Most days, around 5-6 pm, I stop whatever I’m doing and make myself a cup of tea. I call this my tea ritual and it’s one of my important self-care habits. It’s a moment and opportunity for me to stop the day a little and take some time to wind down a little.
Special tea rituals or tea ceremonies are important cultural traditions throughout the world from East to West, from Japan, China, India, Russia to England and Morocco, just to name a few. (The Japanese tea ceremony is an art in itself, if you’d like to learn more about it, read this short guide).
These rituals may differ in some aspects, but common features are an awareness of the moment, a heightened appreciation for small joys of life, and finding ways to elevate seemingly ordinary acts and moments to important experiences.
Finding small habits and rituals that help us slow down a little and rise above the daily chaos, inspire mindfulness, and teach us how to appreciate being more in the moment is incredibly important.
Why a tea ritual?
+ Drinking tea is an experience
The smell, the taste, the details of the presentation, the aesthetics – preparing and drinking good tea is a sensual journey.
+ It requires attention
Making good tea is actually a challenge. Ok, not a huge challenge, but still, it requires some attention. If you forget about the water, you need to redo it again and again to get the perfect temperature. If you leave the tea leaves in for too long, the tea will be unfit for human consumption. And if you forget about your finished tea completely, well, who wants to drink cold tea? In a way, it forces us to forget about daily tasks, impending deadlines, worries and anxieties and dedicate our full attention to the preparation.
+ It has tons of health benefits
The health benefits of tea are virtually undisputed across the world. Tea is full of antioxidants, can boost your metabolism and brain functions, and reduce risks of a variety of diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
+ It doesn’t have to be costly or overly time-consuming
The best self-care habits in my opinion are not too expensive and don’t require a lot of time and effort. You don’t have to ship in luxury tea from China, you can find very good ones in your nearest health or specialty store too.
A tea ritual doesn’t have to involve meditation, bare feet, and a three-hour long ceremony either (though it’s nice to experience it if you’re ever in Asia or have the opportunity to attend a traditional ceremony). It’s just taking 15 minutes out of your day to slow down, reflect, and fully appreciate a little luxury of life.
The 5 basic principles of a tea ritual
Choose quality //
With the risk of sounding like a snob, this is really not the time for cheap tea bags. If you ever tried real loose tea leaves, you must know there’s a huge difference. Definitely invest in some quality tea – the possibilities are virtually endless. I almost always drink either green (sometimes flavored with other herbs or spices) or white tea. It’s up to you, but stick to quality for sure.
Find the right tools //
I’m very particular about my mugs, it has to be the right size and shape. It’s also good to invest in a good quality tea ball or infuser. And if you’re really fancy, a nice serving tray is also a good idea. The presentation adds a lot to the whole experience. Which one sounds better? A chipped mug with the tea bag still hanging loose on the side or a beautiful cup of steaming, caramel-colored, clear liquid on a specially designed tray?
Pay attention //
As I said above, a tea ritual is a good way to make ourselves focus and step outside the daily chaos, simply because the preparation requires our full attention.
Create the atmosphere //
Designate a special place in your home for the tea ritual, whether it’s a cozy nook or your favorite armchair.
Take the time to enjoy it //
Once again, it’s not an hours-long ceremony; you won’t miss anything if you take 15-20 minutes out of your day for a ritual like this. Take this time to slow down a little, enjoy your tea with someone else or just get lost in your own thoughts.
Try this ritual once in a while, it can be a really powerful self-care habit that frankly, most of us desperately need.
What a great post, I love the idea of a little tea ritual (I think I have to borrow your idea and create one myself)! I am all for little daily rituals that helps you slow down and focus.
Ingrid | thatscandinavianfeeling.com
Thank you! I totally agree about the importance of daily rituals. I’m so happy you like the tea idea (even if technically, it’s really not mine:)).It’s so interesting how many different cultures have this ritual/ceremony – there really must be something to it.
Wow, I love this blog post! Not going to lie, I’m not much of a tea drinker. I just drink water most of the time, but I love the idea of having tea rituals especially as a way to be more mindful and aware of what’s happening around you. Plus, your photography here is just stunning (heart eyes!).
Thank you so much for your nice words!! I think you can definitely come up with your own little ritual. Tea is a simple and convenient idea, but it can be anything that helps us stop and slow down a little.
I keep wanting to start having rituals, but I am always SO rushed. This is another reminder for me to JUST SLOW DOWN and incorporate some meaningful practices into my day on a regular basis.
Thank you for reading! Starting is always the most difficult thing, so I always go with baby steps – even very small, short rituals can mean a lot. xx