PHOTO © ALEX CARRILLO
Are you familiar with Jack Kornfield? He is one of the preeminent Buddhist teachers in the United States. Among his many contributions, he brought insight meditation to the West and is the author of numerous accessible and enlightening books.
The title and focus of one of his books seems especially appropriate today as a reflection of the astrological energies. It is called After The Ecstasy, The Laundry. As noted on Kornfield’s website, the book explores how:
“Unbounded freedom and joy, oneness with the divine…these experiences are more common than you know, and not far away. But even after achieving such realization – after the ecstasy – we are faced with the day-to-day task of translating that freedom into our imperfect lives. We are faced with the laundry.”
Why does this especially reflect today’s energies? With the Sun in gaining-understanding-is-my-mission Sagittarius squaring the Moon in beauty-is-in-the-mundane Virgo, we may pulled between focusing on the big picture and honing in on the moment-by-moment details. Yet, as Kornfield reminds us, they are not inherently separate. Meaning exists in everything, no matter how large or small, seemingly grand or ordinary. So today, see how you can find significance in everything you do and how each moment can truly lead to understanding, self-awareness, and a greater sense of enlightenment. Even the laundry.
Every time I do my laundry, I think of my maternal Grandmother.
I am one generation from pumping water by hand and boiling it in the yard on wash day – and that’s just the beginning.
My machine filling with clean warm water is always a miracle.
Comment by eM — December 10, 2009 @ 11:49 am