A meditation for washing your hands
Washing our hands is so important these days, but by now it might have become a mindless activity. Perhaps you already sing or whistle a tune to make sure you’re at the sink for the recommended 20 seconds. But we can use this opportunity to incorporate meditation into our daily lives, linking the action with the loving-kindness that it brings, because with every wash, you are protecting yourself and those around you.
The next time you go to wash your hands, perhaps you could try repeating phrases like these, either quietly to yourself or in your head, 2–3 times through for maximum effect:
- May we all be happy
- May we all be safe
- May we all be healthy
- May we all live with ease
Take a moment to notice how this makes you feel.
Through loving-kindness phrases like these, you can connect to the community around you, find a greater purpose in even this simple task, and empathise without taking on others’ pain and suffering. Instead, you can remember the power you hold in making things a little better for everyone.
If you would like a visual reminder, you might like to stick this poster by your sink:
Written by Caryn Yeow, April 2021
