The Simplicity of Tea

Cup of Maeumcha Red Heart tea

We recently held a class where as a group we sipped on a tea that reminded us to root down, tap in deep and nourish ourselves. To clear out clutter, remove the excess, and to bring in something more gentle for the incoming season. Often when we release, we can be in a hurry to fill that space with more. Instead, this can be a gentle reminder for simple. Often one simple addition, change, ritual can lead to a lasting effect that can be noticeable over time. What excess can we release, and what simple thing can we bring in to nourish ourselves?

This reminds me of the simplicity of tea. Sometimes we love all these complex blends, the more they can do the better it seems, but how will we know it works? Sometimes it can be overwhelming to have so many things going on at once. A simple tea can go a long way. A green tea can settle the stomach, wake the body, modulate inflammation. A barley tea is high in vitamins, nourishing, hydrating and often a replacement for water in Korean households. I grew up with gallon jugs in our fridge to drink throughout the day. When we come back to simple, we can notice the subtle.

There are many ways to bring simplicity through tea into our lives whether through a daily practice or ritual, as a way to bring supportive healing, or to simply connect with nature or community.

The simplicity of tea as a medicine:

One of my favorite ways to be with the plant medicine is to create a nourishing tea. When I first started out, I wanted to add everything to do everything possible, but that’s not always synergistic. At times it created more havoc and confusion than doing anything I originally intended. Sometimes you just need the intention of what you are looking for in terms of support and pair it down to something simple. Connect with one or two plants, appreciate what they have to offer and invite that in. 

The simplicity of tea as a ritual and practice:

When I’m feeling exhausted from doing too much, saying yes to too many things, or over consuming as a way to compensate I can sometimes add in too many “self care” projects. I’m overcommitting my time and stretching out my exhaustion even if a massage, going out with friends, grocery shopping for healthy foods all feel like it’s supposed to help. When all I really wanted was some peace. More quiet moments. This is what a simple tea can do for me. A warm cup of green tea or lemon verbena to drop in, to appreciate a quiet moment of calm, of presence. 

The simplicity of tea as connection:

Connecting to the plants you’re bringing into your body is a simple act of gratitude and healing. It creates a relationship that becomes familiar over time. In that same sense, sharing connection over a cup of tea with a friend or someone new can create a sense of belonging. So many new faces come to our shop and drink tea over a shared experience at a workshop and end up leaving with a connection. Tea has a special way of opening our senses and inviting that connection. It’s the first thing we do when we gather.

When the world feels like too much, just remember to come back to simplicity. It’s the presence and peace that creates those openings for us to gather ourselves.