I've been pretty focused and effective this week, except with housework. In fact, I've been putting things off all month. It's time for a reset, and some earnest time with housekeeping and order.
Agenda:
1. Read "The Art of Simple Living"
2. Discard what I don't need
3. Today's housecleaning catch-up
4. House blessing ceremony
1. Read "The Art of Simple Living":
I'm reading this little book by Shunmyo Masuno (2019), subtitled "100 Daily Practices from a Zen Buddhist Monk for a Lifetime of Calm and Joy". It's a compilation of many small habits we can adopt to bring us to inner peace, and feel less stressed.
#5: Discard what you don't need. It will refresh your mind. Part with old things before acquiring new ones. Okay, hold on - this is not a small habit! Let's take a look at this one in more depth...
2. Discard what I don't need:
One of my core values is Order: Cultivate the spiritual quality of Order, practicing habits of self-regulation and creative energy, instead of acting on impulse, or giving in to mental overwhelm.
Last month I set an intention to create order and simplicity in my sanctuary, so that everything I keep has a place, all things are honored, and I know what is in each space: Try a daily morning-10-things / afternoon-5-things ritual to help me break a habit of slothfulness (which is really mental overload), because outer order supports inner calm and resilience, and opens the time I need for being Godly.
It's time to renew and refine this practice, first with a structure - a sorting box and a give-away bag. Today I will place these in my writing room, which is next week's focus room.
Then with some micro-habit steps:
- 8 AM: Transition to Morning Order: Get dressed, and entirely clear one surface into the sorting box.
- 8:15: Morning Order: Reverently wipe and dust cleared surface, and sort back only essential items.
- (Later) Remove 10 items from sorting box each day
3. Today's housecleaning catch-up:
Every year in January I kick off a month of deep cleaning. My house has mold-related issues that are best done before we get any deeper into winter. This year, I've failed to do very much, but today I'm going to catch up:
- Clear and clean the refrigerator.
- Scrub the mold off the windowsills in kitchen and living room with detergent and warm water, then apply Borax solution and do not rinse, to help prevent mold from growing again.
- Wipe down the shower and bathroom caulk with a mold-inhibiting cleaner.
4. House blessing ceremony:
In January I generally make my annual round of blessing, but I've not done any yet. My own understanding of a house blessing is that the act of cleaning itself is a blessing on the house, and that sitting in a newly cleaned room is a good way to remember that we are each blessed, always and forever.
But I love a good ritual! My custom is to bless each room this month, first by cleaning it, then with a ritual, and then by remembering the blessings of life.
Preparation: Gather my sage bundle, a candle, matches, pine incense, and bath salts.
Start in the kitchen and living room:
1. Set the intention to clear out bad energy and invite in blessings.2. Light a candle, and from that ignite the sage. Once it catches, blow it out so that it smolders.3. Walk around each room and waft the smoke into every corner. As I walk I think about the intentions I set.
The bathroom is a place of cleansing, so today I'll enjoy a special cleansing and blessing ritual:
1. Fill a tub with hot water.2. Light the candle, and pine incense. Once it catches, blow it out so that it smolders. Say, “Fire & Air, spark & breath, intellect & spirit, be cleansed; cast out all that is hurtful, take in all that is healing.”
3. Add bath salts to the bath water, and say, “Earth & Water, outer & inner, body & soul, be cleansed, cast out all that is hurtful, take in all that is healing.”
4. Soak in the tub as long as I can, adding hot water as needed. Rinse off the salt water. Thank the spirits.
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