Focus - Leo Babauta [50]
Connection to the moment. Making and drinking tea I connect to this precise moment, the "Now." The physical sensations of the hot kettle and the humidity of the rising steam as it whistles. The texture of the warm ceramic teacups. The sound of boiling water and the crunch of dried leaves as I scoop them from their copper canister. The aroma of the first brew, sweet and earthy smells wafting through the kitchen, preparing my taste buds for what comes next. The sight of the coppery golden brew as it swirls from the pot into my cup. And finally that last lingering sip that sits on the back of my throat, and the final drop of tea is gone. The moment overflows with physical sensations when making tea.
It's long lasting. Long after drinking a good tea, the effects still linger. Obviously the thousands of health benefits are a great bonus to this ritual, but even better are the feelings. Uplifted, warmed, connected, focused, and slightly caffeinated are just a few of the obvious long lasting benefits. The biggest long lasting benefit of tea is that it creates Space. Like the open "ahhhhh....." feeling you get from a deep stretch, or a skilled massage, tea gives the same, but with the mind. Doing the tea ritual right you can find a sense of mental space that is both freeing and invigorating, and can last for many days.
tips for creating rituals
The ritual should ...
Be Mundane. The more boring it is the easier it is. Look for the most basic things you do in life that seem utterly dull. Washing the laundry. Putting away the dishes. Taking a shower. Going over the top on some ornate, ultra complex ceremony might be intriguing and fun the first time, but it's not something you'll be able repeat without a lot of effort. You want to look for something so easy and obvious, that you can't do it wrong, and that you don't have to think about it.
Be Repeatable. It's got to be something that takes doing daily, weekly, or monthly. Doing it over and over allows it to become second nature and allows you to really get into the flow of just going through the motions, step by step, the same every single time. The repeatability makes it a natural extension of you. It allows you to be a total expert, a master of the art of whatever it is. A journal entry, cutting garlic, tying your shoes, anything that you can do again and again and again.
Include Boring Objects. The ritual has to have things that you interact with so that you can develop a rhythm. Don't spend lot of money on them. In fact, you probably don't have to spend a cent as they're likely lying around your house. I have a morning ritual of writing in my journal with a really nice "special" Moleskine notebook, and cheapo fountain pen. I enjoy the flow of raw ink onto paper, as my thoughts flow through the pen's nib in a way totally unlike using a computer. Candles, incense, essential oils, books, paper, pens, food and cutlery... The more tactile and "natural" the objects are the more pleasurable and sensory. The Boring Object doesn't have to even be a thing though. It can be your breath. Your body. Using the breath for a series of deep breathing exercises can be incredibly profound. Using your body to practice a dance routine can also be deep. The point is that the more basic and simple and obvious the objects you've got, the better. Just use them.
Allow the Observer and Observed to Merge. Some people call this the "Flow" state. It's fairly well known to artists, writers, musicians, dancers and athletes. You become one with the activity. It's a very special state where time stands still and you lose all sense of the world, and yet also become absolutely present in the world. Nothing distracts you physically or mentally. You are just being. It's awsome, and very liberating and rewarding. And the hardest part is that it requires no effort. As soon as you begin "trying" the state