Power Washer Vs Life Analogy By: Denise Orsulak

Over the summer, I had decided to catch up on some chores that had not been done in years.  Years of living in my wonderful house.  There are some chores that take up A LOT of time, but you don't realize it until you get started.  

One of those chores on this particular day was power washing my pool deck.  I don't recall doing it once in the 8 years that I had lived in my home.  It seemed fine.  I didn't think it was that bad, until I got started. 

WOW!  

The accumulation of dirt and debris was unbelievable.  This was going to be a bigger task than I first thought.  So I decide to take my time.  Only 1-2 hours a day instead of tackling the whole things at once.  

I realized a couple of things that week.

1. Until you give your utmost attention to anything, you don't really know what you will discover

2.   The work became something to look forward to...it was a meditative time to feel water splashing on my feet, to pay close attention to detail so I wouldn't miss a spot, to feel a sense of accomplishment....seeing the difference my work made (see photo).

3.  I realized I could compare my pool deck to people's lives, bodies, and emotions.  Sometime we don't realize what "stuff" is accumulating in our hearts, bodies, and minds because it's such a slow process over time.  That pool deck didn't get layer and layer of dirt on it overnight.  It took years and years of neglect for it to get to the point that is was at that moment.  

Our hearts, bodies, and mind are sometimes neglected for years and years as well.  And we don't notice the those things that can build up inside of us ...fear, anger, despair, sadness.  All the things that can't be seen until you start to pay attention, until you do something about it.  

We need a power washer to rid those things within us.  My power washer for my life has been yoga, meditation, and contemplation.   Just like I took a week to clean the pool deck, I have taken many years to add practices and refine them.  If I jumped all into those things at once, I might have just walked away before I noticed a difference.  

You can wash away those cumulative hurts, but it takes time and the right tool.  For my pool deck, it was a power washer.

For your hear, mind, or spirit, it might be mindfulness, yoga, meditation, contemplation, therapy, self study or some other tool, but you need a tool.

It's only when we "know" there is an accumulation of ________(you fill in the blank).  When we stop and decide to work on it.  Can you see just how tarnished you felt.  Can you see it's there?  Can you say Oh yeah, that's a problem for me.  Then we can start to work to rise all that "stuff" away that is maybe holding us back or making us feel like we aren't who we really are.  

Because under that "dirt" is a bright light, an amazing person that wants to shine through.  That's been there all along.  

What techniques or tools do  you use in your life to wash away anything your body, mind, or soul doesn't need?

Share below so we can all learn from each other!

Did I mention, this takes time, patience, and persistence, and paying really close attention to what's pulling you away from the present moment.

Namaste.  The light in me honor the light in you!

​Denise