Loving tea is often so much deeper than enjoying the health benefits and savoring different tea flavors. From enjoying the meditative ritual of heating the water to breathing in the aroma of your steeping tea, allowing yourself to take your time when making a cup of tea is the perfect way to slow down during a busy day. Read on to learn a few easy steps to help you build your own tea ritual!
Plus, tea is a powerful source of healthy flavonoids and calming L-theanine, so you get the added benefit of knowing you're caring for your body and mind. Beginning a personal tea ritual is an accessible and easy step to ease yourself into daily mindfulness.
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How to Build a Tea Ritual
Setting Intentions
Your tea ritual should be rooted in what you need and what makes you feel cared for. Because of this, it can be helpful to set intentions before you go about building your tea ritual. Think about how you want to feel after your daily ritual: are you looking to slow down, and feel calm at the beginning or end of your day? Or are you looking to feel empowered and ready to take on the day with renewed creativity? Or, maybe you need this time for a little uplift and a reminder of what’s important in life, helping you to feel more present in each moment through the day. If you’re having trouble thinking of intentions, first try thinking about current stress points in your life. From here, you can brainstorm the rituals that will help you to feel better with these stresses.
Creating a Routine
Routine is important when you’re looking to incorporate something new into your life, and is the key to a ritual. Again, it’s important here to think about the best time for you to add this ritual into your life to get the most benefit out of it, Make sure that you have the time to practice it. Make your tea ritual even easier for yourself by creating a dedicated place for your tea and mugs, so that it’s accessible and easy. You might set the mood even more by grabbing a cozy blanket, candle, or journal to keep in this space.
Turning Tea into a Ritual
While enjoying a cup of tea any time is a great way to practice self-care, a personal tea ritual is about more than just tea. Your tea ritual allows you more time than sipping tea from a to-go cup during your commute or a quick cuppa while you’re working. Brainstorm what self-care activities you would most benefit from during this set-aside time. Do you only need a few minutes to yourself with absolutely nothing on your mind to reset? Do you want to use this time to journal, read, or write?
If this is what you need, think about setting the mood by lighting a candle or listening to calming music, practicing some deep breathing or meditation if it feels beneficial to you. You can also take this time to practice a gratitude ritual by writing down a few things that you felt thankful for during the day. If your tea time is a time set for winding down, coloring is another great activity to keep by your tea tools. Because tea requires your attention to steep but isn’t overly time-consuming, it’s the perfect time to take a little me time.
How to Have a Matcha Tea Ritual
Because most matcha requires a little extra prep work compared to other types of tea, the process of brewing matcha is a natural match for a tea ritual. In fact, the matcha tea ceremony is sacred in Japan to help respect the energies of harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility.
To practice the matcha ritual, you’ll need good quality matcha powder as well as a small bowl or teacup, bamboo tea whisk, and tea scoop. The standard recipe is to combine 1 teaspoon of matcha with 8 ounces of hot water, using the whisk in a gentle zig-zag motion to combine the two until frothy. If you’d like to enjoy a matcha latte, you can use a similar method by combining 1 teaspoon of matcha with 2 ounces of 175° F water. Whisk together before adding 6 ounces of frothed milk and sweetening to your taste.
Best Tea & Ritual Ideas
MORNING PICK-ME-UP: Start your morning off right with Morning Chai by Steep & Sip, a soothing and energy-boosting black tea with cardamom, ginger, clove, and cinnamon. Take this time to embrace nature and set intentions for your day, getting you ready for the day ahead.
MINDFUL MOMENT: Take a moment for yourself with Organic Mother’s Little Helper by DAVIDsTEA, a soothing blend of peppermint, lemongrass, rosehips, chamomile, and more. Slow down and think about how the tea smells and the flavors and warmth that you can pick up to settle you in the present moment. When combined with a series of deep breaths, this is a great way to soothe stress and reset.
BEAUTY RITUAL: Caring for your skin can be a great way to practice self-care, so brew yourself a cup of this gorgeous Blackcurrant Beauty by Pukka Herbs. Take your time sipping while you unwind with a jade roller or gua sha tool, stimulate circulation with a dry brush, or take a relaxing warm bath.
CLEANSING RITUAL: It might sound counter-intuitive, but tidying up your space can be a great ritual of self-care as clutter can lead to increased stress and make it harder to embrace your creativity. While you’re setting yourself up for success, sip Cleanse by Sips by Wellbeing, an awesome blend of rooibos, turmeric, lemongrass, and peppermint to nourish your body and help you feel your best.
SELF-REFLECTION: Take time to focus on what’s going on with you, releasing emotions with journaling, meditation, or yoga. Calming Tea by Healthify Tea is a great tea to enjoy during this time, as the combination of chamomile, rose petals, and moringa is relaxing and allows you to let go.
UN-GUILTY PLEASURES: We’re all about enjoying those things that make you feel good! So boost your mood with Dark Chocolate Cookie by Cookie Tea while curling up with your favorite Netflix show, a magazine, or an awesome book.
BEDTIME RITUAL: Take the time to wind down before bed by sipping on Organic India's Tulsi Sleep, a combination of adaptogens and calming herbs such as chamomile, while taking the time to shut of your phone and step away from tech, opting for a warm shower or bath, or unwinding from that forward motion we’re so often in during the day with some gentle neck and shoulder rolls or a self-massage.
Wellness Tea Shop
Discover new wellness teas for you to enjoy, relax, and feel better. Shop caffeine-free teas, herbal teas, and more. Explore our latest tea collections meant to help your overall wellness in areas like skin health, energy, digestion, headaches, allergies, and sore throats. Explore these and more in the new Wellness Tea Shop!
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About Sips by: We’re a female-founded and led startup that makes discovering tea fun, personalized, and affordable. The Sips by Box is the only multi-brand, personalized tea subscription box. Each month, we match tea drinkers across the U.S. with delicious teas from over 150 global tea brands that we’re sure they’ll love. Based out of Austin, Texas, we are adept at savoring a hot mug even when it’s seasonally inappropriate.