Tea Meditation

TOGETHER WITH:

In Today's Email:

• Tea Meditation: The ancient practice of tea mediation…

• Our Gift To You: Meditation Journal…

• Yogapedia: Tortoise Pose…

IMAGE OF THE DAY

TODAY'S LEARNING
Tea Meditation

Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves – slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future. Live the actual moment. Only this moment is life.”

This quotation from Thich Nhat Hanh, a well-known Vietnamese monk from Plum Monastery, encapsulates the serene and lovely nature of a tea meditation. Tea meditations are a simple and effective way to slow down, and reduce stress. They can help you find your center, improve your day's attention and concentration, and support you while you face obstacles and problems.

Asian societies who follow Buddhism often adopt the ancient practice of tea meditation. These meditation practices first appeared in Japan many years ago. involving both a physical and internal element, intended to still the mind and increase concentration.

“Enjoy simple things with total intensity. Just a cup of tea can be a deep meditation.” Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh

As you sip the tea slowly, focus on bringing your mind into the present and to stillness, drawing peace and quiet into the moment. Align yourself with your day by bringing your awareness into the here and now. Focus on not clinging to any of your thoughts as you observe how they come and go.

Tea meditations are a great approach to manage stress that accumulates as we deal with competing difficulties that put us to the test and to prevent overwhelm from having a negative impact on us. To fully benefit from them, you can put them into practice as a daily self-care routine.

Thich Nhat Hanh's "The Miracle of Mindfulness" and Okakura Kakuzo's "Meditations on Tea" are two excellent resources for learning how to establish daily tea meditation practices that will bring serenity into your life.

TOGETHER WITH NATURAL STACKS
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DEAL OF THE DAY
The Ultimate Sleep Journal (80% Off for 40 Hours)

Limited Time: This deal expires in 40 hours.

Today's Deal: Get 80% Off- The Ultimate Sleep Journal

About: Do you struggle to fall asleep at night or have difficulty staying asleep? If you have any sleep problems and aren't getting the sleep you need, keep track of your sleep pattern in this sleep journal to help you discover ways to get a good night's sleep so that you can be your bright & happy self throughout the day.

In this digital, fast-paced world, getting a full night of quality sleep can be difficult for even the most mindful of us, which can affect both our mental and physical health. This journal guides you to recalibrate your routine as an act of self-care, helping you consciously monitor your sleep cycle and giving you space to reflect and plan better ways to get deeper and more consistent sleep.

TODAY'S POSITIVE NEWS

Ocean plastics have been vastly overstated - study…

The problem of plastic soup floating in our oceans could have been overstated by as many as 100 times, according to a new study out of the Netherlands.

Researchers at Utrecht University calculated that the world’s seas contain around 3.2m tonnes of plastic waste. Previous estimates by environment organisations – based on comparing the amount of plastic produced each year with the volume reused, dumped or incinerated – have put the figure at anything between 50m and 300m tonnes.

The team, led by oceanologist Mikeal Kaandorp, suggest that seas contain far fewer plastics than previously thought – potentially making clean-ups easier – and suspect the discrepancy is, in part, due to plastics lingering longer in rivers.

If that proves to be the case, another team of Dutch academics have a genius, lo-fi solution with their ‘bubble barriers’ – curtains of bubbles which nudge waste to the riverbank for collection.

ZEN STORY
HAPPY CHINAMAN

Anyone walking about Chinatowns in America will observe statues of a stout fellow carrying a linen sack. Chinese merchants call him Happy Chinaman or Laughing Buddha.

This Hotei lived in the T’ang dynasty. He had no desire to call himself a Zen master or to gather many disciples around him. Instead he walked the streets with a big sack into which he would put gifts of candy, fruit, or doughnuts. These he would give to children who gathered around him in play. He established a kindergarten of the streets.

Whenever he met a Zen devotee he would extend his hand and say: “Give me one penny.”

Once as he was about to play-work another Zen master happened along and inquired: “What is the significance of Zen?”

Hotei immediately plopped his sack down on the ground in silent answer.

“Then,” asked the other, “what is the actualization of Zen?”

At once the Happy Chinaman swung the sack over his shoulder and continued on his way.

OUR GIFT TO YOU

Every now and then we will be giving away free digital goods to our community. In order for you to see our digital gifts, make sure that you place our emails into your primary folder. Our goal is to give away something awesome at least once a week!

Today you get our Meditation Journal. This guided journal uses learnings from meditation books - and walks you through meditation/mindfulness + tracks your meditation journey.

To download please click on the button below called “Download”.

CRYSTAL OF THE DAY

YOGAPEDIA
Tortoise Pose (Kurmasana)

What is Tortoise Pose?

Tortoise pose, or kurmasana in Sanskrit, is a very challenging bind. There are several variations of the pose; in the final variation the legs are crossed above the head. BKS Iyengar notes in Light on Yoga that "this pose is sacred to a yogi" because of its ability to calm the mind and release negative emotions.

Instructions

• From a seated position, stretch the legs into a V shape.

• Exhale and bend forward. Slip the upper arms underneath the thighs one at a time. Bring the head and chest toward the floor.

• Breathe here for a moment.

• Bend the knees slightly. Lift the chest to interlace the hands behind the back.

• Move the feet toward the head and cross one over the other. Exhale and insert the head in between the feet.

• Breathe while holding the pose.

• Exhale and carefully release.

DAILY MEME