Cuppa meditation

What is meditation and why do it?      

The Western world is slowly catching up to what the Eastern world has known for thousands of years – meditation does change things.

At one time meditation was for hippies or people with an alternative lifestyle.  Nowadays it is easily accessible and has science to back it up.

As adults we spend a lot of time analysing, problem solving, judging life, basically living in our heads.  This can cause no end of problems for us, most of all a sense of dis-ease with our daily environment and life.

Because of this busyness we tend to be running on overdrive and we lose enjoyment in daily tasks.

Over the past 16 weeks we have been building our mindfulness skills. Training our minds to be more present and hopefully you are noticing some of the benefits.

This week’s mindfulness challenge is to stop and place your full awareness, to give yourself some time-out, and to tune-in, to what you are actually doing.

Let’s try this with a simple task of making a cuppa – tea, coffee, whatever you drink.  It won’t take you too long, but it will make a big difference.

Firstly take your attention to the breath entering your body.  Notice the air as it first comes into your nose. Notice breath in, breath out, breath in, breath out.

Already your busy mind will be saying things like – “what are doing this for? you know how to breathe!” or maybe “okay that’s long enough, let’s get on with it”.  This may sound silly, but trust me, these words or something similar will happen.

So, back to your breath.  Now walk into the kitchen and notice your footsteps on the floor.  Notice the movement of your legs getting you toward your cuppa.

As you lift the kettle, notice the feel of it in your hand, the warmth perhaps of the handle.  Notice the weight when you pick it up.

As you turn on the tap feel the metal of the tap handle, listen to the water running, notice the change in sounds as the water fills the kettle and then notice the weight of the kettle getting heavier.

Plug the kettle in and listen to the sounds as the motor starts to heat the element and warm the water.

As you take the cup from the cupboard, listen to the sounds, feel the smoothness of the cup in your hand. If you use a spoon, notice how light reflects on the metal and the feel of the metal in your hand.

As you pour the water notice the teabag or coffee change with the heat of the water.  If you use milk, bring your attention to opening the fridge and holding the milk in your hands. Then watch the milk pour into the cup and the colour in the cup change.

As you start to drink from the cup, feel its warmth in your hands.  As you lift the cup notice how your body reacts with ease to what you want it to do.  Feel the warm cup on your lips, the steam on your face.

If you don’t drink a hot drink, use this method with cool water or other liquids.

Taste the liquid one mouthful at a time. Feel it run down the throat.

Of course to do all this you will need to be silent.  Resist the urge to talk to others, or use your phone while you wait for the kettle to boil and the tea to draw.  Sit with a little bit of silence in this noisy world.

As you take this time to tune-in to having a cuppa or drink, your mind will wander, or try to hurry you up.  Remember you are the master in charge of your mind, take the time out and enjoy a moment where you have no pressures, no demands, no expectations; just time, to enjoy the serenity of a cuppa, just for yourself.  After all don’t you deserve it?!