Hand Wash Cold - by Karen Maezen Miller (Paperback)

About the Book

It's easy to think that meaning, fulfillment, and bliss are "out there," somewhere outside of our daily routine. But in this playful yet profound reflection on awareness, the compelling voice of a contemporary woman reveals the happiness at the bottom of the laundry

Book Synopsis

FALL IN LOVE WITH THE LIFE YOU ALREADY HAVE

It's easy to think that meaning, fulfillment, and bliss are "out there," somewhere outside of our daily routine. But in this playful yet profound reflection on awareness, the compelling voice of a contemporary woman reveals the happiness at the bottom of the laundry basket, the love in the kitchen sink, and the peace possible in one's own backyard. Follow Karen Maezen Miller through youthful ambition and self-absorption, beyond a broken marriage, and into the steady calm of a so-called ordinary life. In her hands, household chores and caregiving tasks become opportunities for self-examination, lessons in relationship, and liberating moments of selflessness. With attention, it's the little things -- even the unexpected, unpleasant, and unwanted things -- that count.

Review Quotes

"I love this book for its beautiful simplicity. Karen Maezen Miller gives us profound teachings that are to be found in the seemingly mundane moments of our ordinary, everyday lives."
-- Sharon Salzberg, author of Real Happiness

"The skillful weaving of personal anecdotes, a few Zen terms, and acute insights -- sometimes addressing the reader directly -- distinguish this book from others in the genre. . . . This disarming book is full of deft and reassuring observations."
-- Publishers Weekly

"Miller's homey examples help readers visualize and feel, rather than intellectualize, the message she's trying to impart. A good starting tool for those seeking an alternative to both traditional self-help psychology and spiritual practices."
-- Library Journal

"A direct reminder that wakefulness lurks in the moments of everyday life, whether they are completely joyful or completely a mess."
-- Susan Piver, author of The Wisdom of a Broken Heart

"Ever found yourself up to your elbows in the messy stuff of your own everyday life and wondered, 'Is this all there is?' Karen Maezen Miller answers that age-old question with a resounding 'Yes.' Read this deceptively simple, deeply wise little book not to change your life but to fall quietly, unequivocally back in love with the life you already have."
-- Katrina Kenison, author of The Gift of an Ordinary Day

"Hand Wash Cold is Eat, Pray, Love without all the scurrying from something. . . . Exceedingly wise and gentle, this book reminds us of the precious lives we've already been given and whispers, 'Quit looking someplace else.' "
-- Elissa Elliott, author of Eve: A Novel

"A book can't save your life, except when it does. Hand Wash Cold is full of the lovely paradoxes of life, the paradoxes that feed us and clothe us and keep us warm, the paradoxes that make it possible for us to cherish our human lives. I am so grateful for Karen Maezen Miller's powerful and provocative voice, I wish I could put it in my pocket and carry it everywhere. Wait: now I can."
-- Dan Barden, author of John Wayne: A Novel and The Next Right Thing

"Hand Wash Cold is a miracle of gentleness and truth. In this beautiful book, Karen shares her own stories of love lost, love gained, and love that simply is. She reminds us in her clear and quietly thrilling way that we need only pay attention to what is right in front of us, whether it's a garment to launder, a plate to wash, a weed to pull, or a child to comfort. With humor and grace, she immerses us in the simplest and most noble joys of life."
-- Maya Frost, author of The New Global Student

"Karen Maezen Miller shows once and for all that you don't have to go to a mountaintop to start a spiritual practice. There is plenty to work with right in front of us, each moment -- and thank goodness, really, because what else is there? Karen's lyrical writing distills her messages down to their essence, creating a memoir and spiritual guide like no other. Highly recommended for busy parents who are seeking peace, right where they are."
-- Amy Tiemann, PhD, author of Mojo Mom: Nurturing Your Self While Raising a Family

About the Author

Karen Maezen Miller is an errant wife, delinquent mother, reluctant dog walker, and expert laundress, as well as a Zen Buddhist priest and teacher, or sensei, at the Hazy Moon Zen Center in Los Angeles. She offers retreats and workshops around the country.