Mindful Tea

This cup of tea
In my two hands
Mindfulness held completely
My mind and body dwell
In the very here and now.

This is a gatha—a mindfulness verse by the Vietnamese monk, Thich Nhat Hanh. He has written many verses about daily, ordinary life, all of which are calls to be mindful, to be present in the life we are living.

I’ve always loved tea in its myriad forms! I drink it black—straight up, flavored, or with heavy cream; green—from genmaicha to plain to green mango (a favorite); white or oolong—both plain or with flavors; and all the many flavor profiles and subtleties of herbal teas (sweet, clarifying, floral, rich, fresh, spicy, malty, grassy, fruity…).

I bought my first tea pot and cups when I was in Vienna on a study-abroad program in college, I inherited some of my grandmother’s lovely collection (see yellow flower cup below), and the rest is history!! I seem to keep collecting… 🙂

There is something so satisfying about making tea and pouring it out of a beautiful pot into a beautiful tea cup. This beauty is a call to presence, just like the mindfulness verse above.

In fact, that’s what I love about mindfulness verses and tea. They are both about being present in and with the ordinary. Right here. Right now. Whether I am working on the computer, or taking in the outside air, or talking with a friend…they call me to present moment awareness.

Nothing fancy. No apps, no mindfulness bells, no expensive potions. Simple words. Simple tea. Simple beauty. Simple presence.

When I engage in mindful tea, it reminds me to come back home—to taste and savor the tea entering my body, to let go of habitual thoughts, to release stories, to drop into my heart and body and sense my embodied presence as it is right now. In this moment as I am holding or sipping my tea.

It’s a sacred reminder to take a sacred pause that brings us home to ourselves.

What practices do you have
that remind you to be mindful in your life?

Author: Katy Taylor

I am a regular person, like you. I am an earth lover, a seeker, a singer, a gardener, a partner and friend. I have attended a lot of trainings and continue to do my work to grow and deepen and become a more loving person. If you're interested, you can read more about me on the About page. View all posts by Katy Taylor