Let TEA change your life.
Look, I’m the sort of person that swims against the current because it gives me a better workout, take the stairs instead of the elevator because i’m usually faster, and in the same awkward and somewhat strange way, i’m that guy who believes Tea - in all forms - can, if allowed, change lives (/lifestyles).
Humor me for a second...
For me, Tea is more than just a delicious liquid to consume,
it's a form of meditation
in ways, because I choose it to be. I let it help me practice paying attention,
I allow tea to consume me, rather than let it be consumed
, to help me slow life down a little,
savor every second
. For me, I use the mere process of brewing tea to regain focus...slowing life down or putting that problem on hold for a few minutes while I brew tea can be so rewarding.
Now don't worry about how to brew the perfect cup of tea, nor how to choose the best tea for you. This guide of sorts is to simply share how I use tea to gain focus in life, how to slow things down and how to keep healthy.
So, since Tea does so much for me, I thought I would share some things I do to gain a lot from the whole process with you!
FOCUS
The aim is to allow tea to become a ritual, a routine that enables you to generate FOCUS from the mere act of brewing and drinking tea.
As an example, here is one of my routines:
I use an old metal kettle to heat up some water. A traditional way although an electric one will do the job. I use an old bamboo ladle I have to scoop some Matcha tea into my tea bowl. My Matcha tea bowl is a very rustic looking one, it has a rough texture and the warmth of the tea with how it feels cupped in my hands just relaxes me somehow.
I pour water into the tea bowl, half full...then use a bamboo whisk until the tea is nice and foamy at the top. I rinse off the whisk and ladle, and just savor the smell of the tea...the color, brothy look...mhmm.
I usually head back to my desk, put my phone on silent, close my browser and boot up my writing app. New page, open. Before I start writing, I sit there, my tea next to me. I sit. Breathe. Then I lean in to grab my bowl of tea, sip. Savor the taste, the thickness, slight bitterness which I often offset with Japanese crackers, the sweetish aftertaste and fine grit left on my tongue..mhmm. I set the bowl down. I breathe, I write. Then I sip, and repeat this.
SLOWNESS
Look, I really want to help you, I gain nothing by giving you advice really, but if I can make your life, no wait, your day...actually, a mere hour of your day, that much better, then I’ll try.
I know how stressful and rushed life can be, rushing projects, work, school, family stuff, it's all rushed, it all becomes a blur.
I use tea to slow things down, to help me return to what I call the 'natural rhythm of life'. So when things become rushed, usually mid-afternoons, I pause. I get up and drop some delicious loose whole-leaf Oolong tea in a small teapot as water heats up. I sometimes just take a moment to enjoy the consistency of the leaves, with the thought that each was picked by a farmer from a small farm in Japan or Taiwan, breathe on the leaves to evoke their fragrance. I let the tea steep for half a minute so it's light.
I pay attention to my breath while doing this sometimes, it's a form of meditation and just helps slow down the world around you. All your focus is on that tea.
I pour the steeped tea into a cup, savoring the color, texture, smell, and then try to see what aromas I can detect. Then I sip. If you do this, If you COMMIT yourself to this process, that first sip will be a revelation. The rushed world fades away and the delicate tea hits your tongue, washing it in warmth and flavors that began their journey in the earth, thousands of miles away in a country that has been doing this for over a millennium...
The reason I don't steep it long, is that I sometimes like it really light, with only a slight essence of the leaves infused in the liquid, so timid that I have to really pay attention to notice it all. That whole moment is slowed down even more by the hesitation of my attention as I start to enjoy the stillness.
5-10minutes go by, and each minute feels like an eternity.
Try to find your own little routine, your own little tea brewing/drinking ritual. Let the process itself help you better your day.