My Beautiful Sadness

One of my favorite poems is Rumi’s The Guest House.

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 are 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 whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

Rain drops on the window of my plane.

Blue skies above the fluffy clouds.

(Photos taken on my flight back home from NYC on 4/26/2014)

It’s midnight. Quiet in the house.

I won’t be able to sleep for another hour yet because I’m not sleepy enough. I cherish this time alone, just sitting in bed quietly, letting my day fade away to allow me to sleep and rejuvenate.

I remember something from my day that makes me smile, like the squirrels who ignore my authority around here, or a conversation with a friend.

Sometimes, I go to a secret place in my soul, it’s a secret garden deep in the woods. There are fairies there, and animals who can communicate with me. There are angels there, they come sit with me on my old log bench and we talk without speaking…    (ooh so woo woo)

And then at times, like tonight, I feel deep sadness. Maybe an event triggers a memory, or often there’s an accumulation of attachments I’ve been protecting and it’s time to release some of them.

This sadness is a beautiful, gentle feeling.

 

I allow it. I sit with it and let it fill my entire body. I breathe in space around it in my chest and feel the expansion.

Cleansing tears appear and I feel completely protected and safe. I wait… and when I feel it’s time, I let it all flow out; I let it go. There’s only peace now. I have let go of what does not serve me anymore. A weight is lifted. And then a smile… Now there’s room for the new. I allow it.

Have you felt this kind of sadness?

 

Maybe you know the reason or maybe you have no clue why you’re feeling sad? Do you resist it? I used to, and I still do sometimes when I’m not alone. Are you afraid to feel your sadness? Don’t be. It’s truly a beautiful emotion that is there to help you.

Karla McLaren says in her book The Language of Emotions: “Sadness helps you slow down, feel your losses, and release that which needs to be released – to soften into the flow of life instead of holding yourself rigidly and pushing ever onward.”

Tonight, my sadness did just that for me, helped me soften into the flow of life.

 

Try it. Let me know what you think. If you need help with it, you know where to find me. 🙂