Amongst my house care chores, I include a Blessing Hour most weeks. I set a timer for 10-15 minutes, & go through a round in each room. If I do a couple of rounds, I take a 10-15 minute break after an hour.
Salt in small saucer
Blessing Hour - is a process by which everything in your home supports & nurtures your essence.- Open windows, put on happy music, light a candle & some incense, brew some tea
- Put salt in a bowl (dump 24 hours later)
- Bedroom: Make your bed, pick up clothes, tidy surfaces, sweep
- Kitchen: wash any dishes, clear the counters, put away anything out of place, sweep
- Living room: clear surfaces, piles, paper, clothes, sweep,
- Bathroom: swish & swipe (toilet, counters), wash the mirrors, hang clean towels, sweep
- Break: Relax, admire, drink tea
Medicine Basket
- 2nd round: (you can cycle through several times, or stop at one!)
- 10 minutes in any room that needs a bit more - Kitchen, Living Room, bedroom
- Do a load of Laundry (wash, dry, put away)
- Take a breaks as you need them. You may wish to go outside & admire the day (yes, even if it's raining or blustery!)
- If you have rugs, take them out & give them a good shake or pop them in the wash.
- Sweep the porch / front walk
- Take out garbage & recycling
- Round Three
- If you have a drum, rattle or bell, make a round through the rooms making some good noise! Take time to listen for shifts in the sound, & notice any corners that need attention.
- Put a pinch of cinnamon in your palm, step outside and blow it on your front door, to welcome in blessings and good fortune.
- Check out Amanda GibbyPeters' podcast on using cinnamon, citrus and salt for a quick refresh.
Another practice I like incorporating is a 'Walk Through' My mom did this naturally ....
On her blog 'Dragonflies & Me,' Jean writes: "The walk through is simply going through a room, picking up everything that is out-of-place AND putting it away where it belongs. Simple eh?"
What would you add to your Blessing Hour?
Do you do periodic walk throughs?
That’s quite the routine! I admire your dedication, energy and the mindful touch you bring to every task.
ReplyDeleteIt's something i aspire to - it's on my chore rota - so a day to give each room attention - and tidy up anything missed earlier on the week.
DeleteNadya
You have an interesting concept of blessing hour. For me, my blessing hour is praying to "God" Almighty in heaven and thanking Him with gratitude for all my blessings.
ReplyDeleteAh yes - gratitude weaves throughout my day as well. As so beautifully said by Meister Eckhart, "If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough."
DeleteA line in my Tsalagi (Cherokee) morning blessing thanks earth (e-lo-hi) and the heavens (ga-lu-lo-hi), invites peace/ serenity (do-hi), offers gratuitude (ga-li-i-li-ga), and affirms, as Julian did, all is well (o-s-da)
I love this. I tend to set aside time to clean the whole house and sometimes mentally can't get into it. The Blessing Hour and Walk Through methods are definitely more managable. I am definitely going to do both...
ReplyDeleteYes! I've done marathons in the past - not so good!
DeleteI have enjoyed times with roommates when we've had a good home tending routine - and some basic daily tasks.
Wow. What great ideas!! I love your medicine basket and bowl of salt. I wouldn't make it through three rounds unless they were on separate days. I have a bell, but I'm not sure how I'd know if the sound changed. I usually just sweep the rooms energetically. I'll have to think about how I might incorporate these practices.
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you, Jeanine! And yes - unless I'm really behind, i don't do more than 1 find and a little blessing.
DeleteI'm also thinking this would be a good new moon practice
Oh, I love this ritual. I shall do a walk through and whatever comes up in my mind to bless. Thanks Nadya.
ReplyDelete