Doing the Dishes
Maybe enlightenment can be found in the ordinary
There is an old Zen saying: “After enlightenment…the dishes.” Similarly, Brother Lawrence (1614-1691) served as a Carmelite lay brother in France. He’s known for his book, The Practice of the Presence of God. The most effective way Brother Lawrence had to communicate with God was to simply do his ordinary work. Yes, if you read that book, you will discover the spiritual enlightenment of washing dishes.
I’ve been surrounded by many dirty dishes in the past few weeks; grungy spots, hard-to-remove stains, freshly spattered tomato paste – the whole gamut. The once pristine glasses now have stains from red wine and the porcelain white bowls are ringed from sweet deserts now digested. All this, not to mention the stubborn rings in the coffee mugs. OK, I could easily run this metaphor down the drain. I think you get the idea…daily life and chores and work have consumed my time.
Who has time to read, write, and reflect on the Dynamis of Healing in Orthodox Theology and Depth Psychology? That new book looks so inviting, but I’ve barely cracked the introduction. Instead, the everydayness of everyday life is what beckons me lately.
What to Do?
In the midst of all this, I found that old Zen saying in a bookmark, in, yes, my copy of Brother Lawrence’s book. Somehow, I took a little solace in those words. So, this edition of the Notebooks of James Hazelwood is a brief reminder that sometimes the sacred shows up in the ordinary, in the raking of leaves, yeh even the muckraking of work, and of course in the dishes.
So wash away my friend, wash those dishes, and know you are good company with Carmelite monks and Zen Bodhisattvas.
I’ll return with a longer essay soon… after the dishes are washed.
James Hazelwood, author, bishop, and spiritual companion, is the author of Weird Wisdom for the Second Half of Life and Everyday Spirituality: Discover a Life of Hope, Peace, and Meaning. He has a new book in process, which is a collection of essays on the two realms of life. It is due out this winter. His website is www.jameshazelwood.net
Thank you so much for this reminder!
While walking our dog this past week I’d noticed an elderly Asian woman walking in the opposite direction. I’d wave and make a comment about the weather and then realized she spoke no English. 2 days ago I was in a zone, raking the leaves, when I noticed this women walking past my house. I decided to jog to her, shake her hands and pointed at myself, saying my name, then pointed at her, hoping she’d say a name…”Shoo-Chee” she responded, with a huge grin. Today I was again attacking the sea of New England leaves, lost in thought, listening to 80’s New Wave tunes, and there she was, shuffling past our house. As I worked to shut off the leaf mulching machine, remove my ear protectors and Bluetooth ear buds, she came up to me this time saying, “Ni Hao Erik, Ni Hao!”.