A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Mind

What if the path to inner peace lies in the simple act of tidying your home? In "A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Mind," Shoukei Matsumoto, a Buddhist monk from the Komyoji Temple in Tokyo, unveils how the mindful practice of cleaning can transform our lives. By blending age-old Buddhist wisdom with practical advice, Matsumoto shows that caring for our living spaces is a way to care for our souls. This enlightening guide invites readers to find serenity and clarity through everyday chores, fostering a deeper appreciation for the world around us. Reading this book promises not just a cleaner home, but a purer heart and a more peaceful mind.

Key Ideas:

1. Cleaning as a Path to Purify the Mind: Cleaning is more than a physical act; it is a way to cleanse the mind and heart. Shoukei Matsumoto emphasizes that engaging in cleaning activities like sweeping and scrubbing allows us to detach from worldly desires and attachments. By focusing fully on the task at hand, we practice mindfulness and cultivate inner clarity. As he notes, “We sweep dust to remove our worldly desires. We scrub dirt to free ourselves of attachments.” For example, a Buddhist monk attained spiritual revelation while repeating the mantra, “Clean off dust. Remove grime,” highlighting how simple chores can become profound spiritual exercises.

2. Your Space Reflects Your Inner Self: Our external environment is a mirror of our internal state. Matsumoto points out that cluttered or untidy spaces often indicate an unsettled mind. He writes, “When you’re busy, it is easy to forget to shut any drawer or cabinet door you have opened, but this is a sign of your heart being untidy.” By maintaining a clean and orderly living space, we promote mental clarity and emotional well-being. For instance, consistently closing drawers and tidying up as we go can help prevent feelings of chaos and overwhelm.

3. Appreciating and Caring for Objects Reduces Waste: Treating our possessions with gratitude and care helps reduce unnecessary waste and fosters mindfulness. Matsumoto urges us to value every object, no matter how small, and to avoid discarding items mindlessly. He shares the story of the monk Rennyo, who cherished even a scrap of paper, saying, “Even this scrap of paper is given to us by the Buddha and must not be wasted.” By repairing, maintaining, or passing on items we no longer need, we honor the resources we have and live more sustainably.

4. Morning Cleaning Brings Mental Clarity: Starting the day with cleaning activities can refresh both the home and the mind. Matsumoto highlights that morning cleaning prepares us mentally for the day ahead. He states, “Cleaning in the morning creates a breathing space for your mind so you can have a pleasant day.” Engaging in quiet, focused tasks like sweeping or wiping surfaces in the early hours allows us to begin the day with a calm and centered mindset.

5. Simplicity in Diet and Living Leads to Harmony: Embracing simplicity in our diet and lifestyle fosters harmony and appreciation for the essentials. Matsumoto advocates for a straightforward, vegetarian diet that relies on natural flavors rather than heavy spices. He explains, “When you become used to a diet based on mild vegetables, the ability to identify even the most subtle of flavors with your tongue enhances the joy of eating.” By minimizing waste in cooking and using all parts of ingredients, we cultivate gratitude and reduce chaos in our lives.

6. Repair and Maintain to Nurture Mindfulness: Regularly repairing and maintaining our belongings nurtures mindfulness and gratitude. Matsumoto describes how monks set aside specific days, known as 'shikunichi,' to mend clothing and care for their possessions, reflecting the idea that “taking care of things repairs the heart.” Instead of discarding items at the first sign of wear, we can mend and repurpose them, which also mirrors how we should care for our relationships and ourselves.

7. Nature as a Teacher and Healer: Engaging with nature provides lessons and healing for the mind and spirit. Matsumoto writes, “Communing with nature gives richness to our minds.” Tending a garden or simply spending time outdoors allows us to reconnect with the natural world, observe the interconnectedness of life, and find inner peace. He believes that “Your garden is a place where your body and soul can be in dialogue with your surroundings,” encouraging us to slow down and learn from the rhythms of nature.

Practical Tips:

1. Turn Cleaning into a Mindful Practice: Focus entirely on each cleaning task, such as sweeping or washing dishes, to cultivate mindfulness and clear your mind.

2. Begin Your Day with Morning Cleaning: Start each morning by tidying your space to refresh your surroundings and prepare your mind for the day ahead.

3. Practice Gratitude for Your Belongings: Treat your possessions with care, repair items when possible, and appreciate them to foster gratitude and reduce waste.

4. Embrace Simplicity in Your Diet: Adopt a simple diet that focuses on natural flavors and minimizes waste by using all parts of your ingredients.

5. Connect with Nature Regularly: Spend time in nature or tend to a garden to reconnect with the environment, learn from its rhythms, and find inner peace.

Key Quotes:

• Cutting corners on one task leads us to cut corners on another and then another, leading to a weakening of the heart.

• Rather than chasing after the new, live a life in which you use the same objects for a long time.

• When you're busy, it is easy to forget to shut any drawer or cabinet door you have opened, but this is a sign of your heart being untidy.

• Your altar is your family's own little temple... Keep this space as clean and tidy as possible.

• When ironing, visualize yourself ironing out the wrinkles in your heart.

• Taking care of things repairs the heart.

• Cleanliness is a reflection of the heart.

• Communing with nature gives richness to our minds.

• What a person sees in a garden is a reflection of what is in their heart.

• If you neglect your duties, you'll find that your feelings, just like the laundry, have remained unwashed, allowing dirt to accumulate in your heart.

• The act of cleaning is the act of purifying the mind.

• It's not the appearance, but the heart that is important.

• Cleaning is training for staying mindful in every moment.

• When we respect our belongings, we cultivate respect for ourselves and others.

• Through cleaning, we can come to understand the impermanence of all things.

• By cleaning our surroundings, we also purify our senses.

• We sweep dust to remove our worldly desires. We scrub dirt to free ourselves of attachments.

• Cleaning is a way to eliminate the gloom in our hearts.

• Cleaning in the morning creates a breathing space for your mind so you can have a pleasant day.

• If mould grows in a bathroom, then mould also grows in your heart.