Housecleaning as meditation

[queenofthenight]

I recently read an article in Body+Soul magazine that resonated with me deeply.  "The Meaning of Cleaning" explores how we find meaning in ordinary tasks such as cleaning house and doing laundry.  Finding meaning in the exact moment is something I've always struggled with, hurrying through the "To-Do" list on an elusive quest to get to "Real Life

Comments

[rainastar]

Oh, darling, yes! I can completely relate. When I am given the time to have a quiet house, preferably on a sunny day, I love the ritual of cleaning (cleaning for Passover is the perfect opportunity) and how it makes me feel.

And remember, "To Do" -lists don't have a due date, unless we make them have one.

-R.

[ppkt]

In many traditions Feb 2nd is a holiday called Imbolc wich is celebrated wth milk and cleaning the hearth. It is a time to meditate and reconnect with the home.

[queenofthenight]

Other than a yearly special ritual for cleansing, what about rituals or an approach for the day to day work of a household? That's where my challenge is - the ongoing, ordinary days where there is always something to do. :)

[ppkt]

Many thoughts there, but that's a different discussion

[shadowandstar]

Thank you for sharing this entry.

You might be interested in reading "The Quotidian Mysteries" by Kathleen Norris. It's not much more than a pamphlet, but there's a lot of food for thought.

Her book Acedia and Me was even more helpful to me in this regard, but acedia is something I've been struggling with for the past several years.