Bit by Bit: The Journey Inward | Vichara
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.
~ Rumi
Each time I return to this poem by Rumi, I’m reminded of something I forget often: that life, in all its complexity and feeling, is meant to be welcomed. Not judged. Not fixed. Welcomed.
Even when what shows up isn’t what we would have chosen — sadness, shame, disappointment, fatigue — these guests come bearing invitations. Invitations to sit, to listen, and to feel.
And this is where the practice of vichara begins.
Vichara is a Sanskrit word that points to the journey inward. The slow, steady unfolding of self-discovery. It’s the process of learning who we really are — piece by piece, layer by layer, bit by bit. Not by analyzing or perfecting ourselves, but by observing. Welcoming. Getting still enough to hear the quiet truths underneath the noise.
So often, in our daily lives or on the mat, we hit moments that feel impossible — overwhelmed by challenge, or tangled in emotion. I’ve found myself wishing I could fast-forward to the part where I “get it,” where hindsight has arrived and everything is clear. But that’s not how it works.
The moments we struggle in are not detours — they’re part of the unfolding. They are the sacred curriculum of becoming.
A therapist once shared a practice with me: to look into your own eyes each morning in the mirror and give yourself a high-five. Not as a gimmick, but as a gesture of friendship. Because you are your own life partner. And like any lifelong relationship, that one takes attention, care, and choice.
Each day, we can choose how we meet ourselves. Not only when we feel confident or strong, but also in the fog, the confusion, the “what now?” moments. Vichara reminds us that there’s value in simply asking:
• What is this?
• What is it here to show me?
• What do I need to grow through this?
• Can I work with this, or do I need to soften and let go?
Sometimes the asking itself creates the space we need. It opens the door to a new kind of presence — one that’s rooted not in control, but in curiosity and compassion.
To quote from the movie Moonstruck (because sometimes the Dharma shows up in film too):
“Everything is temporary! That don’t excuse nothin’.”
Yes, everything changes. But that doesn’t mean we numb out or turn away. We stay. We feel. We grow. That’s the practice. That’s the gift.
So this month, I invite you to embrace the process of self-inquiry. Welcome what arises. Sit with it. Ask questions. Trust that you’re on a path — and that the path is made by walking.
This is vichara. This is yoga. This is self-love.