Tea and Spirituality: Tea and Meditation
In today’s world of instant gratification, it is easy to get wrapped up in the stress of it all. At the end of the day, I love to sit on my couch with a nice cup of tea and unwind. But you can take it one step further if you want to take time for yourself and completely unwind. You can try meditation along with your nice cup of tea. A lot of people believe that these two activities are separate but in fact can join together. Meditation is not just the act of sitting in lotus position while chanting OM. It is actually about relaxing your mind and rejuvenating your soul. You can actually do this at any time with whatever activity you can derive joy out of. You can meditate while walking in a park, some unknowingly do so while washing the dishes and some find they can meditate while they enjoy their tea.
One way of meditating with tea is to simply start with making the tea. Take your time and choose your favorite tea (loose leaf is the more popular because it allows for more aromas and flavors to be released). Once the tea is ready, sit down in whatever position is comfortable and hold the cup between your hands or against your chest. Hold it in whatever position that allows you to feel the warmth of the tea as it transfers from the tea itself to your body. Let it absorb into your very core; in fact, such visualization is customary in meditation. Then whenever you are ready, take that first sip of tea and enjoy the colorful flavors. Take your time and repeat. See? It’s very easy, no?
I found a fascinating and short video from Dahn Yoga that leads you step by step into Tea Meditation for those interested in trying this out. I know I will.