A Cup of Zen is a new series I have begun on my blog. The following is
The Cup of Life’s third post for the series featuring Tegan Woo from Amoda Tea. For more information and to be featured,
please
visit its page.
I’m a lifelong tea lover. My first experience connecting with tea, and actually what introduced me to tea’s amazing ability to do this, was my weekly lessons in the Japanese Tea Ceremony. It started as a way to indulge in my tea curiosity, but it turned into a weekly retreat where I became present in the moment more than any other time. Now, I’m in the business of tea and love sharing stories over cups of tea.
About a year ago, I discovered how incredible my day could be if I start it by setting an intention. Usually the intention is how I want to feel that day. This morning I decided I wanted to feel patient. Each morning I want to get deeply connected to that intention before I start on any part of my day. I find that preparing and sipping tea helps me connect more deeply by creating a full experience that uses all my senses. As I get carried away into my day, I have this clear sense of how I want to feel that day. I can connect to that throughout my day, in any situation – to help me make decisions, shift my mood and uphold myself. It’s a pretty cool tool.
So, I drowsily walk to the kettle right out of bed. I’m pretty simple when it comes to steeping my tea, so I reach for my favourite mug and a basic stainless steel strainer. It’s the familiarity and the daily ritual that I’m after and the cup of tea to sip. While the water boils, I’ll choose a black tea from my collection and grab my journal and a pen.
I sit in my comfy lounger and sip, close my eyes and think about my intention. Today I was not only thinking about being patient, I was experiencing how I would feel as a patient person. It feels so calm and in control! Sip more tea, journal a little about the thoughts and feelings, sip some more tea. It’s only about a 5 minute thing once the tea’s made. 5 minutes, a cup of tea and I’ve set myself up to have a pretty empowered day.
Where to find Tegan…
