Tea Time
There’s one habit that I’ve acquired during this pandemic that I’d like to keep: drinking more beverages throughout my day. Specifically, drinking several cups of herbal tea a day. I’ll always have a cup of coffee to start my day, but the rest of my day now belongs to tea.
Image source: Giphy
I’ve created my own kind of ritual around the brewing of tea. As I fill my electric kettle with water and wait for hot water, I give myself a moment to look out the kitchen window and let whatever thoughts come in. If no thoughts come, I look for a rabbit munching on grass, or watch the rain fall on the leaves of a daylily. Once the tea is ready, I pick up my mug and inhale the scent of tea, calming me. As I take my first sip, the tea washes any thoughts away, comforting me with warmth and deliciousness.
Let’s take a moment, right now, to brew some tea in the theater of our minds. Fill your kettle with water and light the burner. Think about the day as the water warms up. Pick your mug, and what kind of tea you’d like to drink. You hear the water start bubbling, and the kettle whistles, letting you know that the water is ready. Pour the hot water over the tea, and wait a minute or two for the tea to steep. Raise the mug to your nose. Inhale. Count to three, then exhale. Inhale, take a sip. Feel the water, at perfect tea temperature, run down your throat and settle in your stomach. Exhale. Repeat until the mug is empty. Brew another mug of tea if necessary.
Thanks for taking this break with me. I hope you have a wonderful day.
This post was inspired by an episode of The Daily called “A Bit of Relief: Tea and Toast.”
