If you haven’t already integrated tea into your meditation practice, you should really start! You are already preparing and drinking tea, so you won’t need a lot of extra time for these meditations. You will need a little extra mindfulness! Start by mindfully choosing a tea. If you know that caffeine easily affects you or causes anxiety, it may not be the best choice for an evening meditation or a grounding meditation. If you are trying to bring more energy and focus into your day, however, a caffeinated tea may be perfect!
Prepare Your Tea Meditation does not require sitting still with eyes closed. Meditation can involve doing. As you prepare your tea, try to be completely present in the process. Don’t listen to music, have the TV on, or look at your phone. Rid yourself of distractions and entertainment for the few minutes it takes you to heat the water, steep the tea, and add any sweeteners or creamers to the tea. As you give your full attention to the task at hand, notice any thoughts that come up, but don’t dwell on them. Return your thoughts to the task at hand if your mind wanders. If there are periods of waiting, ground yourself by bringing your attention to the tools you are using. Hold the mug in your hands and notice its color, texture, weight, etc. If you are not drinking your tea on the go or with a meal, see if you can maintain this presence while drinking the tea. Stir in Your Intention When you have finished steeping your tea, remove the bag or steeper. Add any sweetener or creamer that you enjoy in your tea, and then use a spoon to stir the tea three times. During each full circle that you make while stirring, speak your intention aloud each time. Then tap your spoon on the side of the cup three times before setting it down. If you don’t like adding anything to your tea, you can still stir it. You can also speak your intention aloud into the tea without stirring it. Bring your cup up to your mouth, take a deep inhale and full exhale. As you drink your tea, contemplate your intention for the day. Take Your Tea with Gratitude Even if there are distractions, you can make your tea drinking a mindful practice. Try thinking of something that you are grateful for with every sip that you take. There is not a set number of sips, and thus there is no set number of things to be grateful for. Not having a list, a set number, or goal will help you to stay present. Gratitude has been studied extensively by neuroscientists, and has been shown to steadily change our brains over time and increase overall happiness even when circumstances have not changed.
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