The Cup of Life has partnered with Steal Time Back to bring to you a two part Tea Mediation series. I have briefly discussed tea meditation on my blog previously and have always wanted to dive a little deeper into it. When I found out about the company Steal Time Back (formerly known as Tiny Time Machines) I knew it was time to continue what I wanted to do. Their vision is to bring more oneness into the world by reminding it of the present. Check out their website and products (like the ‘now’ watch below) – they donate 50% of profits to help children.
To begin this series, Steal Time Back and The Cup of Life have included their own thoughts on tea mediation below. Feel free to share yours in the comments below or via social media.
Steal Time Back
In a world full of distractions it is easy to forget that we are all connected. An obsession with knowledge has lead us to forget the wisdom of simplicity. An epidemic of noise and movement has made us forget the beautiful stillness underneath it all. Now is the time for a new kind of movement, a “stillness movement”. When we immerse into the moment we become our best selves and feel the oneness of all things. When we feel one with everything we naturally try to better ourselves and the world, as we do not want to hurt a part of ourselves. Our vision is to bring more oneness into the world by reminding it of the present of the present.
“It’s always tea time”, the Mad Hatter famously said in Alice in Wonderland. If you don’t have time for tea, that’s a sign that you may need to have tea. In this fast paced world it is even more important to slow down and enjoy the moment. The process of drinking tea is not one that can be rushed. The tea is too hot to drink fast, it takes time to make it. It is impossible to not savor it while having tea, which makes having tea a rather meditative act. So perhaps the Mad Hatter was not so mad after all. “It’s always tea time”.
The Cup of Life
From starting out young, tea has always been a beverage to me. However, I never realized until recently that its always been more. Its been my relaxation, my love, my inspiration and my escape. I can’t think of another beverage that can relax me as much as tea does. It’s far beyond the sips as well. Tea helps you focus on the now. You need to be present when making tea, unlike coffee where you can just set the coffee pot and finish getting ready before you rush out for work.
True tea allows you to stop, think, focus and do. You set the kettle, you wait. You make sure the temperature is right for your tea, you wait. You steep the leaves, you wait. And you watch. I find that watching the tea leaves is the most serene part of the “now” experience. That’s when you get to get enjoy what’s right in front of you. That’s when you can watch leaves unfurl and release their aroma and flavours. For that moment, tea is everything. This process continues sip by sip, rather than gulp by gulp.
Tea Here Now,
Steal Time Back & The Cup of Life
*Come back next week for Part Two of the Tea Meditation series where we give you a simple, yet effective way to find inner peace inside your teacup.