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joseph
117 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 11 2015 : 5:00:54 PM
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Hey folks, would like your thoughts on this issue of cleanliness, hygiene, as I am having some trouble keeping a clear mind when I am in dirty or messy environments. The mind is constantly 'on' at these times and uses up a lot of energy. Not a big problem for me, but it means I can't use the energy for better things, like communication, and perception..
If I can't leave the place I tend to keep quiet and watch the body and mind as they do their thing. What else can I do?
So I'm posting to see if others have these reactions. Or to things like noises.. smells, also.
Cheers,
Joseph |
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Anima
484 Posts |
Posted - Jan 11 2015 : 9:39:50 PM
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Hi joseph,
Yes, I do have the same desire for quiet, clean, and unobtrusive space and living. No need to call it OCD. There is no imaginable limit to the self-criticism we can impose. Personally, I love to clean and organize things. It is no type of disorder, whatsoever. It is part of a desire to be of benefit to our environment and to be in a good space--It's part of our drive for purification and wholesomeness. You could make your cleanliness part of your yoga. I do--karma yoga!
Why not bring this desire into disciplined and scheduled behavior? Ashrams are generally very strict about cleaning. The body is the temple, as they say, and so is the home. I can only add that it can be distressing to expect perfect results of this practice in the short or long term. Personally, I offer cleaning as a service to my Ishta Devata. But it can be given to any worthy ideal! |
Edited by - Anima on Jan 11 2015 9:55:13 PM |
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joseph
117 Posts |
Posted - Jan 12 2015 : 10:41:27 AM
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Thanks for your response, Anima.
I agree, we tend to self criticize/analyze and therefore create conflict..
You say you love to clean, but do you do this when you're at somebody else's place? I'm not sure about this. When I visit my parents which is quite often, the bathroom and kitchen are not tidy enough - for me to relax properly. That's how I found it though, and I think if I go cleaning up after them then I'll feel like cleaning more people's mess. And I wonder if this desire for clean, organized surroundings is more harmful in the long run, because, perhaps, it makes me more reactive when I'm in unclean places. There's a common idea in psychology that if we're reacting to this and want to be free of it, then we have to go along with it (spend time in the mess without wanting it any different) until it doesn't bother us. I don't know if that works, or if I should just not visit them as often.... 
..It would be best not to react - it greatly affects the energy I give out, and I feel the constriction in the body. |
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BlueRaincoat
United Kingdom
1734 Posts |
Posted - Jan 12 2015 : 1:07:13 PM
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| Is it compulsive though? What happens/what do you feel when you try to resist the impulse to clean? |
Edited by - BlueRaincoat on Jan 12 2015 2:22:10 PM |
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Anima
484 Posts |
Posted - Jan 12 2015 : 5:33:20 PM
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quote:
You say you love to clean, but do you do this when you're at somebody else's place?
Yes, in private and in public--pretty much everywhere. One night, I cleaned my friend's entire apartment because I enjoyed it (but there were also tantric undertones). Often, when I'm at a check-out or service counter, I'll start organizing their brochures and business cards. It's automatic. I also volunteer to clean the bathrooms at a local drug detox facility on Mondays (I forgot today!). When I clean the bathrooms, I sing the Mahamantra (Hare Krishna) to God. In the summer, I would sometimes pick up trash from the park after work for about an hour. It let me contemplate how all the filth was equally mine. I could relate to every piece of garbage, and I picked it up and bagged it. The process overwhelmed me with love and forgiveness, and I was brought to tears. It proves to be an immensely powerful practice as part of my yoga, combined with regular asanas and meditation. Often, I can't believe how grateful I am to have the privilege of surrendering myself to such work... which will never be finished or perfected, by the way. At least, not by my own understanding.
You mention discomfort that involves your parents and their home, which I am not denying may be rather problematic for you. Well, maybe some "service work" or volunteer cleaning would be pleasant and helpful to you. It's just an idea. It may help loosen some perceptions and reactions--in a good way! It has for me. Although I do not enjoy being at my Mom's, due to the cigarette smoke in the air.
Ultimately, you are the one who knows!
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Edited by - Anima on Jan 12 2015 5:37:16 PM |
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joseph
117 Posts |
Posted - Jan 12 2015 : 9:08:20 PM
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Hey Blue Raincoat, I believe what happens is that the mind holds on to the thought 'be careful, it's not clean, careful what you do, touch, etc'. The thought 'sticks' in the mind (so I don't forget), and it stays there until I leave the place. There's great energy behind it, and if the mess is bad the body will be very tense.
