To celebrate National Hot Tea Month, I encourage you to try this mindfulness meditation. I wrote it for myself, because I often need it!
Gather your equipment, paying special attention to both the function and beauty of the tea vessels.
Choose you tea with special care. What tea matches your mood, your needs, the weather? Take a moment to enjoy the look and aroma of the dry leaf.
Bring the water to boil and listen to its music as it changes from the heat.
When the water is at the right temperature, enjoy the steam and the lovely gurgling sound as you pour the water over the leaves. This is a special moment as the leaves begin to unfurl, the "agony of the leaf."
As the tea steeps, practice breathing and stretching. Try not to do the dishes or other things. (This is the hardest part for me!)
When the tea is ready, pour a cup and take a moment to enjoy the aroma and color of the brew. Take a small sip and let the tea play in your mouth. Where do you taste it? What flavors are there? Now drink the rest of this cup in peace.
Cheers!
How beautiful. It's important to me to not let my daily tea ritual become a mundane, mindless practice...but I need an occasional reminder. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThat comes at a very good time for a reminder, as I stand hear boiling over the water for my soup.
ReplyDeleteAhhhh....a spa experience in a cup, huh? Tea is a good thing!
ReplyDeletestand here....not hear. :-)
ReplyDeleteThat was my comment earlier. Sorry for the spamming comments.
ReplyDeleteAh, wonderful! I think I'll practice that ritual right now and make myself a cup.
ReplyDeleteI have spending every evening racing around the house picking up toys, cleaning, doing laundry, trying to exercise, blogging, and etc. . . . I'm going to take some time for a cup of tea some time this weekend. Thanks for the inspiration.
ReplyDeleteVery nice!! I will use this tomorrow morning!! I also love the pin cushion, it's beautiful! Talk to you later.
ReplyDeleteKeri
Yes, I tend to run off to make the bed when the tea is steeping. Thanks for reminding me to slow down.
ReplyDeleteBTW, good luck with the book. Taxes are distracting me this week, but I will soon to return to the challenge.
Hi!
ReplyDeleteWe're here to invite you to visit our tea blog, "From Black to Green and All In Between":
http://teaquilibrium.blogspot.com/
We hope you enjoy it!
~The Teaquilibrium Team
Great post! I tend to do other things then ge side-tacked and let my tea over steep.
ReplyDeleteI didn't even realize January was national Hot Tea Month! Guess it makes sense right :)?
ReplyDeleteAhhhhh, serenitea.
ReplyDelete