Thankful Tea Moments

Thanksgiving is here again, which means that after this day of family and food and counting our blessings, we will be thrust into full fledged holiday craziness.  The pull will come from all directions – parties to attend, concerts to enjoy, presents to buy, food to prepare, traveling, and more.  So in the spirit of enjoying this time of the year, I thought I’d share something my very busy, stressed out friend’s 10 year old daughter just told her: “it’s your choice”.  There is some truth in that.  We are the only ones who are in control of how much crazy we allow into our lives.

I’m reading a meaningful book by Thich Nhat Hanh called Happiness.  He offers this exercise in practicing mindfulness to bring us into the present moment and away from rehashing the past and worrying about the future.

“Breathing in, I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out, I know that I am breathing out.
As my in-breath grows deep,
My out-breath grows slow.
Breathing in, I calm my body,
Breathing out, I feel at ease.
Breathing in, I smile,
Breathing out, I release.
Dwelling in the present moment,
I know this is a wonderful moment.”

I  altered this a little bit this morning to suit my own experience of my life in this moment.

Breathing in, I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out, I know that I am breathing out.
Breathing in, I savor the aroma of my morning cup.
Breathing out, I blow across the top to cool it.
Slowly sipping, I allow the tastes to dance on my tongue,
Swallowing, I feel the goodness radiating throughout.
Breathing in, I think of the journey from plant to cup,
Breathing out, I send blessing to the farmers,
Sipping again, I savor all the nuances,
Swallowing, I feel my body relax.
Breathing in, I feel nourished and alive,
Breathing out, I smile and offer gratitude for this moment.

To quote Thich Nhat Hanh – “Your most important task is to be here and now and enjoy the present moment.”

And with that in mind, I wish you all a happy, healthy holiday season.  May you enjoy every moment and may those moments be filled with serenity and joy and … delicious cups of tea!