photo: Cielo de la Paz on flickr
How many times a day does the Divine speak to you?
Every five hours?
Five minutes?
Five seconds?
Although I would love to be an enlightened master with 24/7 access to Divine Wisdom, this is not how I currently roll.
When it comes to the spiritual path, I’m more of a get up, fall down, get up again kinda gal.
One minute I’m in the flow, feeling the Divine juju within and all around me. The next minute, my face is in the dirt and I’m wondering how I got there.
I know, dirt is Divine too. But it doesn’t taste that good.
photo: Jim Legans, Jr. on flickr
Which brings me to the dishes.
I don’t know about you, but washing dishes is not high on my list of Fun Things to Do.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a clean dish as much as the next person, but I’m not sure why I’m the one that needs to make it happen.
Actually, I do know.
In Melissa’s and my house, we divvy up the chores. She’s the outside chores person. Anything involving a car, a shopping list, and a retail outlet – that’s her gig.
photo: zinger on flickr
I don’t always like doing the dishes, but I loathe shopping.
That leaves me with the inside chores.
Laundry, dishes, cleaning the cat box. Anything that involves tidying the inside of the house, that’s my gig.
Which is why, the other day, I found myself at the sink, donning my rubber gloves and assisting the dishes in their transition from “dirty” to “clean.”
Only I wasn’t exactly happy about it.
I had spent the morning writing, and I was still buzzing from the experience.
Writing is one of those activities that takes me to a place beyond time. Hours can go by and I barely notice. It’s a way for me to touch the Divine. To feel the creative power in and around me.
But there I was, taking a break from writing and washing the dishes.
photo: Boston Public Library on flickr
I felt impatient. I wanted to strip off my rubber gloves and get to “better” things. More “spiritual” things.
And that’s when it happened. That’s when the Divine broke through.
I heard a voice. One of those kind of voices. The voice of reason. The voice of wisdom. It said:
If you can’t find the Divine everywhere, you can’t find the Divine anywhere.
I’m the kind of person that likes to talk back to my Divine Revelations, so I immediately countered with the fact that there are some situations that are easier to feel the Divine.
Like writing. And listening to music.
photo: Jiaren Lau on flickr
But the voice was still right.
I looked at my hands – or my rubber gloves, rather – holding a plate.
This plate is Divine.
I took a breath.
This breath is Divine.
I couldn’t hide from the fact that the Divine is everywhere, in everything. If I think it exists more fully in some things than others, I am sorely mistaken.
That’s what the voice was reminding me.
If you can’t find the Divine everywhere, you can’t find the Divine anywhere.
photo: sam on flickr
I would love to say that now I can’t wait to do the dishes. That every minute spent with suds and rubber gloves is a moment of pure, unadulterated enlightenment.
Not so much.
But I do remember the voice. And what it said. It reminds me to pay attention.
No matter what I’m doing.
Indeed, it’s often in those places and activities that seem the least “spiritual” that Spirit breaks through.
After all, It is everywhere. And It loves to show Its divine, glorious self.
So the next time you’re washing dishes, or taking out the trash, or paying the bills, remember What’s there with you.
And not only with you, but as you. The dishes, the bills, your hand writing the check – the whole shebang. Divine. Awe-some. Incredible.
The voice told me so.
photo: ElizaC3 on flickr
When has the Divine spoken to you? What did it say? Share your comments below!
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I read your post, Z, and will now head downstairs to do some housecleaning. Not much housecleaning, mind you. I break it into small segments and do some every weekday. I’ve found that by taking chores in small bites, they’re much less of a big deal in my mind.
And then I try to make drudgery as fun as possible by having a TV show going, or the radio, or an Abraham clip on YouTube. I now honestly find that routine chores help my creativity by giving me a breather from the writing I do on ye olde computer. Housework or yard work is a complete change of pace and also affords some exercise.
The message that I receive every moment from the Divine is, “Have fun with your life. And if you can’t have fun at the moment, have a little less non-fun and boredom. Find ways to spice things up.”
Someone asked Abraham what is the purpose of life, and they replied that is like asking what is the purpose of riding a surfboard on the ocean. You don’t do it to try to smooth out the ocean or to try to show the fish how to swim on top of the sea. You obviously do it for the joy, you do it for the thrill of it.
That’s why we’re here — for the joy, for the thrill. And now I’ll go downstairs and thrill myself with a bit of dusting, savoring how good I’ll feel when it’s done. And it will be a great chance to sing a silly song at the top of my lungs, since nobody’s around but me and the dust bunnies, and they never tell me to pipe down. Oooh, almost can’t wait. 🙂
Hi Karen,
Sounds like you have a clean and happy house. I keep thinking of the song “Whistle While You Work.” Except you’re singing at the top of your lungs. Even more fun! Say Hi to the dust bunnies for me. 🙂
XOZ
I really liked your blog today, Z, because I am a dish washing challenged person. One of a ‘few’ challenges and I so relate. It was an excellent reminder to me to listen and really see things.
If I can look down from my window which lets me see across our valley here in Oregon to the beautiful far mountains, I can also see a beautiful dish. When I see the dish that I inherited from my grandmother and all the wonderful laughter around a table filled with food piled high on many such dishes, it helps. Then I know the Divine Artist is whispering,”It’s all in your perception.” By the time I hear that, the dish is done and I feel happy.
Keep reminding us Z! It helps!
Hi River,
First of all, I’m thinking that maybe I should start picturing a beautiful valley outside my window while I’m doing the dishes. It might make it even more fun. And Divine.
And I love the image of your grandmother’s plate and all the wonderful family meals it was a part of. Beautiful! 🙂
XOZ
Thanks. Careful about picturing that valley. You may end up moving here!! *grins*
Yeah, I’ll be careful. Though the Divine is always right, so if it happens, it happens! 🙂
Dear Z. I’m catching up on a few of your recent blogs. I want to say thank you for writing about the every day hang ups that many of us on the spiritual path and those who are not run into. And because I like to forget that my being a part of this spiritual community doesn’t exempt me from these same issues your blog puts it all back into perspective for me. Everything I do during the course of my day can be a connection with the Divine. Hugs. Bonita.
Hi Bonnie!!
Great to “see” you here! I’m glad that you’re enjoying the blog! And yes, we all get to be human together. Yay! Okay, sometimes it’s not-so-Yay, but we’re all in it together, so that’s the good part. 🙂
Hugs back,
XOZ
You have an amazing writing style! I’m happy I found your blog and I think to visit it often! Keep posting! You are unique and i admire your spiritual soaring! You are really inspiring!
Hi Amelia,
Thanks for stopping by. Glad you are enjoying the blog! I like the term “spiritual soaring.” I hope you are doing some of the same. 🙂
XOZ
Thank you, Z! I really needed inspiration and here you are, I think that in my case Divine spoke to me through your words! Thank you again!
Hi Misty,
Awesome. I love that this post spoke to you.
I also love it because this post is deep in the archives of this site, so that means that the archives are being accessed. Yay!
Thanks for commenting,
XOZ
Thanks Z! I appreciate your unique and uplifting reminders. I had a similar dish washing experience several years ago when my my partner, Veronica, did the cooking and my task was doing the dishes. Now (at age 77) I am living with my daughter and I do the cooking and the dishes with LOVE and with Gratitude that I am still capable of doing these tasks.
Rev. C
Hi Rev. Carol,
I love that you’re still doing dishes with LOVE. So beautiful. Thank you for sharing this. 🙂
BIG Love,
Z