Is zen house cleaning the way of the witch? The more I read the more I think it might just be.
My mom gave me the book: Zen and the Art of Housekeeping
for my birthday. When I first began reading I thought... "This is just crazy. Housekeeping and 'zen'? No way!" But not far into the book, I made a discovery... Everything we do in life has a purpose. We eat because we need the nutrition. We sleep to rejuvenate the body and soul. Why can't housekeeping have some higher purpose that just not living like pigs?As you read the book (I am actually not that far into it... YET.), you begin to realize that cleaning the home can be very therapeutic and meditative. After all, how many times have you made a life decision or come to a conclusion about something in life while in that deep thought evoking monotony of vacuuming or scrubbing the dishes? I know I have, ALOT.
If house keeping can really become a zen experience, maybe (just maybe) I can keep it up. We do not live in filth (not even close), but it does seem there is always something more interesting, shall I say, than cleaning my home. Cleaning my home is a chore and not one I like at all. There are always dishes in the sink and clothes in the washer. Maybe if I begin to think of these things with a new perspective, my entire outlook on keeping my home the peaceful sanctuary I so desperately need will begin to become a reality.
How to you make cleaning your home a 'zen' experience?
What do you do to make cleaning less of a chore and more enjoyable?
I definitely see house cleaning as a self cleansing activity. And to be honest, I can't concentrate very well when my place is messy; I think it kind of reflects the state of my mind. I usually listen to a book or plot a scene as I'm cleaning. I burn some incense and clean on!
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