Cleaning and Divinity

[Yei]

So, I've been ill with the flu recently. An unpleasant experience, and one that isn't familiar to me, as I don't get sick very often. Anyway, I'm pretty much better now, and I'm also getting the urge to clean, and I was wondering if anyone else liked to clean when returning to good health.

Obviously, there are practical reasons for this (who wants to dust when sick?), but I think there may also be spiritual ones behind the urge as well. Cleanliness in general is associated with divinity and regeneration. For the Aztecs, the ceremony Ochpaniztli, the sweeping ceremony, was conducted to prepare the earth for the return of the gods during the next month. And so, to me, cleaning represents a return to a natural order, and a reopening of my connection to the gods.

Does anyone else have this view?

[TheGreenWizard]

So, I've been ill with the flu recently. An unpleasant experience, and one that isn't familiar to me, as I don't get sick very often. Anyway, I'm pretty much better now, and I'm also getting the urge to clean, and I was wondering if anyone else liked to clean when returning to good health.

Obviously, there are practical reasons for this (who wants to dust when sick?), but I think there may also be spiritual ones behind the urge as well. Cleanliness in general is associated with divinity and regeneration. For the Aztecs, the ceremony Ochpaniztli, the sweeping ceremony, was conducted to prepare the earth for the return of the gods during the next month. And so, to me, cleaning represents a return to a natural order, and a reopening of my connection to the gods.

Does anyone else have this view?

Regarding cleaning after being sick: I've totally and mostly always have had that view point after being sick or if anyone in my apartment has been sick to clean the heck out of the place. Just feels so good to get everything smelling clean (as in Lemon, Bleach, and other associated smells).

However, associating cleanliness with the Divine? Or, as my Grandma would say, Cleanliness is closest to Godliness? In both of my practices, I never thought of the two connected. As I read Beckett's book (Path Of Paganism), however, I am noticing that maybe I should connect certain a task with the Divine such as cleaning. I cleaned the altar space and I noticed Dionysos was happier for it.

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[Sefiru]

cleaning represents a return to a natural order, and a reopening of my connection to the gods.

In theory, this is a part of my own practice.

In actuality, I have trouble getting off my butt to actually do it.

[EclecticWheel]

So, I've been ill with the flu recently. An unpleasant experience, and one that isn't familiar to me, as I don't get sick very often. Anyway, I'm pretty much better now, and I'm also getting the urge to clean, and I was wondering if anyone else liked to clean when returning to good health.

Obviously, there are practical reasons for this (who wants to dust when sick?), but I think there may also be spiritual ones behind the urge as well. Cleanliness in general is associated with divinity and regeneration. For the Aztecs, the ceremony Ochpaniztli, the sweeping ceremony, was conducted to prepare the earth for the return of the gods during the next month. And so, to me, cleaning represents a return to a natural order, and a reopening of my connection to the gods.

Does anyone else have this view?

Getting my house cleaned and organized helps me reorient myself spiritually and connect better to my companions.  However, I'm not very good at doing it, and this is complicated by not so much physical but mental illness.  From time to time family helps me get my house in order, and I keep it reasonably clean.  It's just a small space and there is a lot of clutter.  Clearing the clutter helps clear my mind.

[Kylara]

Regarding cleaning after being sick: I've totally and mostly always have had that view point after being sick or if anyone in my apartment has been sick to clean the heck out of the place. Just feels so good to get everything smelling clean (as in Lemon, Bleach, and other associated smells).

Whenever someone in the house falls ill, I want to clean more (from a germ standpoint), but once they are better, I always cleanse as well, because I want to clear out any residual energy that developed.

I am super anxious about illness, so I am always out of sorts whenever anyone is sick around me (or even when people I know online are sick...and I literally have no contact with them at all).  It makes me want to burn incense, cleans and bless everything.

I do notice that my space feels heavy when people are ill, and I need to cleanse to make it feel right again.  When I'm cleansing, I not only clear out the old, but add in a blessing to keep everyone healthy.

As far as a spiritual connection, other than as service to Eir (as a thanks for helping with healing) I tend to think of cleaning in general as a spiritual act (I clean for house spirits and for Frigga), so it does make sense in my mind.

[Grace]

So, I've been ill with the flu recently. An unpleasant experience, and one that isn't familiar to me, as I don't get sick very often. Anyway, I'm pretty much better now, and I'm also getting the urge to clean, and I was wondering if anyone else liked to clean when returning to good health.

Obviously, there are practical reasons for this (who wants to dust when sick?), but I think there may also be spiritual ones behind the urge as well. Cleanliness in general is associated with divinity and regeneration. For the Aztecs, the ceremony Ochpaniztli, the sweeping ceremony, was conducted to prepare the earth for the return of the gods during the next month. And so, to me, cleaning represents a return to a natural order, and a reopening of my connection to the gods.

Does anyone else have this view?

As someone that has been ill and unable to clean for the past few weeks, boy, does this thread strike a chord with me!

I've always found having a clean, or at least organised, space helps my mental health. I think there's some kind of saying along the lines of "Uncluttered space, uncluttered mind." But I definitely find cleaning after illness both a practical and mental help. If I've been sick with a flu, to my mind, it only makes sense to change bedsheets, clean up any stray tissues and generally clean the space I've been in to rid it of the germs. I also find it's like a mental separation from the sickness once I'm able to clean. Being able to clean after illness is like I'm saying to myself 'I am well enough to clean, which means I'm getting my strength back, which marks the end of this illness.' and helps me feel like I'm returning to my usual self.

cleaning represents a return to a natural order, and a reopening of my connection to the gods.

In the past when conducting rituals, I've always made a point to cleanse my space before beginning any work, as I just see it as a way to literally sweep out the everyday-ness of the space, and welcome in a more sacred energy. For example, I have been wanting to set up my altar for a while now but only got around to it yesterday as it was the first day I felt well enough to clean. Without being conscious of it, I knew I wanted to clean the whole space around where my altar would be before placing it there. To me it's kind of just a mark of respect that I make sure the space is clean before I place anything I consider sacred into it.

[LadyBug]

Obviously, there are practical reasons for this (who wants to dust when sick?), but I think there may also be spiritual ones behind the urge as well.
.......
And so, to me, cleaning represents a return to a natural order, and a reopening of my connection to the gods.

Does anyone else have this view?

Absolutely, sorta. Cleaning to me is a way of clearing space for good communication and helps to ensure a calm mind state for any Deity Communication that happens in the area. It also makes sure the House Sprites ... Happier? Less Thing-Stealy? 

In theory, this is a part of my own practice.

In actuality, I have trouble getting off my butt to actually do it.

Motivation is the main issue where ANY cleaning is concerned. And, it turns out it gets worse with every pet you acquire (Last line added for the benefit of my boyfriend reading over my shoulder while holding his new kitty )

[Jack]

Getting my house cleaned and organized helps me reorient myself spiritually and connect better to my companions.  However, I'm not very good at doing it, and this is complicated by not so much physical but mental illness.  From time to time family helps me get my house in order, and I keep it reasonably clean.  It's just a small space and there is a lot of clutter.  Clearing the clutter helps clear my mind.

Mood.

I have been drawn to hearth powers for a while now and working on how to actually live in the physical world and make it work for me. Cleaning is part of that. It's also part of a mental health balance. So I keep trying even when I also keep falling off the wagon.

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[Jainarayan]

Does anyone else have this view?

At Diwali it's believed that Goddess Lakshmi visits homes that are spotlessly clean. She tends to avoid those that are unkempt and not spotless. She has yet to stop at my house. But she's otherwise gracious and benevolent to me.