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Relax and Be Present With This Simple Ritual

2014-11-24 By Monica 19 Comments

There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea. ~Bernard-Paul Heroux

Last week I had the Monday of all Mondays. The kind of day that gives Mondays a bad name; when everything that can go wrong does go wrong.

First, my car wouldn’t start. I had to take it to the shop, which caused me to forget I had scheduled coffee with a friend. My phone died, so I wasn’t able to work at the repair shop. Then I spent the day trying to catch up, feeling frantic and frenzied. We’ve all had one of these days.

Plum Deluxe TeaBut then a wonderful thing happened, and my day took a turn for the better. In the mailbox was a big plum-colored envelope from my friend Andy at PlumDeluxe. He sent me samples of their new tea blends, and included a nice note. What great timing! Even better, one of the blends was called “Sunshine in a Cup,” the perfect recipe for me and my Monday.

It was time to take ten minutes to enjoy a cup of tea.

I stopped feeling rushed, I stopped thinking about the car and my day, and I noticed the amazing smell of the warm and comforting cup of tea. Ten minutes was long enough to shift the direction of my day.

I’ve always been a tea lover, especially during the fall and winter. I even set up a little tea station in my kitchen with honey, my favorite teas, and an infuser. Tea is the perfect antidote for a cold and rainy Portland winter.

After my PlumDeluxe tea experience, I stopped to think about the significance of tea. For thousands of years, people have enjoyed the simple act of making and drinking tea. This ritual is more than drinking a beverage – it’s an act of slowing down and relaxing. Waiting for the water to boil and the tea to steep. Allowing yourself to notice the aroma, feel the warmth, and savor the taste. Tea has the extraordinary ability to bring you into the present moment. Thich Nhat Hanh describes the connection between tea and the present moment when he said:

You must be completely awake in the present to enjoy the tea. Only in the awareness of the present, can your hands feel the pleasant warmth of the cup. Only in the present, can you savor the aroma, taste the sweetness, appreciate the delicacy.If you are ruminating about the past, or worrying about the future, you will completely miss the experience of enjoying the cup of tea. You will look down at the cup, and the tea will be gone.

Life is like that.If you are not fully present, you will look around and it will be gone. You will have missed the feel, the aroma, the delicacy and beauty of life. It will seem to be speeding past you. The past is finished. Learn from it and let it go. The future is not even here yet. Plan for it, but do not waste your time worrying about it. Worrying is worthless.

When you stop ruminating about what has already happened, when you stop worrying about what might never happen, then you will be in the present moment. Then you will begin to experience joy in life.

It’s no wonder that so many people around the world make time for this ritual every day. This winter, I’m adopting this simple and luxurious ritual for myself.

Now It’s Your Turn: What is your favorite kind of tea? Are there any other comforting and healthy rituals you make time for? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Please note – I’m not an affiliate of Plum Deluxe, just a big fan! I received no compensation for this post other than a wonderful sample that made my day. Thanks Andy!

Filed Under: Celebration, Love Your Life Tagged With: being present, celebration, happiness, joy, luxury, present, relax, ritual, stress, tea

About Monica

Monica is a health and wellness coach and essential oil enthusiast. She is also the author of Design Your Dream Life: See It, Plan It, Live It! Her work has appeared on Huffington Post, Elephant Journal, and on Startup Nation. Monica practices yoga, and enjoys animals, sushi, chai tea lattes, foreign films, and walking on the beach. She lives with her husband and two dogs in the fun and amazing city of Portland, Oregon.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Janeane Davis says

    2014-11-28 at 9:12 pm

    I like hot beverages a great deal. A cup of coffee seems like something you drink to prepare to work better and with some energy. A cup of tea feels like something I do for myself to relax, release stress and feel better no matter what is coming next. This is a good reminder that I need to make time for tea more often.

    Reply
    • Monica says

      2014-12-01 at 6:07 pm

      Hi Janeane – thank you so much for visiting my blog 🙂 I agree, tea feels much more like pampering than a cup of coffee – although I love both. I hope you can enjoy a luxurious cup of tea today as well! Have a great week. ~Monica

      Reply
  2. Olivia Claridge @ Hello, Happy Place says

    2014-12-03 at 2:14 am

    “You will look around and it will be gone”. Love love love this! Needed it today for sure

    Reply
    • Monica says

      2014-12-03 at 4:45 pm

      Thank you Olivia, I love that quote too. Hope you can relax and enjoy a cup of tea today too! So nice to see you on my blog. Thank you!

      Reply
  3. Robyn says

    2014-12-03 at 6:56 am

    Tea is totally a comfort drink for me. It always calms me down and makes me feel so cozy!

    http://www.skinnybelle.com/

    Reply
    • Monica says

      2014-12-03 at 4:46 pm

      Robyn – me too! It is definitely my go-to drink when I want to relax. Thank you so much for stopping by LifeOhm 🙂

      Reply
  4. Aneta Alaei says

    2014-12-03 at 3:04 pm

    It wasn’t until I met my husband (he is Iranian) and started drinking tea with him regularily that I realized just how soothing and relaxing tea can bee. I am going to go make myself some black tea right now, thank you for the beautiful reminder.

    Reply
    • Monica says

      2014-12-03 at 4:47 pm

      Aneta – that is a great story, thank you so much for sharing it on LifeOhm. I hope you enjoyed your cup of tea 🙂 ~ Monica

      Reply
  5. touristmeetstraveler says

    2014-12-03 at 3:51 pm

    I love these little rituals they always keep me calm and clear my mind!

    Reply
    • Monica says

      2014-12-03 at 4:48 pm

      I agree. Tea forces you to slow down and be mindful, even if it’s only for a few minutes. Thank you so much for your comment 🙂 ~ Monica

      Reply
  6. Nicole W. says

    2014-12-03 at 5:25 pm

    Sometimes all it takes is a cup of tea or hot chocolate! LOL

    Reply
    • Monica says

      2014-12-03 at 5:49 pm

      So true Nicole! I love hot chocolate too! Thank you so much for commenting at LifeOhm 🙂 Have a great day!

      Reply
  7. Ingrid says

    2014-12-03 at 9:00 pm

    Monica,

    I love your post! Especially today 🙂 I like a good Chai tea.

    Reply
    • Monica says

      2014-12-04 at 6:16 pm

      Thanks Ingrid 🙂 So good to see you on my blog! I LOVE a good chai tea too! That is my absolute favorite. Stay warm <3 ~Monica

      Reply
  8. Andy Hayes says

    2014-12-09 at 6:07 am

    Thanks for sharing the love about Plum Deluxe tea! I love your tea rituals, such a breath of fresh air given how busy our world is right now.

    Reply
    • Monica says

      2014-12-10 at 4:34 am

      Thanks Andy 🙂 Your teas are amazing! So nice to see you on LifeOhm.

      Reply
  9. Rachel@yourtablecloth.com says

    2015-01-06 at 4:50 pm

    Wish you a very happy new year

    Reply
  10. Kelsey says

    2015-03-26 at 9:19 am

    My favorite tea is Yogi’s Kava Stress Relief tea. I drink it almost every night while I send gratitude for what I have. <3

    Reply
    • Monica says

      2015-04-12 at 6:41 pm

      Thanks Kelsey, I’ll have to try that one. It sounds wonderful.

      Reply

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