Wash your Windows

I hope you all had a great weekend. Last weekend I had coffee with a family friend I have known my entire life. There is something extremely comfortable and authentic about that experience… to spend time with someone that you may not be in regular contact with but who you grew up with. It’s as if those people  see you through a simpler and less uncomplicated lens. I found myself leaving our meeting feeling lighter and more clear. The experience inspired me to share this reading as a guide for our practice this past week. 

The Ordinary Art, by Mark Nepo

Before fixing what your looking at, check what you are looking through.

It was a beautiful sun-filled day. I had driven 300 miles to see her. She was ninety-four and had been in one room for close to eight months. I was her first-born grandson and she was so happy to see me. But after catching up, we sat in silence on the edge of her bed, and finally, she complained how gray a day it was. 
I realized then that her one window hadn’t been cleaned in almost a year. When I said this, she chuckled, as only someone ninety-four can, and uttered with her Russian accent, “Got a dirty eye, see a dirty world.” 
It is the same with our minds and hearts. For our very self is the one window we have into this life. And so often, we suffer the mood of a dirty window, believing the brilliant world gray. 
Perhaps the purpose of authentic relationship is to help each other keep our minds and hearts clear. Perhaps inner work is the ordinary art of window washing, so that the day is fully the day.  

On the mat I asked students to think of this practice as one of “washing their windows”. With the body it is noticing the expectation and judgement we have around what we can do physically and how those thoughts cloud our perspective; “dirty up our window”. From there, with understanding and acceptance we can have a much clearer view. 

Off the mat this can become an even more powerful practice. Perspective shapes our view. Just like a “dirty window” effects how we see the world, a “dirty mirror” is what we sometimes use when we look into ourselves. The practice of making sure both are reflecting an accurate view is what this mindfulness practice truly offers. I found myself using that visual in my meditation last week; I closed my eyes and visualized a hand with a white rag wiping away the smudges of fear, judgement and doubt. I wish you a practice of cleaning your windows and mirrors this week. I am practicing right along with you.