Tea Meditation; How do you take yours?

How do you take yours? Meditation that is!

Meditation and mindfulness is something I previously thought wasn’t for me, until very recently. I thought that it was just a waste of time, to sit cross legged on the floor but little did I know there are so many different formats of meditation and I was actually practicing without realising… and I’m not alone!

I first came across meditation almost 2 years ago when I was recommended Tea Meditation by Graeme Armstong – he has a great web page dedictated to it here and you can find out more about how I make it part of my routine here

I next came across meditation through work where a great coach called Annie, took us once a week through 8 different practice styles. It was here I learnt that not all practices suit everyone, so its really about finding what fits for you. This morning I was listening to an old Tony Robbins Podcast which also echod this, and this made me realise I’m perhaps not the only person to think meditation practice was not for me.

Meditation and mindfulness have become huge buzz words of the moment, but I really wanted to take a moment today to share with you what I’ve learnt about myself on this journey, in the hope that inspires you to look deeper at yourself, your practices and how you can find a style that fits for you.

For anyone that knows me, you will know I’m a “million miles an hour” kind of person. I rarely stop and sit down to do nothing. Theres always something on my mind, whether that be a project or a to do list. I often struggle with sleeping as my mind is constantly working overtime. I’m a self confessed overthinker, overachiever and incredibly organised person… and from time to time I’d have a bit of a meltdown behind closed doors when I got a bit overwhelmed by everything on my plate. I’d get frustrated and agitated easily by thing “not being right”… But not any more!

I have found that the conscious practice of tea meditation over the last 2 years has stopped me from burning myself out as often. I feel this is because I’m taking time once per week to clear my mind, restructure my intentions and priorities and create a new, more achievable action plan for the week ahead. Don’t get me wrong, I still think about things 1 month, or maybe 2 months ahead… but I’m now able to focus on 7 days and prioritise more clearly whats important in my life. My number 1 priority is my family… and anything else is a bonus.

Over the last 10-12 weeks where I’ve been practising new styles, I’ve become even more calm and empathetic… I’ve focussed more on what my body needs to fuel its constant overdrive and what it needs to recover. I’m more aware of those around me and their needs. I’ve found practices such as breathing and counting to help me sleep, and I’ve learnt to say “thanks, I hear you… but not right now” to the million thoughts my brain brings me at bed time.

I guess the key message I’d like you to take away – not every practice is for everyone. For some people it takes some time to figure out whats right for them… there’s a lot of trial and error to figure it out. Meditation is not all about sitting cross legged with a candle humming, so don’t dismiss it until you’ve explored it a little further.

If you like what you’ve read today, pop us a comment below or share our social media posts. Hopefully we can inspire others to give meditation a try.