Creating your Ideal Tea Ritual
Defined as “A deliberate, often reflective practice that promotes harmony and tranquility,” tea rituals go beyond the simple process of brewing loose-leaf tea. Allowing one to take a break from the day’s events, one can refocus and reenergize. This concept, which cultures around the world have adopted, has taken different interpretations. For tea drinkers in the United Kingdom, who are accustomed to Afternoon Tea, they enjoy the company of enjoying a light meal with loose-leaf tea. By contrast, Japanese culture embraces a similar concept called Sadō, in which tea drinkers focus on meditation. Specifically, they drink matcha green tea in a ceremony called the Way of the Tea. However, for this blog post, the intention will be to learn how to make your own tea ritual. Whether you want to create a personalized experience to help you relax after a long workday or to begin your day on the right foot, this article will suggest key elements to include.
Purpose of your tea ritual: Do you want to create a time for self-reflection? Or is it designed for family and friends to gather together? The purpose of your tea ritual will determine what kind of experience you will have.
Which tea best represents your tea ritual: In order to create an engaging and truly meaningful tea ritual, one must pair the right tea. If one is interested in developing an Evening Teatime ritual to refocus and reenergize, choose what tea suits your needs. If one, for example, wants to slowly sip their tea and relax, consider using a tea like Midnight Relaxation, which has a calming effect. Or if one wishes to refresh mind and body, consider a caffeinated loose-leaf tea of your choice. The author of this article prefers to incorporate unique, original blends like The Old Homestead to make his tea rituals truly special.
Create the perfect cup of tea: To make the most from one’s tea ritual, steep and cater your chosen tea according to what you feel is important. If one is drinking a darker, highly caffeinated tea like The Old Homestead, which has a hickory and sweet orange flavor profile, determine how strong and sweet your cup of tea tastes. If stepped at 200 ºF for 15 minutes, it will result in an enriching, sweet, and bold cup of tea, which is suitable after a stressful, long day. Or if one prefers a lighter, more balanced cup for that particular day, only steep it for 5 minutes. Depending on one’s mood and the purpose of the day’s tea ritual, it will vary.
Choose the perfect setting: In establishing the place in which you will enjoy your tea ritual, choose a well-suited location. If the purpose is to relax, avoid noisy environments with distractions. By contrast, if the goal is to socialize with others, make your settings appealing, bright, and energizing. One could even incorporate upbeat, positive music for social gatherings, or low-key, peaceful music for a time of self-reflection and relaxation.
The quality of these details will determine the impact of your tea ritual. If the selection of your tea is not what you want, or if you steeped it the wrong way, you may find your scheduled event unsatisfying. For this reason, make sure you are fully prepared. By embracing a personalized tea ritual, one will not only enjoy tea even more, but one will also be creating their own meaningful tradition.
