Zen and the Art of Housekeeping: The Path to Finding Meaning in Your Cleaning

by Lauren Cassel Brownell

Learn to be at peace and attain enlightenment while doing all the “little” things around the house in this guide to becoming one with your home and gaining an elevated sense of being.

Wash the dishes, do the laundry, mop the floors, scrub the toilets, make the beds, vacuum the rugs…the list goes on and on, with little time to stop, breathe, and take in your beautiful surroundings. Now you can.

Zen and the Art of Housekeeping challenges you to put more than elbow grease into your daily routine. You’ll learn how to spirit yourself away during mundane chores as you muse over thought-provoking Zen koans If the kitchen is the heart of the home, what is the heart of the kitchen? What is the color of clean? If the purpose of cleaning is to remove dirt, what is the purpose of dirt? What fills empty spaces? Whose footprints are on your floor?

With Zen and the Art of Housekeeping , you’ll scrub your way to enlightenment—and a spotless sink.

Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality, Philosophy

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

After having lived in apartment after apartment, I always thought I'd move into a house and enjoy "playing house." But really, it annoys the crap out of me. I thought maybe Zen and the Art of Housekeeping might help, and surprisingly, it does, a little. There are, however, a couple of things that bug me about it.

First, the audience chosen by the author is mothers, and it makes me wonder where the men, DINKs, and single women fit into the picture. It really irritates me.

Second, I'd prefer it if the author didn't assume that everyone goes to church on Sunday. That irritates me too. So, in order to reconcile these issues, I think the title can remain Zen and the Art of Housekeeping but should be subtitled "For Christian Mothers." Ok, venting over.

Still, I give this book 3 stars because the principles are there. It begs the question, why fight or dislike something that is necessary? It also drops little jewels of meditation and some tips for non-toxic cleaning. Lastly, it can be used as a very general introduction to following the path of Zen. Right now, for me, it's serving as a coffee table book and is proving to be a lively conversation starter.

[Starr · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think there are some really good intentions in this book. However, I had a hard time reconciling the message of purity and "Green" with the suggestion to use disposable toilet brushes and the family of Swiffer products. Also, I can't imagine that using Lysol is a green or zen practice! Perhaps the author should read up on studies that suggest over-cleaning can lead to autoimmune disorders (including thyroid problems that she herself suffers from). Germs are not always a bad thing.

Also, I take issue with suggestions like "throw away all your make-up and buy new" or "go buy containers for all your stuff". Let's lay off the purchasing and turn inward to more creative solutions.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found plenty of sound advice in Zen and the Art of Housekeeping: The Path to Finding Meaning in Your Cleaning. I also felt some conflict with the being green and disposable toilet brushes. However, the author was definitely on my wavelength and clued to how I usually feel about cleaning, especially the part about desire and things we want and then cleaning an old carpet and kind of feeling unsatisfied, there was need for a deeper acceptance. It brought home how much our desires and the keeping up with the Joneses can actually create a brick wall and keep us in a constant state of wanting. Of course, there are also the judgements people make about our house as reflecting something about the individual, especially the woman. More than anything, our family deserve a peaceful living space. Clean with the seasons and celebrate renewal. Achieve enlightenment through cleaning with meaning. All in all, the message made its way through and I can relate with a writer that actually started off as disorganized.

I don't think we needed a guilt-trip to mop the floor ;-D

When you don't feel like you can possibly fold one more towel or mop one more floor, when the joy of implementing your rituals escapes you, think of the survivors of tragedies like Hurricane Katrina who would love to have the luxury of having a floor to mop.

[ukuklele · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel very strongly that anyone who gives you little items such as vases, statues, or anything else that you need to dust should be shot. (halaman 104)

Seperti yang terlihat pada judulnya, gagasan dalam buku ini secara umum dikembangkan dari ajaran Buddha Zen. Walau begitu, ada yang bisa saya kaitkan dengan ajaran agama saya sendiri. Contohnya, dikatakan bahwa one of the essences of Zen teaching is nonattachment (bab satu) sedang agama saya sendiri mengajarkan bahwa segala yang kita miliki di dunia ini merupakan titipan yang akan dipertanggungjawabkan kelak di akhirat. Penulis buku ini pun bukan berarti penganut Buddha. Malah berkali-kali ia menyebut soal pergi ke gereja. Jadi ambil kebajikan yang umum saja.

