In our Autumn 2020 issue, one of our editors Aisling Cronin wrote about the value of taking time to enjoy the humble yet ever-restorative cuppa. No matter how busy your day might be, there’s always time for tea! Read on below to enjoy the article.
Teatime Reflections
The enduring appeal of a cuppa
by Aisling Cronin
Writers’ Companion
Night gives way
Slowly but surely
To the song of passing birds
The rumble of rush hour
Running feet on the path below.
I sit in silence
(desk at the ready,
pen in hand)
And take a moment
To enjoy
Steam
Aroma
Taste.
Froth breaks against my lips.
Leafing Through
Leafy days
Bring colder comforts:
A crackling fire,
A retreat from the storms,
A cup of liquid gold.
I wrote these two poems about a year ago, back when my long-established lifestyle of working from home still seemed unusual to my office-job pals. I had, for several years, been in the habit of sitting down at my desk, devoid of makeup or formal clothing, often cocooned in a comforting blanket as the colder days drew in.
The morning cuppa was always an integral part of my ritual. I’ve always leaned towards herbal teas over black, but the specific type would vary depending on my mood. Peppermint. Red berry. Jasmine. Chamomile. Ginger and lemon. These were the tastes I savoured, as I paused and listened to the distant roar of rush hour traffic outside my house.
Before plunging into any particular task for that day, I would allow myself to sit with my tea … and just be.
Things have changed since I wrote those two little poems. I’ve moved away from the city centre, I no longer live alone, and rush hour isn’t so frenzied any more, as working from home has become a way of life for many. However, the process of making my morning brew still remains a beautiful mindfulness practice for me … as it does for many other people. I’ve been broadening my tastes lately to accommodate entirely new flavours: House of Tea’s white grapefruit Kombucha Brew and Three Spoons’ Digestion Wellness herbal tea have become firm favourites.
There is something wonderful about taking a few minutes to sit with a humble cuppa, savouring the feast for the senses that it offers. Irish people have long believed that any dilemma can be solved with a cup of tea!
I believe that this has something to do with the calming qualities of the tea leaves themselves, and something to do with the sense of being heard, understood and unconditionally accepted when we sit down with someone close to us and talk things out. There is a great deal to be said for the time-honoured tradition of sitting around a kitchen table with our nearest and dearest, enjoying our favourite brew and putting the world to rights.
Few experiences can warm the heart like this simple pleasure. Personally, whenever I really want to sink into a state of great peace, I reach for ‘I am’ – the root chakra blend from Solaris Tea’s beautiful BeBetter Chakra range. One thing I deeply appreciate about Solaris Tea is the emphasis they place on bringing mindfulness into every tea-drinking session. They advise treating it as a ritual or ceremony, taking the time to nourish yourself, however busy your day might be. Long live the ever-humble and always restorative cuppa!
