Take Time to Drink Your Tea
There’s a simple teaching from Thich Nhat Hanh that has stayed with me: “Take time to drink your tea.”
Over the past year, those words have taken on a whole new meaning for me. Between the whirlwind of a job search, moving to Boston, starting a new role, and still showing up for community through The Mindful Rebel, I found myself craving something steady: something that reminded me to slow down and return to myself.
That something turned out to be tea.
What started as just making a cup to wind down became one of my go-to stillness practices. Sitting with a pot of tea has been a way to anchor myself when everything else felt uncertain. It’s given me space to breathe, to reflect, and to remember that I don’t have to rush through the in-between moments.
Tea has been a grounding force in this season of liminality—the in-betweens, the transitions, the moments when things aren’t fully clear yet.
But beyond the stillness, tea has also sparked a sense of exploration. It’s opened me up to curiosity, nudged my creativity, and reminded me to trust my own timing. Sometimes it takes a few steeps before a tea really shows itself, and I’ve learned to be patient with myself in the same way.
I’ve also had the joy of connecting with some amazing tea vendors and teachers along the way—people whose work has deepened my relationship with tea and expanded my practice:
Some of my favorite tea vendors:
White2tea: https://white2tea.com
Living Tea: https://www.livingtea.net
Little Red Cup: https://littleredcuptea.com
Folks I have found community with or learned from:
Being Tea: https://beingtea.com
Unfurl Tea Community: https://www.unfurltea.com
Tea Infusiast: https://www.teainfusiast.com
Global Tea Hut: https://globalteahut.org
These folks and companies have shown me that tea is more than just a drink—it’s a practice, a conversation, and sometimes even a mirror.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that stillness doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes it’s as simple as pouring hot water over leaves and giving yourself permission to sit with it.
So wherever you are, and whatever season you’re in, I offer this gentle reminder: take time to drink your tea.
