Everyday Meditation In Repetitive Tasks
The idealized vision of a holy man sitting in deep meditation in a cave can sometimes lead us to believe that in order to attain, or maintain, enlightenment, we must abandon the commonplace world most of us inhabit. But many realized men and women have attested to the fact that the true test of enlightened awareness is the ability to live the ordinary life in an extraordinary way; and that to live in a spectacular world full of magic and beauty, we need only see the world we live in with more open eyes.
We have a tendency to view many of the repetitive tasks that fill our daily lives as something to be gotten through so we can get to the experiences we consider desirable, or transcendental. But the chores on our "to do" list, in and of themselves, are gateways to the enlightened state of mind. Every moment is an opportunity to awaken.
It can be difficult to believe that brushing your teeth could be as much fun as going to Paris, or as enlightening as a meditation retreat, but maybe it can. For people in an expanded state of awareness, every moment is miraculous and wild, and we all have access to this state of mind.
A powerful way to open ourselves more deeply to the world we think we know so well is to try to forget everything we think we know. Imagine you just suddenly found yourself in your body and are exploring the possibilities of having arms and legs for the first time. Imagine you have never seen a toothbrush before, or a pen, or a fork. Where did these things come from? The truth is, without even having to pretend, there is a great deal we do not know, and engaging with that mystery can imbue the cyclical tasks of our lives with new life.
When washing dishes, for example, we can take the time to tune into our breath and the sound of running water; the sensation of holding a wet plate in one hand and scrubbing it with the other; the colors and shapes of each item we wash. In this way, we transform a recurring chore into an exploration and appreciation of the mystery of being.
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