Tea meditation
We have occasional gatherings at work to rejuvenate, practice self-care and connect with colleagues. We don’t talk shop or try to catch up on work. We just relax and stay present to the moment for an hour or two doing activities such as painting, coloring and candle making.
Tea meditation
This time, we had a tea ceremony/meditation. Buddhist Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh tells us that any action (even chores like washing dishes, sweeping the floor, doing laundry) can be meditations when they are done mindfully, that is, with an awareness and appreciation of the present moment, while maintaining connection to our breath, senses and environment without judgment.
Watch Thich Nhat Hanh teach Oprah about tea meditation.
We sat in a circle, did a guided meditation to center ourselves, then learned about the various herbal loose leaf teas, such as chamomile, rose petals, lavender, lemongrass, hibiscus, contained in large glass jars in front of us. Using one of the recipes provided, we combined various dried herbs in our individual mixer bowls and put them in an empty tea bag, which we then tied and placed in a clear glass cup. We poured hot water in the cups and spent over seven minutes watching the transformation of the clear water into clouds of light blue, dark blue then gradually into a deep lovely purple.
Sensory awareness
Holding our cups in both hands, we inhaled the steaming tea, describing what aromas and highlights we could detect. Then we took our first sip together in silence, taking full breaths, tasting the flavors in our mouths, swallowing slowly.
We had a short writing exercise where we were prompted to reflect on our experience and think of a simple way in which we could incorporate a relaxing ritual into our daily or weekly routine.
When the tea ceremony was over, we each received an empty tea canister, loose leaf tea infuser and wooden honey dipper. We were invited to make our own herbal tea blend to take with us, and to give ourselves permission to do this again at home in the coming week, maybe even with friends or family members.
Many thanks to Dr Candace Starks for providing an amazing variety of herbal loose leaf teas, fresh fruit and delicious snacks, and creating a refreshing break from the heady stuff we do all day so that we could mindfully drop back into our senses and bodies. And for reminding us to give ourselves permission to do this again and again.