The Sacred in the Ordinary: Finding Presence While Washing Dishes

By Dr. Katie Eastman & Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino

It’s easy to think of spirituality as something reserved for special places—churches, temples, mountaintops, or meditation retreats. But the truth is, spirituality lives just as much in the ordinary as in the extraordinary. In fact, some of the most spiritual moments are hidden in daily routines, like washing the dishes.

At first glance, doing the dishes might feel like a chore—something to get through so you can move on to what really matters. But what if, instead, you allowed yourself to be fully present? Notice the warm water, the sound of the bubbles, the rhythm of your hands. In those small details, something shifts. The ordinary becomes a place of grounding, even peace.

Spirituality is often about noticing what is already there. When you bring awareness to the simplest activities—folding laundry, stirring soup, sweeping the floor—you remind yourself that life is not just happening in the big events. It’s also happening in the small, steady moments in between.

Thích Nhất Hạnh, the beloved Buddhist teacher, described this beautifully in The Miracle of Mindfulness:

“To my mind, the idea that doing dishes is unpleasant can occur only when you aren’t doing them. Once you are standing in front of the sink with your sleeves rolled up and your hands in the warm water, it is really quite pleasant. I enjoy taking my time with each dish, being fully aware of the dish, the water, and each movement of my hands. If I hurry to get the dishes out of the way as if something were more important, I won’t be alive while I’m washing the dishes.”

— Thích Nhất Hạnh, The Miracle of Mindfulness (Beacon Press, 1975)

His wisdom reminds us that mindfulness is not about escaping daily life, but inhabiting it fully. Every task becomes an opportunity to return to presence.

In The Peace Guidebook, we encourage readers to cultivate what we call “peace points”—small, intentional practices that bring awareness and calm into daily living. Washing dishes can be a peace point. The act itself doesn’t need to change. What transforms it is how you bring yourself to it—with presence, patience, and openness to noticing the sacred in the ordinary.

The sacred does not always appear in silence or ceremony. Sometimes it shows up in the clinking of plates, the smell of soap, or the satisfaction of a clean kitchen. Spirituality is not about moving past daily life—it’s about being present to it.

✨ Reflection Prompt: What daily task could you approach with greater awareness and presence this week? How might it shift from “chore” to “practice”?