Hello everyone and welcome to this meditation session.
Today we're going to be doing something a little bit different.
You'll need a herbal tea or an ordinary tea in your hand in order to take part in this meditation.
We're going to be appreciating drinking tea.
I know this seems simple but actually there's a lot that we can gain in terms of mindfulness,
In terms of grounding ourselves in the present moment,
In terms of connecting to our senses.
So that's what we're going to be doing today.
If you need to take time to pause this meditation then feel free to do so now and make yourself a cup of tea.
Okay if you have your tea in your hand now firstly I'd like you to begin by feeling the warmth of the tea in your hands.
Really pay attention to how that feels in your hands.
Hopefully it's not too hot.
Make sure that it's just a lukewarm temperature and it's not boiling.
How does that feel in your hands in this moment?
Are there any tingling sensations?
Feel free to close your eyes if you wish to do so.
By being mindful of these sensations we are grounding ourselves in the present moment.
Feel free to move your hands around the cup,
Underneath and around the edges.
Feel free to hold it with the handle.
Focus on how this feels in your hand right now.
As you do this feel free to take some breaths in your nose and out through your mouth.
This will once again help with the grounding process.
Feel free to dip your finger into the water as long as it's not too hot.
How does that feel on your finger?
What's the sensation like on your finger as you dip it into the water?
Really pay attention to that sensation.
As you remove your finger from the water how does the water feel like on the end of your finger?
You really have to focus on this because it will be a very light change,
A subtle change in how your finger feels.
But see if you can notice it.
Next i would like you to move the cup of tea close to your face.
Can you feel the warmth?
Can you feel it radiating from the cup and making your face feel nice?
How does that feel in this moment?
Is it comforting?
Is it relaxing?
Really pay attention to how it feels on your face right now.
You might get a tingling sensation in your face.
It might have a ripple effect and cause a shiver down your spine,
A relaxing shiver.
It might make you want to take a deep breath in.
Be at peace in this moment.
Once again use your nose and feel free to smell the tea.
How does it smell?
What is its aroma like?
Really pay attention to the individual smells that radiate from the cup.
If you have a herbal tea you might have a particular fragrance that you're smelling at this time.
If you have a typical cup of tea and if you are english then you might be very familiar with this smell.
Just enjoy the fragrance of this nice cup of tea in your hand,
Warming your hands and warming your heart.
How does this fragrance make you feel?
It's well known that certain herbal teas have certain medicinal properties.
Some are meant to uplift you,
Some are meant to calm you,
Some are meant to motivate you.
What is your particular tea doing for you in this moment?
Really pay attention to your feelings.
And finally take a sip of your tea.
How does it taste in your mouth?
Feel free to wash the water around your mouth as long as it's not too hot.
Notice the sensation of swallowing the tea.
How does it feel when it goes down your throat?
And also how does it feel as it moves down into your stomach?
Spend a couple of minutes just sipping on your tea and noticing how it feels.
Hopefully you feel more grounded in this moment and like the tea has served its purpose.
We need to pay attention to ourselves more as we do small little things like this during the day.
Often our mind is in a place of its own but if we can really ground ourselves in the present moment during small little daily practices such as having your cup of tea then you will notice that those moments will accumulate,
They'll add up and you'll feel much more mindful and more present and more grounded throughout the day.
Well done for being here today and enjoy the rest of your day or evening or whatever time it is.
