Deeper Dive: A Buddhist Monk on the Value of Cleaning

Buddhist monks don’t spend all their time in quiet meditation—they also do a lot of cleaning. However, cleaning can also be a meditative practice, if done with intention and care. Monk Shoukei Matsumoto speaks with host Lilit Sadoyan about how we can find more mindfulness and approach our chores with gratitude. Matsumoto is the author of A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Mind (2018) and Work Like a Monk: A Buddhist Guide to Embracing What Matters (2025). Learn more about Matsumoto's work at his website: https://www.living-dharma.com/. If you missed this week’s cleaning meditation inspired by The Laundress by Jean-Baptiste Greuze, look for it on your podcast player or find it on our website. You can watch this episode on YouTube here: https://gty.art/4wZysOS Find images, a transcript, and more resources on our website: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/ommm/deeper-dive-buddhist-monk-value-of-cleaning/ Subscribe to OMMM be the first to hear new episodes.  Production team: Host: Lilit Sadoyan Producers: Zoe Goldman and Gideon Brower Video Editor: Jeremy Rhodes Mixer and Sound Designer: Jaime Roque Executive Producer: Christopher Sprinkle For more art history insights, check out our other Getty Podcasts shows at www.getty.edu/podcasts Recording Artists tells artist biographies using archival material from the Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recording-artists/ If Objects Could Talk is a family-friendly show where Getty museum objects, like a Greek vase or porcelain clock, come alive to share their story: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/if-objects-could-talk/ ReCurrent chronicles the people who shape our culture and keep the past alive: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recurrent/ Art + Ideas showcases interviews with artists, architects, scientists, and cultural luminaries by former Getty President Jim Cuno: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/art-and-ideas/ Through its programs—Getty Conservation Institute, Getty Foundation, Getty Museum, Getty Research Institute, and Getty Trust—Getty shares and advances the world’s visual art and cultural heritage, both in Los Angeles and throughout the world. Learn more about all we do for art on our website: Getty: https://www.getty.edu/ Getty Conservation Institute: https://www.getty.edu/conservation/ Getty Foundation: https://www.getty.edu/foundation/ Getty Museum: https://www.getty.edu/museum/ Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/research/