Tea Meditation

 

“You must be completely awake in the present to enjoy the tea.

Only in the awareness of the present, can your hands feel the pleasant warmth of the cup.

Only in the present, can you savor the aroma, taste the sweetness, appreciate the delicacy.

If you are ruminating about the past or worrying about the future, you miss the experience of enjoying a cup of tea.

You will look down at the cup, and the tea will be gone.

Life is like that.

If you are not fully present, you will look around and it will be gone.

You will have missed the feel, the aroma, the delicacy and beauty of life.” 

Thich Nhat Hanh

 

Tea Meditation - Mindfulness with Tea

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  1. Take 3 deep breaths into your belly to help to switch your attention away from your thoughts and into your body.

  2. Listen intently to all the sounds involved in making the tea - the kettle boiling, the tea bag rustling, the water being poured into the cup.

  3. Pay attention to the colour and shape of the herb. After pouring the water, watch intently as the herbs soften and slowly change the colour of the water.

  4. Smell the aroma of the tea and let it completely take you over. Does it remind you of anything? What can you pick out from the smells you are experiencing?

  5. Feel the warm cup in your hands, and as you lift it to your lips, feel the warm sensation as you swallow the warm tea. Can you taste each herb that is in the tea? Is it bitter or sweet? What does the warm liquid feel like?

You can do this practice at any time of the day when you feel you need to turn off the busy world around you and return to your inner stillness. If you feel your mind wander to the past or future, gently bring your awareness back to the tea. Choosing certain calming herbs can also facilitate this experience, learn about the difference herbs you can use on my Local Plant page.