By Psychic MarinZen dishwashing? It sounds like an oxymoron, but the act of dishwashing can actually be a meditative tool. If you are a busy mom, workaholic, or someone that just never seems to find the time to meditate, then this might be the workout for you! Not only is it productive, but this exercise allows you to multitask by incorporating meditation into your chores.
One of the primary focuses in this exercise is the pace and methodical washing of dishes. This is not an exercise in which you enter your meditation with a specific purpose or thought. This exercise focuses your attention on the dish alone, while you prevent other images or ideas from entering and interfering with this period of meditation.
1. First and foremost, send all of your family members out of the kitchen so you can have some “alone time.”
2. Select a fragrant dish soap that is aromatheraputic or just pleasing to you. You may even want to consider an earth-friendly, all-natural or biodegradable cleaning product. Fill your sink with nice warm soapy water and get out your scrubbing gear.
3. Before you pick up that first plate, pause for a minute and ground yourself. Feel you legs strongly planted into your kitchen floor. Draw energy upward into your legs, feeling a sensation of strength in your undertaking.
4. Slowly pick up that first dish and take note of it in great detail. You may want to identify its shape, texture, color, or the signature of the maker on the back. Notice the dish as if this was the first time you had ever looked at it.
5. Focusing entirely on the dish, begin to scrub in a consistent clockwise, energy-invoking direction. Keep your rounds evenly paced as you continue to wash in a circular motion until you feel a hypnotic sensation. Your mind should remain focused on the present actions and engaged in the task. Do you feel more relaxed?
6. Pick up the next dish and continue cleaning with the same process.
7. When it’s time to rinse the dishes, turn on the water and take note of the flow of the water from the faucet. Feel the comforting feeling of the water and temperature. Allow your hands to frequently interact with the water as you rinse the dishes.
8. Once a dish is cleaned, consciously recognize the transformational process from “dirty” to “clean.” How does this make you feel? I know that this may sound like a silly question, but there is a reward in this process. Recognize the feeling of completion and pleasing appearance of the clean dish as a minor sensation of satisfaction.
Your mind may begin to wander in this exercise, and that’s quite normal. One of the primary goals in meditation is to minimize or altogether overcome distractions, and stay focused on the task at hand. Transcend the initial repetition and boredom and begin to feel the joy of mindfulness. This process may take a little longer than usual, but there is much mental calmness and clarity you stand to gain.
I encourage you to bring this level of awareness into your activities, whether it is mopping the floor, vacuuming or washing windows. Can you begin to imagine how fulfilling a dreaded chore can become? You may even find this new cleaning process so rewarding you might even consider your own zen cleaning business… imagine that! Learn to approach life with this state of mind, as it will make every act worthy of doing
One of the primary focuses in this exercise is the pace and methodical washing of dishes. This is not an exercise in which you enter your meditation with a specific purpose or thought. This exercise focuses your attention on the dish alone, while you prevent other images or ideas from entering and interfering with this period of meditation.
1. First and foremost, send all of your family members out of the kitchen so you can have some “alone time.”
2. Select a fragrant dish soap that is aromatheraputic or just pleasing to you. You may even want to consider an earth-friendly, all-natural or biodegradable cleaning product. Fill your sink with nice warm soapy water and get out your scrubbing gear.
3. Before you pick up that first plate, pause for a minute and ground yourself. Feel you legs strongly planted into your kitchen floor. Draw energy upward into your legs, feeling a sensation of strength in your undertaking.
4. Slowly pick up that first dish and take note of it in great detail. You may want to identify its shape, texture, color, or the signature of the maker on the back. Notice the dish as if this was the first time you had ever looked at it.
5. Focusing entirely on the dish, begin to scrub in a consistent clockwise, energy-invoking direction. Keep your rounds evenly paced as you continue to wash in a circular motion until you feel a hypnotic sensation. Your mind should remain focused on the present actions and engaged in the task. Do you feel more relaxed?
6. Pick up the next dish and continue cleaning with the same process.
7. When it’s time to rinse the dishes, turn on the water and take note of the flow of the water from the faucet. Feel the comforting feeling of the water and temperature. Allow your hands to frequently interact with the water as you rinse the dishes.
8. Once a dish is cleaned, consciously recognize the transformational process from “dirty” to “clean.” How does this make you feel? I know that this may sound like a silly question, but there is a reward in this process. Recognize the feeling of completion and pleasing appearance of the clean dish as a minor sensation of satisfaction.
Your mind may begin to wander in this exercise, and that’s quite normal. One of the primary goals in meditation is to minimize or altogether overcome distractions, and stay focused on the task at hand. Transcend the initial repetition and boredom and begin to feel the joy of mindfulness. This process may take a little longer than usual, but there is much mental calmness and clarity you stand to gain.
I encourage you to bring this level of awareness into your activities, whether it is mopping the floor, vacuuming or washing windows. Can you begin to imagine how fulfilling a dreaded chore can become? You may even find this new cleaning process so rewarding you might even consider your own zen cleaning business… imagine that! Learn to approach life with this state of mind, as it will make every act worthy of doing
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