The Big Cleaning
What Oosouji, or Japan’s concept of "The Big Cleaning," illuminates about the interconnection of physical, spiritual, and emotional cleansing
Gracious reader,
The season of spring cleaning is upon us, and I am embracing it with gusto, channeling my inner Marie Kondo and purging eagerly whatever doesn’t offer utility and joy.
Our family is finally back in our home after a massive, unexpected, two-year-long renovation and restoration that was forced upon us after a pipe burst on the third floor of our home, destroying everything in its path.
It’s invigorating to rediscover the treasures that have been in storage for two years.
It’s also a freeing exercise in self-reflection to purge those things that no longer serve us.
For me, getting rid of things is one of life’s great pleasures.
It feels like a massive unburdening, almost a spiritual and emotional cleansing.
I’m not alone in this feeling.
The Japanese concept of oosouji (ōsōji) offers intellectual depth to my enjoyment from cleaning and purging.
In Japanese culture, carrying unnecessary baggage into a new year—whether it is physical stuff or emotional clutter, such as resentment—is unhealthy. An annual ritual of cleansing and purging is a reset that clears away the things in our lives that weigh us down.
We have a similar ritualistic reset in our notion of “spring cleaning.”
Oosouji has its origins in the cleansing of impurities during the Heian period (794–1185) in Japanese history—an era known as Japan's “golden age” for its flourishing art, culture, and literature.
The cleansing was necessary to prepare the space for divine blessing.
I love that idea as it relates to our spring cleaning: as we part ways with the old, we open our minds, homes, and lives to newness—new blessings.
Hanging on to the old prevents us from seeing and benefiting from new possibilities.
By the Edo Period in Japanese history (roughly 1600 until 1860), oosouji had become a general cultural practice where people thought of the cleansing ritual as an invitation of good fortune and a means to rid oneself of the negative influences of the prior year. Oosouji has evolved into a collective ritual: entire neighborhoods, schools, or workplaces participate in sweeping and cleaning together to mark a fresh era unburdened by psychological and emotional clutter.
Nothing New Under the Sun
I love discovering insights for good living that different people and cultures uncover independently across different times and places. It speaks to the unity and unchanging nature of the human condition, where certain timeless principles apply in all times and places. It shows us, as the book of Ecclesiastes in the Hebrew Bible tells us, that there is “nothing new under the sun.”
Erasmus offers us a beautifully related insight, illuminating the interplay between physical and psychological cleansing.
The premier intellectual superstar of the European Renaissance, a great influence on Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation (though he was a Catholic until he died), and a great unsung hero of moderation in history. He’s one of the people whose life and legacy I try to revive in my book.
Erasmus was presciently sanitary. Before germ theory, he was a proponent of frequent hand washing and, like the Japanese, connected physical, emotional, and psychological cleansing.
Imagine if every time we washed our hands, we also took a minute to reset and cleanse our minds, letting go of experiences and thoughts from our day and life that held us back — literally washing emotional contagions down the drain with physical ones, such as germs and viruses.
Questions for you:
What do you think of the concept of oosouji?
To what extent do you currently sense the interconnection between our physical spaces and our psychological states?
What will you let go of this week?
Remembver: as you wash you rhands this week, cleanse and unburden your mind of unnecessary pollutantts, too.
Share your reflections in the comments!
And for your viewing pleasure, here is this great bit by George Carlin: Is stuff really the meaning of life?
Looking ahead:
April 2, 2025- Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall
April 24, 2025- Kennesaw State University
April 30, 2025- Community Book Talk at Hussey-Mayfield Library
May 5-8, Southern California book events with several Federalist Society chapters
May 14, 20205- Court of Appeals of Indiana retreat
May 23, 2025, St. Johns Classical Academy of Fleming Island, Commencement Speaker
May 24, 2025, Redefining Classics, The Catholic University of America
September 26- 27, 2025- Civility Summit
In the news:
Discussing NOT talking about politics on FOX 59's In Focus with Dan Spehler
Civility, manners, and hospitality in the Odyssey- guest post for Classical Pursuits
Washington Post: Want to save your friendships? Take a page from the Founding Fathers.
Paideia, Humanitas, Civility and Education- I was honored to be invited to write this essay for The Ronald Reagan Center on Civility and Democracy. In a time often marked by division and discord, reflecting on the relationship between civility and education offers both wisdom and hope.
Thanks to Timothy Donahue of Oakland University for this thoughtful Public Books review of The Soul of Civility! He highlights a key argument: civility isn’t mere politeness—it’s essential for real social progress. Read here!
I had a great time joining Josh on the Good Morning Liberty podcast! We discussed historical lessons on civility, focusing on how John Adams and Thomas Jefferson overcame deep political divides to restore their friendship. Their story is a powerful reminder that mutual respect can heal even the deepest rifts. The episode is now live—tune in and let me know your thoughts!
It’s Time for a New Era of Christian Civility- read my latest piece for Christianity Today!
Thanks so much to MSNBC for hosting a segment about The Soul of Civility. Watch here!
A Year Ago on Civic Renaissance:
Wherever you are, be ALL there.
Thank you for being part of our Civic Renaissance community!
