Simply Be With Tea

Are you wondering if you could awaken slowly with the sun; take time to prepare for the day; and perform your daily tasks with purpose and less urgency? Then, at day's end, you could go to bed fulfilled, less worried, content, and more aware of the blessings of the day.

Meditation with tea can help begin your day beautifully and end your day gracefully.

Maybe you are already beginning your journey to mindfulness, taking time to garden or start growing your own bonsai. Perhaps you have regained the pleasure of journaling, hand-writing personal greeting cards, and treasuring memories by saving them in a beautiful box. You may have also use soothing music to restore your soul or possibly you are rediscovering the relaxation that comes from developing a sitting meditation practice. If these activities are already a part of your life, you will appreciate the benefits there can be to the ritual of tea and meditation.

The most important constant of meditation is the gift of quiet and uninterrupted time. And only you can give this gift to yourself --ten to twenty minutes in a place that contributes to the experience, like a corner alcove in your home or the lushness of a garden, or simply shutting the door to the employees' lounge.

Depending on where you live and with whom, finding a quiet corner and time may be a challenge. However, with intent, everything is possible. Look for objects of beauty to influence your experience: paintings, wind chimes, objects you adore- like an energy ball or crystals- even the beauty of the teacup or teapot you are using-flowers from the garden, a view from your home like trees, flowers, water, birds, anything that brings you a sense of calm. Your meditation alcove can be what you desire it to be and Monarch can assist you in creating this beautiful and sacred space.

Mindful preparation of tea and drinking it with awareness has been a form of meditation that brings healthful results. It is easy to learn, powerful to do, and can be performed in any place where there is good water hot from a kettle, an assortment of tea, and a beautiful cup to drink it all in. Meditation with tea is an opportunity to be present for the good in every moment.

On Saturday, March 21st from 2-4 pm Monarch Gift Shop in downtown Northfield will be hosting an Octavia tea tasting in honor of the first day of Spring. We hope the lessons you learn from the tea tasting become a foundation for you to develop your own meditation time with tea. The tea tasting event is to bring your entire being to the meditation with tea practice and allow yourself to honor who you are in the present and set your intentions of who you aspire to be.

When you make time for yourself in a consistent way, family, friends, and co-workers in your life will soon understand that this is your time, and they will learn to respect it. If you take it seriously, others around you will take it seriously. When the benefits of these meditations with tea are revealed, others will not only understand, they may soon follow in your path.

You can begin today, remind yourself that you can simply be... with tea.

• You can say yes to this invitation to join Monarch in exploring the world of tea and meditation.
• You can say yes to celebrating the first day of Spring with Monarch and staff knowing that our mission is to make this day and your life beautiful.
• You can say yes to honoring yourself in developing a daily ritual with tea and meditation. Taking care of yourself should always be a priority: if you are not well spiritually, emotionally and mentally you can not be of service to others.
• You can say yes to taking ten minutes for a meditative cup of tea. Simply delete something from your to-do list and add in 10 minutes of giving yourself the gift of tea and tranquility. You need it. You deserve it. You benefit from it.

You are cordially invited to join us for the first day of Spring and "simply be with tea"
The event will be held on Saturday, March 21st from 2:00 to 4:00 pm for a tea tasting at Monarch featuring Octavia tea.

Monarch is located in beautiful Downtown Northfield