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/

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Production team:

Host: Lilit Sadoyan

Producers: Zoe Goldman and Gideon Brower

Video Editor: Jeremy Rhodes