Try This Peaceful Tea Meditation to Bring Comfort to Your Day
“Tea is an act complete in its simplicity. When I drink tea, there is only me, and the tea. The rest of the world dissolves. There are no worries about the future. No dwelling on past mistakes. Tea is simple: Loose-leaf tea, hot pure water, a cup. I inhale the scent, tiny delicate pieces of the tea floating above the cup. I drink the tea, the essence of the leaves becoming a part of me. I am informed by the tea, changed. This is the act of life, in one pure moment, and in this act the truth of the world suddenly becomes revealed; all the complexity, pain, drama of life is a pretense, invented in our minds for no good purpose. There is only the tea, and me, converging.”
Thich Nhat Hanh
Drinking tea has been a calm and comforting ritual for many different cultures throughout history, a powerful ritual that still exists today. It helps calm and center your mind, connects people together, and invites a moment of stillness and ease into your day.
While we’re probably aware of the physical benefits of tea — including a boost of antioxidants and lowered risk of high blood pressure — drinking tea has powerful emotional effects as well. A 2008 study by Yale psychologists found that experiencing physical warmth promotes interpersonal warmth. Study participants who held a cup of hot coffee were more likely to perceive others as more generous and caring, and participants who held a hot therapeutic pad were more likely to choose a gift for a friend instead of themselves.
Carving out time for a comforting ritual like tea and meditation every day can bring a sense of groundedness, peace, and gratitude to your daily life. You can elevate your daily tea drinking ritual by incorporating mindfulness with a tea meditation.
WHAT IS A TEA MEDITATION?
A tea meditation involves being mindful and present during all aspects of the tea ritual, including making the tea, drinking the tea, and being aware of the effects on your mind and body. You can practice a tea meditation during any time of the day — perhaps you try it in the morning to start your day with presence, enjoy it in the middle of the day for increased focus and clarity, or end your day with the practice for a peaceful night’s sleep.
THE BENEFITS OF TEA MEDITATION
Weaving mindfulness into your tea routine has many physical and emotional benefits, including:
- Decreased stress and anxiety
- Increased sense of calm and focus
- A peaceful beginning, break, or end to your day
- All the health benefits of drinking tea
- All the benefits of mindfulness, including improved sleep and mental health
How to do a Tea Meditation
For this tea meditation, you’ll go about your normal routine in making your tea but add an extra layer of mindfulness and intention with each step. The process is the same, but your awareness is focused on the sensory experience of making and consuming your tea.
Choose your tea. What will it be today — loose leaf? Bagged tea? Consider your current mood and your mental and physical needs. Perhaps you opt for a caffeinated blend for an energizing boost, or you’re looking for a calming herbal option to soothe your stress. Examine the intention behind your choice of tea and how you choose to prepare it.
Select a cup with care. Perhaps it’s your favorite mug that was passed down from a family member, a birthday gift from your friend, or a hand-crafted mug from a local artisan. Choose a cup that speaks to you and lights up your soul.
Notice the water boiling. While you’re waiting for the water to boil, find a comfortable position and begin to deepen your breath. As you breathe deeply, notice the sound of the water as it begins to boil. Hear the pace of the water quicken as it heats up. This might be a long period of waiting, so notice if any thoughts of impatience arise (without judgement). Enjoy the slowness of this process. As the water comes to a rolling boil, see the steam escaping from the kettle, and hear the shrill sound of the kettle’s whistle.
Watch the tea transition. Whether you’re using a bag or an infuser, carefully pour the water into your cup and watch the color change as time passes. See the color becoming darker. If you take your tea with cream, milk, sugar, or honey, add those in with intention. Think about why you enjoy each addition, and consider carefully how much you really need.
Savor each sip. Feel the warmth of the cup or handle in your hands. Feel the solid construction of the cup. Notice the shape of the cup as you hold it. When you’re ready for your first sip, hold the cup up to your nose and breathe in deeply. Enjoy the aroma — what does it smell like? Is it light and floral, or fresh and fruity? Or perhaps it’s earthy and robust. When you're ready for your first sip, take it slowly and intentionally. Let the tea sit in your mouth for a moment and notice the first burst of flavor. What does it taste like? Let the flavor spread across your tongue. Now follow the journey of the tea into your body as you swallow your first sip. Feel it nourish you.
Enjoy the process. As you continue the slow process of savoring your tea, feel where you currently are in space — perhaps standing or sitting — and feel grounded in the moment. Notice all the points where your body contacts the floor. Notice the pace at which you are finishing your tea — do you feel the urge to quicken the pace? What could be causing those feelings? Or perhaps you’re content to stay where you are right now. Without judgement, notice the feelings that arise in the process. Notice the temperature change as time passes.
Seal your practice with gratitude. As your tea meditation comes to a close, take a moment to express gratitude to yourself for showing up, gratitude for all the people who put in work to grow, harvest, package, and bring you this tea, and gratitude for this present moment of solitude.
Looking for some more mindfulness meditations to practice? Check out our library of online meditation classes on Alo Moves. Get a 14-day free trial here.