Introduction & the Metaphysics of Homemaking

This year, I chose 12 New Years Resolutions- 1 for each month:

January- Be Organized
February- Be Romantic
March- Be Frugal
April- Be Healthy
May- Be Festive
June- Be Cheerful
July- Be Creative
August- Be Visionary
September- Be Prepared
October- Be Generous
November- Be Resourceful
December- Be Intuitive

Incidentally, I was recently thinking about starting a blog. A few days later I was talking with Courtney and she asked me… “Have you ever thought of starting a blog?”. So, in the interest of having some moral support and accountability to bringing my resolutions to fruition, here is my blog. May it *at best* inspire, and *at least* keep my friends in touch.

So- January is “Be Organized”. Today was a great start. First of all, I did this:

I really should have taken a “before” picture so you could see the difference. I used to have a million things on my desk. My husband has, since the time we were married, urged me to take everything off and leave it open and clear. Where would I put the printer? What about my iMac? Well, I have a laptop to replace the old iMac (now we just use it to watch movies anyway, since we have no tv) and I set my printer in a nearby bookcase. Words cannot explain the feeling I have when I sit down at my desk now. Amazingly, it translates into a clear mind.

Having recently begun the study of Feng Shui, the layout of the room my desk is in just so happens to be commonly associated with “’Contemplation’ or ‘Inner Knowledge’- new learning, introspection, meditation, and inner guidance”. While I believe that our physical surroundings and lack of “Feng Shui” are not necessarily an impediment to the various aspects of our lives they correspond with, I have found Feng Shui to be incredibly enriching in the same way, as perhaps, going to church is a strengthening experience. It causes me to perform mental maintenance on the intangible areas of my life, simply because I am reminded of them as I enter each room. Being mindful of the fact that this room represents “Contemplation” causes me to evaluate the depth of my recent contemplations. If they are scarce, I think…hmm… how can I stimulate this area of my life? Remember the story of the woman with the “issue of blood” who simply touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and was healed? It was her faith, “activated” by her physical gesture, which brought her healing. Likewise, I might decide to light a candle, hang a prism in the window, or add a plant to this room to stimulate or stir up the dynamic there.

So, my desk is clear. I have a plant (something living and growing), a photo of my husband and I (foundational and grounding in my life), a pencil sharpener (I thought this was symbolic for mental “sharpness”), and a candle and lamp on it. I light the candle every time I sit down to stimulate light and warmth of thought. I might be rushed, harried, chaotic; but when I sit down now to this intentional, thoughtful surrounding, I am reminded of my goals and inspired to achieve them.

On to the kitchen!

While it is my goal to have the dishes done every night, sometimes this doesn’t happen. However, my “baby step” is that AT LEAST all the counters/surfaces are wiped clean, old food tossed, and dishes set to soak in a dishpan ON ONE SIDE of the sink. All the huge things (cutting boards, pots) must be washed. So instead of a crusty counter, dried on scum, and a pile of dishes in both sides of the sink, which gives me a HUGE “sinking” feeling (no pun intended) the second I think of it when I wake up… I have this much more manageable picture:

This symbolizes that I am setting myself up to meet the task with clarity and cheer. To further augment this, I have decided that every time I must leave something undone, I will leave myself an “incentive”. Maybe some days it will be a piece of chocolate on the windowsill. Today, it is this:

A candle and incense waiting to be lit, and my Badger Yoga and Meditation Balm ready for me. I have had the pleasure of having lunch with Badger Bill, owner of the company, and he says that simply the artwork alone on his tins have a healing effect. =)

So, tomorrow morning when I am ready to do the backlog, there will be incentive in the form of gentle reminders of the meaning and purpose in my work, and that it is work to be done with good intentions and the knowledge that dishwashing is, metaphysically speaking, the “spiritual alchemy” of the homemaker. I am also thinking of having a binder tucked under the sink with some print-outs of Grimm’s tales to refer to (it’s been a long time since I read it myself and I need refreshing!). It turns out dish duty is way more appealing to my 3 yr old when he gets to hear about Jack and the Beanstalk as he dries dishes! I don’t even have to ask him to dry… I just pull a chair up to the counter and start telling the story and have an instant volunteer!

