July Anti-Boredom Month – Mindfulness & Flow – Day 1 – Tea Ceremony

Good Morning Yogis! Happy July! July is National Anti-Boredom Month. I originally planned a daily Asana practice challenge for July.. but after a recent trip home to Boston, I think we can benefit from a special Santosha and Mindfulness Month to align with this Anti-Boredom Month. I have heard if we focus on the past we will be depressed, if we focus on the future we will be anxious, and the key to joy is living in the present moment. A couple of the Yamas and Niyamas reflect this secret of happiness hidden in the “now”.

Mindfulness is central to a number of eastern religions and philosophies, and is becoming a common theme in western therapy, psychology, and self-help. We have also focused on mindfulness in some of our past daily practices, especially on past Santosha Days and with some focused meditation practices. Mindfulness and losing oneself in the current moment is my idea of “finding flow” that we most commonly experience during “getting in the zone” during particular athletic, work, and artistic activities. Zen Buddhism takes this concept further with Zen Arts such as Tea Ceremony, Archery, Painting, and Flower Arrangement. So, we will focus this month on trying different practices and activities to at minimum beat boredom for Anti-Boredom Month, and hopefully help you experience a flow state.

During a Japanese Religion course I took, we studied quite a few of the Zen Arts in detail. I was always completely fascinated with the Zen Tea Ceremony and the extreme attention to detail in everything from the whisked Matcha Tea, to the purification and meal before the ceremony, to the proper way to drink the Tea– turning the cup before sipping. A full discussion of this Zen Tea Ceremony is too much for our daily posts! You can watch a traditional ceremony (20+ min) and learn more about these traditions if you are interested, but you must have a teacher to truly understand this art. Still, enjoying tea and mindfully creating your own mindful tea ceremony is a fun practice to beat boredom. Other Tea ceremonies are common around the world from China’s older and less regimented Cha Dao to British afternoon Tea Time.

cool shot of matcha green tea in gray ceramic cup on bamboo tray in front of colorful brushes -simple tea Quote: A simple cup of tea  is far from a simple matter. - Mary Lou Heiss original work - https://unsplash.com/photos/_V4plb9FqIM
A simple cup of tea is far from a simple matter. – Mary Lou Heiss

Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try today’s Anti-Boredom / mindfulness / flow Activity: Personal Tea Ceremony! Make sure to practice mindfulness and enjoy with all five senses. PS if Tea and especially if Matcha is not your thing, try your mindful beverage ceremony with another style of Tea recommended below, coffee, hot chocolate (with Marshmallow Fluff!), or another beverage of your choice!

Personalized Mindful Tea Ceremony

cool shot of tea plants with bright green leaves growing in the sun - Tea - Camellia Sinensis original work - https://unsplash.com/photos/oi0FvNhkHy8
Tea – Camellia Sinensis

I love all kinds of Tea, and perhaps you can tell I am a bit of a Tea nerd… so try one of my many favorite styles of tea to create your own mindful Tea Ceremony – make sure to lovingly focus on preparing your special Tea, and enjoy it with all five senses!

colorful blooming tea blossoming flower tea in glass carafe with white background - Cooking - original work - https://unsplash.com/photos/_SvkQ9fWHVI
Blooming Tea

Remember.. no matter what style of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate you select to create your own mindful Tea Ceremony – make sure to lovingly focus on preparing your special Tea, and enjoy it with all five senses!

Try to calmly take notice when your thoughts drift back to the past or forward to the future. Try to bring yourself back to and fully immerse yourself in the present moment by focusing on the sight, sounds, smells, taste, or feel of your surroundings.

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cool shot of coffee various colors in cups arranged in a circle on brown wooden tray and white table original work - https://unsplash.com/photos/pMW4jzELQCw

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Please comment and share if you tried a Tea Ceremony today. Were you able to find flow or contentment in the now? Always remember, be kind!

2 thoughts on “July Anti-Boredom Month – Mindfulness & Flow – Day 1 – Tea Ceremony

  1. I am looking forward to starting some kind of mindful practice within a task -and you have opened my eyes to some DELICIOUS sounding teas! I have a sweet tooth, so my first go will be with the red tea / vanilla red tea 🙂☕️
    Namaste

    1. I’m so glad you enjoyed this! This month’s focus was partly inspired by / written for you.. so I hope you enjoy this special feature and find a few new fun hobbies and activities, and maybe find your flow 💕

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