The Art of Drinking Tea: How Tea Parties Embrace Wellness
With the Queen’s Jubilee around the corner, we thought it was only right to talk about the humble cup of tea and how parties surrounding this hot beverage can in fact encourage wellness. Royal jubilees are celebrated every 25 years, with the most recent one taking place in the year 2000. This year, we will be celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, which marks the 70th year of her reign.
In this article, we will be looking at how tea parties, such as the Queen’s Jubilee, can embrace ideals of wellbeing, which we don’t regularly consider, such as social connection, tea mindfulness, and the concept of swapping out alcohol for a classic cup of tea.
Social Connection
As we prepare for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, we are reminded of the classic and quintessentially British ways to celebrate. The UK has a long history of organising street parties or garden tea parties to celebrate this national event. Where the community comes together from neighbours, friends, and family for a good old get-together. These parties typically come complete with lavishly decorated tables and bunting, a range of party food, drinks, and perhaps even a game or two – not forgetting, of course, one of the UK’s most traditional hot beverages, a cup of tea!
But over and above all this, it’s about the coming together of people – the social connection. It’s well known that the more we socially connect to family, friends, or their community the happier and healthier we are – it even impacts how long we live! Those who connect more are seen to have better mental wellness than those who don’t.
And the simple act of sharing a pot of tea reaches far beyond the enjoyment of tea itself – we are able to meet more people and expand on existing friendships. If you live on a residential street, or maybe even an estate, you may not have ever met the people who surround you, or perhaps its garden parties that introduce you to new kindred spirits. In our day-to-day lives, it’s part of our regular routine to get up in the morning, leave for work and return back to our home during the evening. During this time, we don’t usually have time to get to know our neighbours or the people that live only a few doors from us. With the Queen’s Jubilee coming up, and many of us celebrating with street parties, it’s our invitation to step outside our comfort zone and embrace the opportunity to expand on our typical boundaries of communication. It’s often these new conversations that bring an unexpected element of surprise and joy to the day.
What is Tea Mindfulness?
As mentioned above, one of the main focuses of the Queen’s Jubilee is afternoon tea. This great British tradition is more than just an enjoyable drink, it’s world-renowned for reducing stress, both in the art of making and drinking a cup and also within the ingredients themselves. Many people swear by the practice of ‘mindful tea drinking’. Simply put, it means that you should make a routine out of drinking a cup of tea. No matter what kind of tea, you boil the kettle, put your tea bag in and spend some time with yourself. Typically, this includes no phones, which will allow you to sift through your thoughts.
It’s a way to ‘press pause’ on your day and truly spend some time at the moment. Turning your regular ‘tea-time’ into a moment of meditation and mindfulness takes only a few minutes a day yet can have great positive effects on your mood – not only that, but it also allows us to reconnect with ourselves, and even, intensify your enjoyment of the tea.
The Art of Drinking Tea for Wellness
Discover a moment for mindfulness as you make your next cup of tea. Focus on your breath and connect your mind with the purity and simplicity of the act. Let the stress release with each step and each breath.
Then when it comes to drinking your tea – whether alone or within a celebration such as this, allow yourself to feel grounded with each sip and just focus on the moment, the conversation, the taste, connect with your senses as you embark on the art of drinking tea.
Which Tea Are You Serving?
You may be thinking about which wine or cocktail to serve at your Jubilee celebrations. Have you given tea as much thought as the wine? Many people are now turning to an alcohol-free lifestyle. Alcohol can negatively impact hormones, sleep, social connections, digestion, and much more so it’s no wonder people are embracing the tea-total approach.
Therefore be sure to get to know your teas as well as you would your wines! For an afternoon tea celebration, one would traditionally serve an Earl Grey – try the Saving Grace Earl Grey for a twist on this traditional beverage, fortified with adaptogen superherbs this will help give a revitalising lift without the hang-over! Or perhaps instead of mojitos, serve up the High Spirits White Mint Tea with delicately blended white peony and green jasmine tea and palette cleansing peppermint and eucalyptus leaf…instantly energising and acting as a great breath freshener too for those new social conversations taking place! And don’t forget a caffeine-free option too – try The Tonic Ginger Turmeric which includes the much-loved combination of ginger, lemon balm, and turmeric for a zesty conversation starter!
