Welcome to this short guided meditation for when you're having your morning beverage,
Whether that's tea or coffee.
Have your cup in front of you and notice where your body is making contact with the earth.
Check in with your breath,
Seeing if you can invite your breath to settle.
Now slowly pick up your cup,
Feeling the warmth of it seep into your hands.
Feel the solidity of the cup and become aware.
Notice that habitual pull just to start drinking and see if you can pause,
Bringing the cup to your nose and breathing in this aroma,
Savoring the smells,
Whether they are light,
Fruity,
Robust,
And when the temperature is right,
Take your first sip reverently.
Let the flavor sit in your mouth,
Washing across your tongue,
And follow the journey of this drink into your body.
Invite nourishment and enjoyment as you start your day.
As you do,
Consider what needed to happen for you to be here right now,
Not just the time it took to brew your beverage,
But the conditions to bring it here to you.
The water that was once a cloud falling down into the earth,
Filtering and traveling many miles to get to you,
The warmth of the sun,
The presence of wind,
The labor of many people,
All coming together so that you can enjoy this moment.
Notice if you feel impatient,
Restless,
Peaceful.
Are there to-dos floating into your mind?
Let all of this be here,
Welcomed without judgment.
Come back to the rise and fall of your breath,
The warmth in your cup,
Your body,
Gratitude for this precious moment.
When we drink our tea or coffee in this moment,
We can introduce a sacred portal into our lives,
A way to rejoin the flow of life and re-experience the preciousness of the present moment through our breath.
So savor,
Breathe,
Allow,
Receive.
To close,
Beloved Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh says,
Drink your tea slowly and reverently,
As if it is the axis on which the world-earth revolves,
Slowly,
Evenly,
Without rushing toward the future.
Enjoy drinking your cloud.
