Those of us who live in rural places often seem to have an almost unlimited list of chores that need to be completed, both indoors and outside. Many of those tasks are seasonal, but there are parallels between them. And as we work on completing those items on our list, we can enter into a meditative mindset.
Much of this meditative mindset depends on our attitude toward those chores that need to be completed. There are times when we must hurry for some reason (health concerns, changing weather, inconvenient timing, or other factors). But the more we believe that we need to hurry to complete the task, the harder it is to find meditation in these repetitive efforts. Fortunately, many times we can find the mindset for meditation in the repetition.
Firewood ready to be stacked.
Working at stacking firewood falls into an easy flow of “pick it up, place it there” over and over. The effort does not usually require our complete attention or concentration. Similarly, walking behind (or riding on) a mowing machine for yard or field only requires intermittent attention. These types of outdoor chores are perfectly suited to giving our minds over to meditation.
When we enter into that meditative state while working, we can receive a number of benefits. Slow repetitive physical exertion allows our muscles to grow into functional strength and flexibility. We can also find a mental calm that may open the way to expanded creativity as well as potentially discover solutions to situations we are considering. Physical and mental relaxation are also benefits to this type of meditation. We can always find satisfaction in enhanced relaxation during our modern lives.
Physical work can lead to meditation which can build strength and flexibility into many aspects of our daily lives. Just as we increase our body’s strength and flexibility, we need to do the same for our mind. We also add relaxation and creative problem solving to our mental “tool box”. We can turn chores that are often called “mindless” into work that produces mindfulness on many levels. Try it some time and see how your mind and body react. The positive results may surprise you.