Engaging in mindful practices while performing everyday tasks, like cleaning the house or washing dishes, can be a wonderful way to expand consciousness and cultivate a sense of presence.
You can turn these everyday chores into exercises to help you improve your focus and increase your sense of awareness.
We waste a lot of time each day, allowing our minds to go where they wish. This weakens the focus and the attention span instead of strengthening them.
Why not use simple tasks to our advantage?
You can learn to get control over your mind, expand your awareness, and improve your focus. For example, we can perform mindful exercises while washing the dishes, cleaning the house or while doing any other household chore.
Awakening Exercises to Expand Consciousness
Instead of allowing worries or meaningless thoughts to pass through your mind, use the time you clean the house or wash the dishes in a more profitable way.
Of course, you may listen to music or a podcast or watch TV, but engaging in mind and awareness exercises would be a more useful practice.
These exercises increase your focus, expand your consciousness beyond the usual awareness, and create a sense of inner peace.
Here are a few awakening exercises you can try while cleaning the house, washing the dishes, and doing other household chores. Practice just one exercise at a time.
1. Sensory Awareness
Pay close attention to the sensory impressions associated with doing the household chores, cleaning, and washing the dishes.
Notice the temperature of the water, the texture of the dishes, and the sound of the water flowing. Feel in your hand the tools you are holding
Stay fully present in each moment, immersing yourself in the sense of impressions you get from the things you are doing.
2. Mindful Breathing
Focus on your breath as you clean the house or wash the dishes. Take slow, deep breaths in and out.
Feel the gentle rhythm of your breath and allow it to anchor you in the present moment, bringing a sense of calm and expanded awareness.
Just continue with your chores, while at the same time being aware of your breathing.
3. Observation without Judgment
Observe the process of cleaning the house or washing dishes without judgment, attachment, or emotion.
Notice any thoughts and emotions that arise and let them pass by, like clouds in the sky, without involvement or following them.
Maintain a state of non-reactivity while washing the dishes, and simply witness your experience.
4. Engage the Senses
Engage all your senses in what you are doing.
Notice the scent of the soap, the feeling of the suds on your hands, the visual beauty of the sparkling dishes, the clean floor, etc.
By engaging all your senses in what you are doing. This will bring a heightened level of awareness to the experience.
5. Repeat a Mantra or Affirmation
Repeat a mantra or affirmation silently or aloud as you go on with your house chores. It can be a short mantra like “OM”, or a phrase like, “I am present and connected to the present moment,” or any other mantra or affirmation that resonates with you.
Let the words permeate your consciousness, enhancing your sense of existence and calmness, and increasing your sense of being existent and aware of yourself.
Practice the Awakening Exercises with Open-Mindedness
Remember, the key is to approach these exercises with a sense of curiosity, interest, and open-mindedness.
By infusing your daily activities with mindfulness, you can transform mundane tasks into opportunities for expanded consciousness and deeper sense of presence.
Remember, do just one these exercises when cleaning the house or washing the dishes. At other times, you may practice a different exercise.
Don’t strain yourself. This should be fun and pleasure.
Expanding Consciousness Quotes
“Consciousness is indeed always with us. Everyone knows ‘I am!’ No one can deny his own being.”
– Ramana Maharshi
“The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.”
– Lao Tzu
“Consciousness is the basis of all life and the field of all possibilities. Its nature is to expand and unfold its full potential. The impulse to evolve is thus inherent in the very nature of life.”
– Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
“As we grow in our consciousness, there will be more compassion and more love, and then the barriers between people, between religions, between nations will begin to fall.”
– Ram Dass
