The Guest House - Rumi
Published by Haseeb November 16th, 2005 in Personal, SchoolThis week’s ECM (Essentials of Clinical Medicine) reading is about Balance and Self Care for Physicians, Residents and Medical Students. Usually, I dont take ECM seriously, as its more of a distraction and takes up time from learning our major coursework, but Alhamdulillah, I really benefitted from this assignment. I truly can relate to these conditions, and am already undergoing some of the feelings such as burnout, lack of mindfulness, and generally failing to take care of my emotional (and physical) health. Those of you who know me personally have seen this in me as of late. But I am overcoming that inshallah. I really liked this excerpt from the readong assignment, which would be more applicable for residents than me:
The process of approaching each day with mindfulness and openness to the uncertainty of who will walk in the door next, and non-judgmental attention to the “weather” of our own emotions and those of others, is captured in this poem by Rumi, the 13th century Sufi mystic whose verses reach across the centuries and cultures to speak to our own experience:
The Guest House
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.A joy, a depression, a meannness,
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.
salam!
Love Rumi’s poem. Truly inspiring. Somewhat what I needed exactly.
Maulana Rumi is the man. Pure love….
3EkE3D Hello!,
Good day!,
Hello!,