43things TEAM PROJECT: embrace housework as a spiritual practice

I read somewhere that there is some branch of Buddhism where the followers get up at o-dark :30 and begin cleaning their homes top to bottom everyday. Its a spiritual practice for them, like meditation.

I’ve always liked that story, and often have thought about trying to do something like that myself, but my own house, with two roommates and five cats and a small dog, is just too overwhelming and I feel resentment at having to be the one who cleans everything.

Still this morning, while babysitting my mother’s house, I got up early to see my boyfriend off to work, and stayed up to watch the sunrise and clean the downstairs. Her house isn’t nearly as messy and basically I loaded the dishwasher, folded some laundry, swept and wiped off the cabinets. Still, it was refreshing knowing that the house was clean.

now I think I shall nap till noon…

So, I’ve made a schedule and I’ve been sticking to it, now I need to integrate some kind of spiritual work into it. Scented candles are the awesome btw, they smell good and bring an emotion to the room.

I think music and incense will help me think in a spiritual way when I am cleaning…just like tea helps with the writing.