Cleaning House ~ an act of love
Long, long ago when I was a kid, I can recall just how much my mom worked, and how hard. Shortly after my parent’s split, my mother, having spent all her married life as a “homemaker” began working outside our home. She had to, and in the end, she held several jobs.
For a time, she worked cleaning other people’s homes, and I would sometimes accompany her. As nutty as it sounds, I actually have very fond memories of those times. In retrospect, I realize part of the reason is that I got to spend time with my mother; some of the only moments we spent any alone time together. I only just realized this.
Getting to be in the tidy homes of others, these folks who could afford to pay my mom to clean, was interesting, I thought. Probably not so much for her, but I loved seeing and feeling how a space could be transformed with a good dusting, moping or vacuuming. A little mirror cleaning or whatever other assignment she’d task me with. I remember getting totally into all the stuff she‘d hand over, and feeling really satisfied while doing so and once finishing up.
Oftentimes, in some of the households, they’d remind us to make sure and have lunch. “There’s plenty in the fridge” they’d say. Sliced sandwich meat, American cheese, bread, sometimes fruit too.
Alongside snacky memories, I remember the feeling, the satisfaction of leaving a space spruced up and lighter then when we arrived. Opened windows, cleaned fridge shelves, life crumbs cleared from silverware drawers, or whatever. How much different it felt, a feeling of transformation – energetically, once we’d reset the place, so to speak. There was an awareness too, even then, of how similarly but different we all inhabit our spaces. Places of refuge and sanctuary from the world beyond its borders. These borders, these containers meant to hold our selves, our dreams, desires, intentions… our very lives.
There was a certain reverence, that I somehow understood even then. I wasn’t consciously aware at the time about chi flow, as I know it now, or shifting energy. However, what I did know is that something was different, cause it felt fresh and revitalized after we rolled through. Not just the clean of it, something else, and that was sooo good.
When I fast forward from there, to my experience moving in with then boyfriend, and subsequent husband (no longer), I recall how much it took getting comfortable with having a cleaning woman. Angelica had been cleaning his place, which then became ours, for some time and they had a rhythm. For me though, at the beginning, it just felt awkward. Having someone else doing laundry and cleaning up after me was only something I’d experienced doing for others. She was super sweet though, and I came to adore her. All her hard work injected much needed time and ease into the mix, especially after becoming a new mom. Eventually I got quite used to all that goodness, and the awkward of it started to fade. And all the while, I experienced so much gratitude because of it. I’ll tell you though, there were times where I kinda missed the deep clean feeling that came along with doing it myself. And the ritual of it, you know – the opportunity to actively participate in the energy shifting nature of it.
The all-important ritualistic component, the conduit that was energetically me, was reallocated and got skipped. Not to worry though, we eventually had to give up that lifestyle perk. Now with only one income and a very expensive third person (by way of a newborn) added to the equation, well – it just wasn’t in the budget. 🙁
Through my life since then, I am continually filled with gratitude to have a practice that extends my reach as the primary gate keeper (so to speak) of our space, and the energy imprint it radiates. When participating mindfully, heartfully, I am in full awareness of the power behind my actions, behind all my INteraction.
Wherever I am consciously in awareness, activating an element or clearing an energy, for example. I am also actively nurturing our environment. I am healing it. I am increasing its energetic vibration. I am encouraging its potential, thus our own – all its inhabitants, and ostensibly all who cross its threshold. I am appreciating it. Showing it love. I am boosting it. Oiling its gears, ensuring it runs as smoothly as possible. That all its navigational parts, its guas – are humming and working in tandem, and harmoniously. The foundation from which, hopefully, all its messaging systems are conveying and connecting at full thrust. That it is a place of restoration, sustenance and support. All with a Feng Shui eye cultivated over time. An eye that understands the language, reads the room and cleans house.
All of this bestows a joy only I can imbue it with. This intimate connection to a space is ever unfolding, built up and layered over time. Yes, while it would be so lovely to have someone else do the “heavy lifting” from time to time, I am the gate keeper, doyenne of this domain. And honestly, it makes the sometimes blah job of cleaning just a bit more palatable, doesn’t it?
To all those who can and do farm it out, however often you do, more power to you too! It surely provides the wherewithal time wise, of tending to the other important aspects of the day to day. All the other ways you nurture your environment and life in and beyond the four walls. There are myriad opportunities to directly honor our spaces, and build on the good, clean energy generated by that person in your space, like me and my mom did or Angelica. It’s all worth expressing gratitude over.
And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve gotta go scrub down my bathroom. 😉
