Present Moment, Wonderful Moment

I have to admit that I'm not much of a cook and things go downhill even faster in the housecleaning department. I have tried to embrace Thich Nhat Hanh's perspective in finding the holy in all things. He put together a beautiful set of cards entitled "Present Moment, Wonderful Moment" that remind us each moment is sacred. He encourages us not to wish a moment away but to view tasks, even unpleasant ones, as our spiritual work.


Above are the cards and here is the text for three of my favorite ones:

27. Washing Vegetables
In these fresh vegetables I see a green sun. All dharmas join together to make life possible.

43. Cleaning the Bathroom
How wonderful it is to scrub and clean. Day by day, the heart and mind grow clearer.

51. Recycling
In the garbage I see a rose. In the rose, I see the garbage. Everything is in transformation. Even permanence is impermanent.

So when I feel seeds of resentment that I have the only set of eyes in my house that recognize a toilet that is in dire need of attention; or when I feel overwhelmed that the house is cluttered and filled with too much stuff...I rejoice that I have such an abundant opportunity to do my spiritual work. Blogging about doing housework is also a nice way to make sure that you have the conceptual and theoretical components of the job well in hand before you actually pick up a broom.