Before I sign off for this time, I have to recommend a couple books. “Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui” by Karen Kingston, and “Clear the Clutter: Make Space for Your Life” by Inge van der Ploeg. And that reminds me! Where would I be without my “Heavenly Home Guide”? I’ve mentioned it to a few of you and purposed to make some as gifts, and have had a couple suggestions to publish it… well, Val down at the gift shop has offered to help me in that pursuit and sell it there. Who knows?

The guide introduction offers a good snapshot of my ideals about my role and purpose at this junction of my life. It says,

"The very first way we touch our families with a sense of 'home' is by holding this vision in our own hearts. If we think of our home, speak of our home, and move and work within our home as though it is a vital, warm, and thoughtfully maintained place, we will, without words , convey this message to all who come within. This means we do not complete household duties and chores with an attitude of 'getting it over with' rather, we truly engage ourselves in completing our tasks, embuing them with our goodwill and creativity. Washing dishes is not drudgery, but a form of household alchemy. This is especially necessary for those with small children, who imitate not only our words and actions, but the spirit behind them. They 'drink in' the hardness or softness of our face, the cheerfulness or frustration in our posture, the very attitude we convey. We shape their attitude towards work, even when they are infants observing our 'mundane' chores.

What is a house without warmth? In modern times we often take for granted the concept of warmth. Many need only flick a switch to start a central heating system. Living with a wood stove as a primary source of heat, I have come to realize that warmth, in its natural, spiritual form, takes time and effort. A wood fire produces the ultimate light and heat, a warmth which no electric or gas source can match on a sensory level (a good reason to fill our homes with candlelight, especially at meal times!). A good fire requires time to light and maintain. Likewise, the warmth of a home requires time and maintenance. Just as I return from a long trip to find
my fire dying and embers cooling, when my attentions have been elsewhere, the spiritual and emotional warmth of my home fades. Just as our ancestors were drawn to the hearth as the center of all home activity, on a spiritual level our greatest tasks as homemakers is to create an 'emotional hearth'- a place where our hearts are warmed, our faces brightened with light, and our spiritual nourishment is prepared.

How do we provide emotional and spiritual nourishment for our loved ones? While there may be many “right” answers to this question, I have found the basis for meeting my family’s non-physical needs is to serve as a medium in helping them observe and identify with the natural rhythms of life- be it waking and eating; the days of the week and their unique landscapes; spring, summer, autumn and winter; or celebrating holy days, festivals, and simple rites of passage. While mere outward observance of these can become ritualistic and dry, it is exactly at this point when life becomes ritualistic and dry. A skilled homemaker helps enliven and create meaningful traditions which breathe spirit and purpose back into our souls. It has been said that, as young children, the daily routines and ways our days were ordered contribute to the very order and rhythm of our internal organs and processes. For example, when meals and snacks are served to young children consistently (both at a set time and following the same activity), their digestive systems become attuned and their body systems begin to run on an internal “clock”. This in turn affects blood sugar and sense of well-being and emotional balance. I believe, on a larger scale, our bodies are also impacted greatly by our observance of weather, season, and holidays; they bring order to the mind and emotions as they cover the great themes and symbols which life encompasses and which were set in place by our Creator to guide us. The liturgical year, or church calendar, for instance, urges us to seek light when we are surrounded by darkness (Michaelmas) and to kindle hope in the darkest times (Advent). What vital lessons to apply in all aspects of life. Practically, we do this in establishing routines for the day (young children love to mark these tasks with related songs), seasonally decorating our homes, and creating traditions and capturing them (photos, scrapbooks, even a family journal). Eating with the seasons can be a special way to do this; we can save certain meals for their respective seasons and prepare special holiday dishes to be anticipated each year.

Finally, how can we make our homes a place of rest? When we consider that the enemy of a restful state would be chaos, we can see that organization creates a peaceful atmosphere in our home..."

And thus I have come full circle, back to the resolution for this month... "Be Organized".