Everyman's Journal 2011

Everyman's Journal 2011, #19

January 22

The highly underrated zen of ironing clothes was a good teacher for me yesterday. It's the kind of activity that is easily boring, which is why it can be a great teacher of mindfulness. Because you just can't produce good ironing without being present. In that way, it's as much an art form as creating a painting.... for although the skill set differs, the present tense awareness needed is pretty equal.

Since no one will pay thousands of dollars for a well ironed shirt though, it is also a good practice in being nobody, in being humble. And also, as it is unusual to be complimented for what is commonplace and expected, ironing is a good practice in performing invisible selfless service. I can remember my mother ironing for us for hours at a time, usually singing hymns as she did it.

Obviously, I did some ironing today. My stimulation for the activity was noticing that my visiting friend Sarah's wardrobe was not surviving her luggage containment well, and she was looking more than a bit rumpled. As we had plans to attend an art opening yesterday evening (where I knew I would be introducing her to more than a few curious friends) I wanted her to look good (which, of course, was about melooking good too... so funny, aren't we?...). So I offered to set up the ironing board for her....

Before she did half of the first piece, I offered to iron her clothes for her. You see, Sarah is completely a writer. When she's writing, she can forget to eat, forget to sleep, forget to wash dishes or keep house.... all that stuff, for.... well, a LOT longer than I can. And mostly, she doesn't care about clothes as long as she's warm enough. So, does she know how to iron? We don't need to go there, but probably not. I say that because as I ironed and she watched, she commented "wow, it's a lot of work chasing down all those wrinkles, isn't it?". That's the comment that triggered my thoughts about ironing as a spiritual practice, hence this writing....

Me, I was trained to iron by my mother early on. Once a week was Sunday, when Dad preached to his Protestant congregation and we all had to go and set in the pews being nice and looking clean and if possible, well ironed. Sarah is a preachers kid too.... her Dad was an Episcopal priest. But things were different there, I guess, and she never had to learn to iron like me :-). Anyway, the real point is that even though we are not what we look like, we are also free to look like what we are.

And that is a gift of compassion to the limitations of the world. It says to the world "I understand what frequencies you are able to see in, and I will present myself to you within those frequencies so that the possibility of Love being shared can be present for us..." Otherwise, I would simply wear comfortable rags everywhere, like I do when I am painting. Or if it is warm enough, little or nothing at all.

We did wear clothes to the art opening though.... nicely ironed clothes, if I say so myself. And as we moved among and intermingled with the good-sized crowd of art appreciators, nobody noticed. That was just perfect. For it was like what I have learned about service from participating in the Landmark assisting programs... that when nobody in the course even notices the assistants and/or their activities, that is when excellence is present in the assisting team. Said another way, selflessness seldom needs to call attention to itself.

Namaste,

David

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My partnership request.... Please consider yourself an important gateway this message is passing through on its way to others. Please do 'send it on'. Thank you.

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Rev. David Seacord

Fine Art Painter / Sufi Cherag

david@davidseacord.com

www.davidseacord.com

(my fine art website)

www.davidseacord-everymansjournal.blogspot.com

(archived writings and poetry, circa 2002 to 2004)

www.davidseacord-acimcommentaries.blogspot.com

(archived 2010 writings on the lessons of A Course in Miracles)

www.everymansjournal2011.blogspot.com

(archived entries of this years Everyman's Journal)