I like to start my day with a cup of tea and clear intentions for the day. If I drink a cup of tea as just a beverage, I limit the experience of that cup of tea and relegate it to an unconscious experience. If instead I choose that cup of tea consciously for its flavor, quality and potential health benefits and take the time to nurture myself with that cup of tea as a reward or a part of a routine to practice mindfulness, it becomes more than just a beverage. It becomes a powerful tool of focused intention, assisting in creating my day.
The act of choosing your tea, heating the water, and steeping your tea become an opportunity to begin the day with conscious choice and intention. Consciously choose the tea or herbal you want this morning. Do you want a strong cup of black tea to wake you up and get you moving? Perhaps it is cold and flu season and you want to boost your immune system to avoid catching the cold going around the office. You might choose a spicy chai tea that contains Cardamom, Clove, Cinnamon, Ginger and white and black peppers or an herbal blend that contains medicinal herbs with antibacterial properties. You may prefer a nice cup of fruity black tea, or a floral green tea. Choosing your tea with an intention instead of just unconsciously following a routine gives you an opportunity to exercise your mind and choose how your day begins.
Depending on your conscious choice of tea; put a pot of water on to heat and prepare your cup or your favorite steeping system. Be attentive as the water is heating, focus on your breathing taking slow, deep, even breaths. Breathing can be a tool to help you control your bio-chemistry and start your day with a calm mind, it also oxygenates your cells and your brain helping them function. When the water has reached the perfect temperature, slowly pour it over your tea or herbal. Remember and think about why you chose that particular tea or herbal and focus your intention on its purpose for you.
As your tea is steeping take that time to set an intention; for your health, or maybe to visualize your day. You will have anywhere from 3-7 minutes to consciously create your intentions while your tea steeps. What do you need to accomplish today? Do you have a meeting that may be stressful? Visualize how
you want to experience that meeting, what you need to express, and what you want the responses to be to what you say. If you chose a tea for a health related reason, focus on how that tea will benefit you. Take a moment and say a prayer of gratitude for the day you are about to experience.
Congratulations! You now have a tool to increase your focus, practice mindfulness and experience living in the now. You have begun to take the steps towards living in a truly awakened state, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It all starts with a great cup of loose leaf tea.