Meditation & Chores
Good things come in the mail…like my Hands On newsletter from the American Massage Therapy Association.
There was a brief column about how to “Anchor Your Routine” and how activities that seem like loathsome chores (washing the dishes, doing laundry, cleaning) can be a source of meditation and innner reflection. “Daily habits can anchor your thoughts and feelings…This morning take five minutes to turn a normal everyday habit into a mindful opportunity for deeper introspection.”
Consider the following as a guide:
*Select an activity or chore that you can commit to for five minutes, such as emptyng the dishwasher.
*Clear your mind of all cluttered thoughts and worries.
*Focus on the movements of your body to achieve this task.
*Be mindful of your breathing.
*Take notice of the natural rhythm of your hands, arms, legs and torso.
*Take a moment to fully expereince the satisfaction of completing the task. Imagine a lightness of being because you now have one less thing to do today.
AMTA’s Source: Five Good Minutes: 100 Morning Practices To Help You Stay Calm & Focused All Day Long by Jeffrey Brantley, M.D., psychiatrist and founder/director of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program at Duke University’s Center for Integrative Medicine and New Harbinger Publications, April 2005.