May 03, 2022
by Diana Rosen
While the social engagement of serving and drinking tea with others is a given, there may be even more benefits to carving out the time and place to drink a cup of tea on your own savoring not only its flavor and fragrance, but the priceless gift of quiet to think, dream, or do nothing but notice the way the tea feels in your mouth, its flavor, scent as it quenches our thirst, clarifies our mind and regenerates our body.
A cup of tea as dawn breaks can set the tone for the whole day, just one of many ways to enjoy the benefits of the serenity of a solo tea. It may be a challenge to sit quietly without reading the paper, writing in your journal, or checking your phone. Please give yourself the opportunity to “just make tea” for yourself. Think of this as a gift you treat yourself so you can be your best self. If it means getting up a bit earlier than the rest of the household, give I a try.
Put the kettle on. Select the tea you want this day. Select the best cup for this tea. Measure the tea and put it into the filter or pot. Sit down and do nothing. Breathe. Listen for the water to heat up. When it is ready, carefully pour the water onto the leaves and watch them unfurl. Inhale the fragrance as water becomes tea.
Bring the brewed cup of tea back to your table and breathe again, deeply, at least two times. Feel the warmth of the teacup as you admire the jewel-like color of the tea liquor Now, taste the ambrosial liquid. Let the liquid linger in your mouth, note its delicate or satiny texture, perhaps a lovely aftertaste that satisfies.
Take note of how the quiet and the tea-drinking experience make you feel. As you rise up slowly to begin the day, make a date with yourself to repeat the pleasure tomorrow.
If you work outside the home, give yourself a tea break as many days as you can. If possible, prepare and drink your tea privately in an office or quiet area of the building or outdoors, that will elevate the pleasure, especially if you turn off phones and computers, or let colleagues know this is your break time.
You can also take your solo teatime at night with a caffeine-free tisane like chamomile to destress or an earthy pu-erh to aid digestion. Again, be conscious of your breath, sit comfortably on the back of your thighs rather than your derriere to help your posture and allow for easier breathing. Feel your body and mind relax. After you get into bed, continue to be aware of your breath, the quiet, and the softness of your bed linens and pillow. Let them comfort your body as the tisane comforted your spirit. Rest. You will sleep more deeply, and awaken more refreshed.
Consider tea outdoors as the weather permits on the balcony or patio, in your own garden or a public park, with a thermos and a special cup. Nature will provide an ample backdrop of beauty from plants, flowers, butterflies, and the music of birdsong. Take it all in as you sip.
Try a solo tea once a week. Then, twice, three times until you can do it daily. Begin slowly to make this an invited habit into your life. You’ll soon discover the benefits: more clarity, more sense of purpose, more enthusiasm, and more willingness to deflect noise and unnecessary/unwanted distractions.
Finally, share the power of the solo tea session with others. Give friends, colleagues, and family members their own special cup and packet of artisanal tea with the caveat that these be enjoyed by themselves, for themselves. In this way, sip by sip, cup by cup, we can help ourselves, and each other, incorporate the solo tea into our lives as a positive way to renew, regenerate, and refresh.
