How do I actually get through shiva when everyone keeps showing up at my house?

Shiva can feel like being on display when what you need is to be alone with your grief. Mirabai knew something about this—she wrote about the exhaustion of being watched, of having to perform devotion when your heart is breaking. Here's what helps: you don't have to entertain visitors. Let them sit with you in silence. If talking feels impossible, that's okay. People come to *be present*, not to hear you explain your loss. Set boundaries early—specific visiting hours, no large gatherings if that's not what you need. Some families find it helps to have one person (a friend, family member) act as a gentle gatekeeper, managing flow so you're not drained. The point of shiva is to turn inward, to let grief have its full shape without rushing through it. If someone's presence feels like too much, you can step away. Your mourning doesn't need an audience. What matters is that you're honoring what you've lost, in whatever way feels true to you. Consider what Mirabai chose: she stepped away from the expected role, from the watching eyes, to be alone with her devotion. Your grief deserves that same fierce privacy.