Housework housework NA NA NA, Housework Housework No No No

[riotheclown]

In Hebrew, Ruah means breath as well as spirit

Housework and food were, for me, fraught with issues for most of my young womanhood.  It was not until I started to sit zazen and share in samu practice and orioki at Dainen'ji that the complexity of my conundrum hit me, fortunately at the same time I was struck by what a waste of time it was.

I also learned a few very practical things over the years:

1. Objects that relate to memories are great if they are not buried under a mountain of stuff that has become rotting garbage. If they really are important you give them "place". When they are no longer important you get rid of them (or take a photo and archive or donate to the Smithsonian or whatever...) but do not allow them to turn into garbage that you will need to bulldoze, or go ahead, BULLDOZE IT, but do it with intention and not because of the threat from the neighbours, or the city to evict you.

2. The less stuff you have the less of a deal cleaning becomes and the more satisfaction you have in the space. This is SO true.

3. Make the path were you walk. It has to make sense to your life.

4. Every morning make your bed until it is something you don't have to think about it. There is something deeply moving about acknowledging the place where we sleep. I learned this when I was gravely sick. Having a safe place to lay our heads is a wonderful thing. We make our beds to acknowledge that if we did not have this safe place to lay down our lives would be much more difficult. I realize there is a conflict between "not thinking about it" and "acknowledging it" but when I say "don't have to think about it" I mean in the sense of "oh shit I have to make the bed!" and instead acknowledging it as "gee this is a nice place to sleep  I am really glad I have such a nice bed/room to renew my energy in!" 

5. Limit the amount of time you spend with a timer if necessary or only a small space like a closet. Don't become obsessive If you get distracted and turn it into a never ending psychotic journey STOP! Go for a walk. Consider asking for help.

I have at times gotten really messed up and overwhelmed with cleaning. I have also gone to the opposite extreme and just lived with the mess threatening to swallow me. "Let it go." "just breathe" were good advice when I was overwhelmed with digging myself out of some really bad messes.

Perhaps this is not the day to do anything more but is in the fact the day when I should read a book...