Vacuuming as meditation, have I lost my mind?

Daily chore time is the most fertile time for creating and mindfulness. Think about it, these chores are usually repeated, solitary, thoughtless, times of movement. Isn't that a little like meditation? It occurred to me years ago, my grandmothers used their daily chore time as their meditation time, exercise time, quiet time, pondering time and who knows what else time. My grandmas both raised their families while living on dairy farms. Dashing off for yoga, to the gym for exercise or for meditation would have been laughable.

In our busy lives and tight schedules, cleaning and daily chores are usually more like mad dashes. This morning before coming into the office, I vacuumed. By the way, vacuuming done correctly, is one of the most beneficial cleaning tasks for the health and longevity of your home. When I vacuum, I vacuum slowly, breathing in and out with each stroke. I keep my shoulders relaxed and I move from foot to foot not twisting but more like a Tai Chi move. I listen, listening for dirt going up the hose, all the while keeping my posture healthy and athletic. I take slow strokes back and forth until I don't hear any more dirt. When completed my home looks better feels better, I feel better. It is a grounding and calming chore.

This calm practice beats, frantically twisting, pulling to remove surface soils. All the while the deep dirt that causes wear on your carpet and dust in your air and is still where it was when you started vacuuming. Not to mention, the stress on your body and tension filling your mind, while you rush to complete so you can dart off to your next task.

The benefits of mindful vacuuming are:
Improved indoor air quality
Increasing the life of your carpet
Making your carpet look better
Minimize damage to your body from the twisting of vacuuming
Deepining your breath
Improving your posture
Improving your ablility to focus- if you hold focus through the whole job
Improving your creativity by relaxing- letting your brain have a little vacation

It almost sounds like something you would pay to go do!

Wishing you a happy and healthy life,
Densie

Seattle 1/2 was a blast!

Is it possible to smile for 13.1 miles? Yes, it is! A few years ago, I thought about running the Whidbey Island 1/2 marathon. At the last minute, I pulled out. My calf was giving me fits and the thought of walking or trying to jog 13 miles seems too big an obstacle. Funny how your perspective can change. After walking the 60 mile 3 day walk, 13 miles is just a stroll in the park. Talk about a 360 in thought.

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Not only was I able to complete the 1/2 marathon, I ran at least half and smiled all the way. Since I only entered the night before, my running preparation was pretty meager, I hadn't even been on many long walks. What prepared me for going 13 miles was a new perspective plus the excitement of a new discovery.

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On race day 17,000 people laced up their shoes. I didn't run for time or for any other reason but just to have fun. And fun I had. I stopped to take pictures, I visited with fellow runners, I waited 15 minutes outside a port a potty, I walked, jogged and smiled. I believe, if you are having fun, whatever you are doing is a whole lot easier.

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Will I do it again? You bet!! Plus, the post run care was amazing. Hot chicken and rice soup, chiropractic care, acupuncture, protein drinks, a finishers metal, fun, fun, fun!!

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Wishing you all happy walking, running and smiling!

Denise Frakes

Blue Sky Services

Where the sun always shines!!

The Seattle 1/2 marathon surprise entry

After a series of events, Sunday I will be walking/running the Seattle 1/2 marathon. I decided today to go ahead and enter. With only one day of official training, there wont be much running. After the 60 mile walk, I feel pretty good about walking the 13.1 miles.
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Apparently, there will be 14 thousand other runner-walkers doing the 1/2 and full marathon. 14 thousand- this will be very interesting. I'm not sure I'm that excited about going through the tunnel-I'll probably jog that part.
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Hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving.

Denise