The Guest House

The poem The Guest House by Rumi beautifully elucidates the concept of mindful acceptance of emotion, whatever those emotions may be. Much of our energy and resultant behaviors can be spent in attempts to push away feeling states that we may find intense or distressing. The practice of avoiding our difficult emotions can lead them to loom larger and be feared. By allowing ourselves to feel our emotions, we can learn that we can tolerate, survive, and potentially grow through the inevitable joys and hardships that life may bring.