sometimes I'm too energized and distracted to sit quietly and I need some guidance.

What a great poem!  Once again I learn that it's all okay, it's all part of the journey, I can learn something from everything.  When I try to control the outcomes and the circumstances - always pleasant and always in my favor, of course (More money! More sex!! More power!!!) - my day turns to shit, it becomes an exercise of wrestling with Existential Dread, afraid I'm not going to get what I want or that I'm going to lose whatever I already have.  I cannot stress enough the misery that this flavor of life approach brings to me.  I cannot believe that I once thought I had that kind of power over my life.  I'm the guy being tossed out of my canoe and into the rapids of a raging, rock-filled river, all the while saying: "OK, I'm going to manage this.  I'm not going to swallow any water and I'm going to avoid all the rocks," all of this happening as I'm smashing into the rocks and swallowing river water.  But when I open my arms and welcome life's occasional bullshit into my life I'm much more relaxed and serene.  OK, I never open up my arms but at least I'm not slamming the door shut on my troubles.  I say it often and I'll say it again - I'm more content when I look at things as pleasant and painful and not as good or bad.  Who knows what lessons I'm going to learn from my annoying guests?  

Come on in, teachers.

And a special thanks this morning to Spandex who shared his oh-so-temporary troubles with me last night and graciously listened to me say, with great wisdom and perspective: "Fuck if I know what you should do.  Good luck with all that."  I guess my wisdom is that if I simply listen with attention then the talker will eventually figure out what to do all on their own by listening to their own words, in their own voice.  How many times have I been sharing something only to think: "I should shut up - I sound crazy."

"To maintain your opinion, do you need to ignore or defy other people's opinions or disregard new information that's come to light?  With awareness, say to yourself: 'As a Toltec hunter, I will notice when I start to struggle, so I may see the illusion I am trying to hold on to.  Once recognized, I vow to let it go with ease and grace.' "