domestic phenomenology
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The Metaphysics of a Messy Home
Many of us know what it feels like to step into, or even reside within, a house that is extremely cluttered or disordered. We can call it “Home Disorder,” literally and diagnostically, because the home itself becomes “sick.” The mind that generates this situation is likely dealing with its own disorder: scattered, absent-minded, difficulty finishing… Continue reading
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Acts of Service: The Homemaker’s Love Language
Some people speak love through words. Others through touch. But the homemaker speaks through presence and awakened action in the home. A meal lovingly prepared, a warm mug placed beside a tired spouse, a foot massage to settle a hyperactive child before bed: these acts of service are a perfect example of a Hearthkeeper House,… Continue reading
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Imbolc: Light a Candle, Light YOUR Candle
Midway between the longest night of the year and the dawn of spring, Imbolc stands like a white candle in the snow on a quiet morning. Imbolc is bi-directional, energetically speaking: contemplative and quietly anticipatory. It is a time of hope, of ideas and clarity, of knowing that the inner light is enough to sustain… Continue reading
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Turning Inward, Don’t Leave Out the Light!
We are now on the dark side of Winter Nights—the dawn of the cooling season, marked on 10/31-11/1. We light candles to symbolize warmth and light. Some of us get the woodstove warming the house for the first time since last winter. I’m conservative of firewood, so I wait until the downstairs gets a chill… Continue reading