If I assess all this with my mind I can see it's an over reaction, but this doesn't help. The good thing is, I become aware of the mind, all it's deeper layers that usually lie hidden, so it's like an effortless vipassana meditation whenever I have anxiety. And that seems to unlock a lot of energy that had been trapped. I'm a beginner in learning the art of directing this energy, using it for healing, etc :)
Thanks for sharing this, Anima. Beautiful practice!! And I also have thought about that, that all the mess out there in civilization is just as much my responsibility as anybody elses. We're each a co-creator.
I'm going to take on more odd cleaning jobs like litter in the street which I'll sometimes pick up. A reason I'm hesitant to clean my parents place however, is that it's conceivable that they'll come to rely on their own cleaning ability less and less, so that eventually they won't do any. I believe it's how it can go for some people. Also I wonder if I'll be making positive change, or, interfering with how things are when I find them, because of my own aversions. Hmmm. I'll meditate on it...
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NoDogma
USA
123 Posts |
Posted - Jan 12 2015 : 10:50:15 PM
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In a lecture by Sadhguru, he mentioned that Kriya (according to him, Kriya is any internal energy work which will include things like AYP) is like surgery. The success rate of surgery has increased at least partially because of cleanliness. ... and the outside clean environment is as much necessary for anything inside to become more beautiful ..
unfortunately, I am lazy.. I wish I could hire someone to keep things cleaner around me.
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BlueRaincoat
United Kingdom
1734 Posts |
Posted - Jan 13 2015 : 06:06:53 AM
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Hi Joseph
You don't have OCD.
What you're describing is a little on the obsessive side, but many of us have an obsessive streak. Stress usually brings it out. Have you been feeling under any kind of pressure lately?
Best to be relaxed and non-judgemental about these thoughts. Let them come and let them go. Think of it as an emptying of some internal tensions - as you are watching the obsessive thoughts flow out of the mind, the tensions that power them also dissipate and will run out in a while.
Anima, this is a deeply touching and humbling post you wrote here. |
Edited by - BlueRaincoat on Jan 13 2015 12:13:55 PM |
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joseph
117 Posts |
Posted - Jan 13 2015 : 11:16:34 AM
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Yes, there has been pressure. I had a headache from it that persisted for over a year. The pain's subsided considerably but often needs to be kept in check so it doesn't grow. Asanas are very helpful for this, and just trying to live as stress free as possible.  |
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BlueRaincoat
United Kingdom
1734 Posts |
Posted - Jan 13 2015 : 12:06:58 PM
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Sounds like you've got it pretty well under control.
Meditation will help too. I don't know if you've tried any. I think I would start with the gentler, breath focused type (Lesson 367) - just to make sure you self-pace carefully.
Best wishes  |
Edited by - BlueRaincoat on Jan 13 2015 1:06:14 PM |
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joseph
117 Posts |
Posted - Jan 13 2015 : 3:55:00 PM
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Thanks BlueRaincoat
Yes, done meditation on and off for some years, but I'm new to AYP. So naturally I'm refining my routine at the moment. Learning a lot and experimenting with what works best.
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Jan 14 2015 : 01:24:15 AM
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Dear Joseph,
Please come to my house, it could use a good cleaning! LOL. 
I don't think your "obsession" about cleaning qualifies as true OCD unless it interferes with your life and/or is accompanied by delusional thoughts, like, "If I fail to wash my hands 3 times before going out, something terrible will happen," or "If everything is not perfectly in order, I am a bad person," etc. You can be a "neat freak" without being clinically pathological.
I am by no means a "neat freak"; you would probably find my house less than optimally clean. BUT, I DO have a hard time comprehending how people like my tenants, and my husband if left to his own devices, can live in absolute filth! I mean, in the rental unit there is like garbage piled up everywhere, dirty dishes with half-eaten food that has gone moldy, litter box literally overflowing with cat poo so that the place stinks, and it doesn't bother them at all. Amusingly, husband complains about their mess, although when he lived alone, his place was almost as bad.  Apparently people have different tolerance levels...
My goddaughter and I used to enjoy picking up trash every time we went to the beach. It felt good to do so. |
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Cleanliness.. OCD..
