The Sacred Art of Cleaning

How do you feel when you think of your home? Is it the place of refuge it is meant to be, or does it just add to the challenges of your daily life.

How do you respond to household tasks and decluttering projects? Are they something you joyfully engage in and regularly keep on top of? Or do you tend to put them off until you can no longer ignore them?

This ritual is a joyful way to appreciate the gifts your home wishes to bring to you and offers an opportunity to instantly, actively engage in that manifestation. 

When we consider the full value of  sorting, cleaning, tidying and restoring, these menial tasks have the capacity to cease being an irritating niggle or unworthy, time consuming task. 

Both in the act of engagement, and in the final appreciation of the completed task, you have an opportunity to engage in sacred connection in a way that you may never have considered before.

Begin With Love

Before you actively engage in your task, it is important to make this a sacred space for you, your possessions and your surroundings. Even before you consider what is required, or the tools you may need, this is a good time to light a candle. If you prefer not to use candles, find something else to bring a symbolic sacred element to your project.  Above all else, please don’t bypass this stage, it is important.

When you are ready, enter the space that needs your attention. Place the candle, or sacred symbol before you, breathe deeply, and take a good look around the room.

• What are the stories you are running about this space?
• What are the things you believe you ‘should’ or ‘must’ do? 
• What is it that irritates or offends you about this space? 
• Or, if you are cleaning for someone else, or in preparation for visitors, what is it that you think may irritate or offend others about the current state of this space? 
• What would you like to achieve here and why? 
• What would you like to feel when your work is complete?

Whatever arises, there are no rights or wrongs, these are simply observations and information that can support you in turning this into a joyful celebration of yourself and your home. 

Smile, and breathe into that place of well-being and allow it to fill you. Imagine yourself coming into this space and feeling a sense of loving satisfaction every day. If you’re cleaning and clearing for someone else, imagine how they may feel in this space.

In this stage I am inviting you to begin the active art of clearing with a healthy loving attitude. What was once a task that required tackling and overcoming, now has the opportunity to be an expression of your love in action.

Reverence

When it comes to cleansing a space, some people like to use smudge sticks, incense, candles or chants. If this works for you, go ahead and include it. However, what’s often overlooked is the equal value and sacred elements a duster, vacuum cleaner, or simple bowl of water and damp cleaning rag can bring to a space. If you use these items with the same intent and reverence, you will be well on the way to fully understanding the sacred art of cleaning and revitalising a space.

As you gather together all the tools you may need, give thanks for each item and the practical support it offers in making your work easy.

Each one of these items is a creation; a coming together of labour and materials through the creative expression and active will of human endeavour. Even when mass produced by factory processes, the origins of the product lie in the innovative imagination and creation that manifested this into a practical tool for your benefit. It is a gift and a blessing in your life.

Appreciation

Now is the time to empty the space you wish to clean. As you move or remove each item, take the time to wash or dust it with full appreciation of its purpose. Reflect on its origins and the value it brings or has brought to you or someone else.

Whether it is a symbol of beauty, a memory of an occasion or simply has a practical purpose, each piece deserves your attention and gratitude for its existence in this world. Take the time to fully honour that – even with the things you wish to remove or permanently  release.

Equally important is the room itself. As you dust, vacuum or clean fixtures, surfaces, windows, walls ceilings and floors, consider the value of this space, the human endeavour that created it and the purpose it has served for you and those who used it before you.

When you have finished cleaning, remove, clean and consciously put away your tools with equal reverence and gratitude for their participation.

Transformation

Now is a good time to take a well earned break. It is also a good time to refresh and revitalise your body with the same conscious appreciation you applied to clearing and cleaning your space.

When you are ready, return to your newly cleansed space. Take your time to sit quietly, appreciate your work and fully consider this final act of transformation. 

Reflect on how you want this space to be used. How do you want to feel when you or others enter the room? How are you or others likely to use this space? What do you need to bring back into this space to make that happen? What do you need to permanently release or remove from the space?

With these thoughts in mind, it is time to return each of your possessions and consider their placement in the light of practicality and beauty. Both are equally important in this harmonious act of creation and both have relevance to the way a person experiences a place. When everything is clean and well situated the space will be aesthetically pleasing and easy to use.

Feng Shui invites people to engage in the act of placing items in order to manifest the best outcomes and sense of well-being. If this appeals to you, then go ahead and explore it. However, simply observing how you feel when you enter and use a room is sufficient. Giving loving attention to that is the key to satisfactorily completing this project.

Holy Unity

Once everything is in place, your cleaning and restoration work appears to be complete. However, there is one final element that still requires your full attention.

When we work with love, reverence and appreciation in the way we have throughout this ritual, the transformation that takes place is imbued with a powerful energy that is often sensed by others. There have been many times people have commented on the peaceful atmosphere present in the rooms I care for. And I am aware that others working in this way have similar responses.

I have come to understand that the difference is not in the cleaning process. The tools and methods I use are not unique in any way. The difference resides in the elements of care and loving attention given to the task. 

When we bring this loving attention to everything we do, I believe we honour the true nature and rightful intention of humanity in this world. I believe this is where Creator and Creation become One in the Holy Unity of all.

Therefore, this act of service is worthy of your final blessing.

Blessing & Release

Bring your loving presence back to stillness. If your candle or sacred object has been moved, bring it back into position before you. Give thanks for the physical capacity you’ve had to complete this task. Give thanks for the creative spirit within you that has enabled you to transform this space with your loving energy. Honour and acknowledge what you offer as a gift for yourself and anyone else who may enter this space. 

Take your time to appreciate what you have created and honour everything that has supported you in this. When you are ready, and before extinguishing your candle or releasing your sacred object, offer one final spoken word of gratitude as a bestowing blessing on this newly transformed space.

This gift is offered in loving appreciation for all that you are,
and comes with many blessings for all you may become.