There is an old Zen saying: “After enlightenment…the dishes.” Similarly, Brother Lawrence (1614-1691) served as a Carmelite lay brother in France. He’s known for his book, The Practice of the Presence of God. The most effective way Brother Lawrence had to communicate with God was to simply do his ordinary work. Yes, if you read that book, you will discover the spiritual enlightenment of washing dishes.

I’ve been surrounded by many dirty dishes in the past few weeks; grungy spots, hard-to-remove stains, freshly spattered tomato paste – the whole gamut. The once pristine glasses now have stains from red wine and the porcelain white bowls are ringed from sweet deserts now digested. All this, not to mention the stubborn rings in the coffee mugs. OK, I could easily run this metaphor down the drain. I think you get the idea…daily life and chores and work have consumed my time.

Who has time to read, write, and reflect on the Dynamis of Healing in Orthodox Theology and Depth Psychology? That new book looks so inviting, but I’ve barely cracked the introduction. Instead, the everydayness of everyday life is what beckons me lately.

What to Do?

In the midst of all this, I found that old Zen saying in a bookmark, in, yes, my copy of Brother Lawrence’s book. Somehow, I took a little solace in those words. So, this edition of the Notebooks of James Hazelwood is a brief reminder that sometimes the sacred shows up in the ordinary, in the raking of leaves, yeh even the muckraking of work, and of course in the dishes.

So wash away my friend, wash those dishes, and know you are good company with Carmelite monks and Zen Bodhisattvas.

I’ll return with a longer essay soon… after the dishes are washed.