‘I am a guest on Earth and it’s time to return home. I am like the bird which takes the support of a tree during the night, and in the morning it leaves its perch and flies away.’
The words of this beautiful song describe the positive and powerful benefits of considering the self to be a guest or a visitor on Earth, especially in these critical times. For in truth, we are all visitors on Earth. We come into bodies for a temporary period, and during this period we live our lives, create relationships, and contribute to the world.
A guest is honoured, respected, loved and taken care of in such a way that he/she feels valued. This is but one sample of the rich heritage that India bequeaths the world, where it is said, ‘Treat your guest as God’. Certain rituals, that are still practised in India, demonstrate the kind of respect and honour shown to guests to make sure they feel valued.
• The creation of a gentle fragrance through the lighting of an incense stick
• The welcome of an earthenware lamp, lit as a symbol of light and happiness
• The offering of flowers
• The serving of the finest food and sometimes the best room in the house
The understanding behind these practices is the profound spiritual truth that each one of us is a unique, valuable being, with a specific role to play on Earth. Valuing the importance of each one allows the free flow of ingredients that make up a perfect world. As the saying goes, ‘It takes all colours to make a rainbow’, and ‘It takes all sorts to make a world’.
The secret lies in finding our uniqueness and our true place on Earth. Although we are guests on this planet, we do not live with this consciousness. A guest respects the environment of the host, cleans up after themselves and is grateful for all they are given. We, on the other hand, have treated the Earth with minimal respect, left everything worse than we found it, and show very little gratitude. Only when we detach from the ego, the ‘I’ consciousness of owning our titles, positions and personal stories, can we discover who we really are and what our unique contribution is, and be true guests on this Earth.
We are guests but also pilgrims, walking a path to complete awakening and awareness. On our journey we learn the value of consistent attention to what is going on in the inner realm of our mind and hearts. When we consider ourselves to be incarnations, truly divine beings who have entered this wonderful bodily costume to enact our parts in this world drama, we understand how much we need to interact with others and the Earth with great respect and love. Our thoughts turn to the Creator, and we wish to stay constantly in tune with the Divine. As we study and stay close to God, we gradually become examples of the spiritual wisdom we accumulate. Our hearts fill with humility and gratitude, for the Creator, the creation and each other, and understand how beautiful it is to be a perfect guest. We are filled with the realisation that each human soul holds the light and might of a unique creation of God; this realisation is like a soft and gentle fragrance that quietly permeates every corner of the Earth.
Gaitree Ramparsad is Director of the Brahma Kumaris centre in Khoyratty, Mauritius.