Banyak gagasan dalam buku ini sudah saya alami sendiri dalam menjalankan rutinitas bebersih. Misalnya, saat mencuci piring atau menyapu-mengepel itu memang dapat memunculkan banyak ide walaupun tidak selalu. Mengerjakannya sembari berzikir (yang agaknya dapat diserupakan dengan merapal afirmasi atau mantra dalam tradisi lain) pun sudah pernah dilakukan. Demikian juga dengan seven factors of enlightenment yang terdiri dari mindful, investigate, energy, tranquility, concentrate, equanimity, and rapture itu pun sepertinya penah saya terapkan saat menemukan muntahan kucing, yah, terutama tahap investigate itu--siapa lagi pelakunya kalau bukan si Uk-uk-murukutuk???!?!?!--sehingga akibatnya saya membersihkan seluruh meja. Membuat sistem dan Master List (kiranya semacam jadwal) pun sudah seperti obsesi bagi saya untuk mengutak-atiknya terus mencari target yang realistis dalam mengatasi bosan dan capek.

Pembagian bab dalam buku ini berdasarkan pada jenis-jenis pekerjaan rumah, sebagai berikut.

Bab 1. Dasar ajaran Zen dikaitkan dengan aktivitas mengurus rumah
Bab 2. Membersihkan area dapur yang dianggap sebagai jantungnya rumah
Bab 3. Membersihkan pakaian
Bab 4. Membersihkan kamar mandi
Bab 5. Membersihkan lantai
Bab 6. Melibatkan anak-anak dan suami agar turut menjaga kebersihan dan kerapian rumah
Bab 7. Membereskan barang-barang, menyingkirkan yang tidak diperlukan, dan membersihkan sisanya
Bab 8. Bersih-bersih secara ramah lingkungan
Bab 9. Bersih-bersih menurut musim
Bab 10. Inspirasi dari tradisi Zen seperti membuat taman, merancang bunga, dan menata meja
Apendiks A. Daftar rujukan buku dan website
Apendiks B. Membersihkan dan menata garasi, loteng, dan rubanah yang kerap menjadi gudang tak terurus
Apendiks C. Trivia
Apendiks D. Kamus kecil istilah ketimuran yang dipergunakan dalam buku ini

Setiap bab memberikan tip dan trik menurut pokok pembahasannya. Ada sebagian di antaranya yang baru saya ketahui, khususnya pada bab tiga tentang mencuci pakaian. Bahkan feng shui pun turut disertakan dalam bab tujuh sebagai masukan untuk menata perabot. Khusus bab sembilan tidak applicable/relatable buat saya karena penulis buku ini merujuk pada keadaan tempat tinggalnya yang memiliki empat musim. Sementara saya tinggal di negara yang cuma ada musim kemarau dan musim hujan dengan hawa tropis, sepanjang tahun hampir-hampir tidak ada bedanya selain basah, lembap, atau kering--antara kekurangan air atau malah kelimpahan.

Penggunaan bahan pembersih ramah lingkungan seperti baking soda, air jeruk, cuka, dan minyak zaitun kerap disarankan. Apabila dirasa kurang efektif, bahan-bahan tersebut dapat dikonsumsi saja. Andai saja penulis buku ini telah mengenal ecoenzyme ... yang sudah saya bikin sampai berbotol-botol kecil tapi belum juga mencobakannya untuk bersih-bersih, hehehe. Nyatanya, bersih-bersih malah bisa jadi kontraproduktif apabila produk-produk pembersih yang digunakan mengandung banyak zat kimia berbahaya.

Buku ini memahamkan bahwa menjaga rumah agar tetap bersih dan rapi itu memang sulit dan tidak semua orang senang melakukanya.

