The Spirituality of Spring Cleaning
By Legend, 15th Apr 2011 | Follow this author
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Posted in WikinutGuidesHousekeepingCleaning
Spring is a time of blooming and blossoming. spring is also a time for cleaning the house. Here are some thoughts on combining the two concepts.
Springtime a time for blooming
Spring is when all the flowers begin to burst into bloom after the long and cold winter. The beautiful sights of spring include all the spring flowers, many of which bear the portents of fruit which will eventually grow to ripening. Taking a walk on a pleasant spring morning, inhaling the scents of the blossoms is part of the great exhilarating experience that is Spring. In Judaism, the essence of this experience is aptly symbolized by a special blessing which is to be recited in the Spring the first time that one sees a pair of blossoming fruit trees. in this blessing we thank the creator for creating lovely creations and beings in order to provide enjoyment for mankind.
Spring cleaning
Springtime is not only a time for blooming, it is also a time for cleaning house. In English, we have the expression "Spring cleaning". In Judaism, the holiday of Pesach - Passover is defined as a Spring holiday (in fact the actual date of Passover was originally determined by the Spring Season!). Passover is also a time for cleaning. Apparently, there is a fundamental relationship between Springtime and its blossoms and house cleaning which crosses cultures and is ingrained into the very soul of mankind.
Cleaning and blooming
One might say that in fact the cleaning and the blooming which are both part of the spring season are in fact two sides of the same coin. Whereas cleaning involves removal of the accumulated waste and refining of existing objects (or areas - like the rooms of a house), blooming involves beginning the process of bringing to fruit ingrained traits and processes. Both of these, the removal of unwanted things and the creation of new aspects, are part of the way in which the world strives to become a more beautiful and special place.
What this means for us
For us, the people who must toil during spring and after it over our cleaning and chores these thoughts can transform the process of sweeping the floor, folding clothes, painting the house and all other relevant labors into a spiritually uplifting process where although we are dusting the furniture we are actually removing the dust from ourselves and the shining sheen of polished silverware actually reflect our personal labor of self assessment and cleansing which serves to makes us better people in our eyes and in the eyes of all about us. Not only that, but much like cleaning and renovating can become a catching thing amongst neighbors where if one paints his fence, the rest will soon follow suit, so to can this sort of internal cleaning which can often succeed in bringing good out of the people around you.
At least, that is what I am going to be meditating about during my spring cleaning!
Comments
19th May 2011 (#)
Hey, great insight!
I love the idea of transforming house cleaning into something deep and spiritual
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