Fifty Shades of Earl Grey: The Art of Tea

By October 11, 2012Uncategorized


Get your mind out of the gutter. OK! Now that I have your attention, can we talk about tea? Of all the many, if not countless ways to relax, one should not forget to include sipping a nice cup of hot tea. There is an art to preparing tea. It takes time to heat/boil the water (never use a microwave to do this!) There is a message here.  Slow down. It takes time for the essential oils which carry the flavors of the tea to seep into and diffuse into the water. There is a message here as well. Slow down. One doesn’t guzzle tea. One sips tea… slowly. Once again, there is a message here. Slow down. The art of tea is the art of slowing down and enjoying the simple pleasures of life. Slowing down. Now there is a novel concept in this fast pace world we live in! When done right, the art of tea is almost sensuous. Of course, we have all heard about the benefits of green tea (antioxidants that fight free radicals), white tea (with less caffeine) and herbal teas (with some great natural flavors), but the real secret to great tea isn’t just in the tea bag. It’s the quality of water. Soft water has many salts, whereas hard water has many minerals both of which can greatly affect the taste.
Stress Tip for The Day: Tea drinkers will confide that any time of day is a great time to relax, but early mornings and late in the evening (we recommend herbal teas without caffeine, after 6:00 p.m.) My preference is Early Grey after breakfast, but I drink licorice herbal tea at the start of my day to meditate. If you don’t have a water filter in your kitchen, this would be a great time to look into one, as fresh water makes for much better tea. Also the best tea is made from the freshest herb (those with essential oils. Essential oils are destroyed by light and heat, so consider throwing away any old tea bags and start fresh. Finally, take the hint and slow down today with a cup of tea. Master the art of tea…. The art of slowing down.
Links and Books of Note:
You may have heard about all the tea in China, but the Japanese have a wonderful way to celebrate life through tea as well. Here is a link to learn more. Enjoy!
http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2012/02/06/mastering-the-art-of-tea/
Quotes of the Day:
“Where there is tea, there is hope.”—Author Pinero
“Tea to the British is really a picnic indoors.” —Alice Walker
“I can never find a tea cup big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” — C.S. Lewis.
Photo of the Day
This summer while on a group tour to Ireland, a few of us sat down for a cup of tea at the Ashford Castle. Simply marvelous, indeed!
Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 12 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (7e) and the newly released, A Beautiful World: The Earth Song Journals. He can be reached through his website: www.brianlukeseaward.net
© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.
Brian Luke Seaward

Author Brian Luke Seaward

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