Probably the most personally destructive game we avid antihouse-keepers play is transference of the negative feelings we have about our homes. You know something is wrong but you don't know what it is. You feel unfulfilled. It must be my husband! It must be the kids. I must need to get a job. I must need to quit my job. You have this uncomfortable feeling that you simply don't fit it in your own skin. The life you were meant to live is out there somewhere. (halaman 21)

Tapi, sayangnya, ini memang jadi kriteria penilaian seseorang terhadap orang lainnya. Salah satu kiatnya adalah menganggap bersih-bersih dan pekerjaan rumah lainnya dapat memberikan instant gratification, karena hasilnya yang bisa langsung terlihat begitu kita beres mengerjakannya.

When act of housekeeping can you think of that is purely selfish in nature? We benefit from the acts by having clean clothes, pretty homes, soothing suppers. But primarily, these acts are to better the lives of those we love .... (halaman 39)

Buku ini sepertinya bisa memberikan ketenteraman (atau pembenaran?) bagi para ibu rumah tangga yang dewasa ini cenderung didiskreditkan, khususnya apabila hanya berfokus pada pekerjaan rumah tangga tanpa berkontribusi secara finansial. Padahal mereka sekadar melanggengkan peran yang telah berlangsung ribuan tahun(?) lamanya bagi wanita pada umumnya. So ..., so what? They're meaningful in their own, small scale, way. Small things can have big impact! Peran kecil tapi berarti bagaimanapun juga. Enggak paham lagi aku tuh sama perkembangan zaman yang semakin banyak tuntutan lagi penuh fitnah ini.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m addicted to watching Marie Kondo’s show Tidying Up so this book I’ve had for years spoke to me. It just validated that while I like to keep things tidy I really love my cleaning help that comes every other week. I know that I get most satisfaction by having it all done at once. Grateful for the help.

[T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, this book starts out strong and it has some really great thoughts on how to apply the practice of Zen to housekeeping. Unfortunately, the books ends up a bit contradictory. It reads a bit like it was written chapter by chapter and not compared to the other chapters. Overall, the basic idea is great, but the execution not as great.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall it's a good book. I did have issues with some things, such as using disposable products for cleaning and yet there's a whole chapter on green cleaning. The two contradict each other in my opinion. Maybe it just needs an update as it was published in 2008 and the eco-friendly movement wasn't as big then.

Still there are lots of inspirational nuggets in the book that I enjoyed.

[SoniaNF · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any book that makes me feel better about housekeeping and elevates my attitude towards my housework deserves 5 starts!! Thank you for this book! It was a pleasure to read.

[Eileen Marie]

Dated but some good ideas for making the routine more sacred.

[JeanD]

Wanted to finish but technical glitch made it so I couldn't get back into the book. Think this would work better as a "real" book to read rather than a kindle edition.

[Holly Bluemlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't as Eastern as I had hoped and it didn't really offer me any insight into better ways to clean, but I still enjoyed it and I think it will benefit my life. It was aimed at married women at children who hate cleaning. I'm the opposite--a single, childless woman who loves cleaning (just doesn't do it as often as I'd like) but the ideas were still good. I especially liked her insights about the toxic potential of the cleaning products we use in our homes--her thoughts are one of the biggest factors in my recent turn to being green.

So I'd say go ahead and read it if you're interested. She had some really good thoughts about rejoicing in the reasons we clean.

[Lisa J Shultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found more value in this book than I originally anticipated. I sort of bought it as a joke and planned to skim it. The book helped me to look at house cleaning differently and I believe I will enjoy it more with the new mindset the author created for me on the topic. I liked her suggestions of natural cleaning products and methods of doing certain things such as laundry and ironing. My favorite section was on decluttering

[Siskiyou-Suzy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm on an organization and order kick. And this book seemed like it'd be right up my alley. But it reads like an expanded fluffy magazine article. There isn't much meaning or thoughtfulness here, though I think the author might disagree with me. Not my thing.

[Charise]

Love this. Lots of good green cleaning advice.

[etherealfire · Rating 4 out of 5]

paperback

[Pam Kellim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving it and taking my time and rereading.

[Lauren Cassel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote this book....so of course I think it's wonderful! Hope you do as well!

[Kelly]

I did not finish this one although I did get about 80% completed. I did not rate it since I didn't finish. It seemed like there was only really one main point. I found much of the other advice troubling.