Gratitude and your cup of tea: bringing in abundance, gratitude and peace

Jessica Filkins is a health coach and owner of Jahmu Chai, a healing turmeric ginger tea. Each month, she shares a tea meditation that can be done quickly and easily during your morning cup of coffee or tea to bring more peace, abundance, joy and healing into all areas of your life. As we look forward into 2018, this gratitude tea meditation helps us recognize all that’s come before to bring us to this place, so we can continue to grow forward.

By Jessica Filkins

A daily meditation practice can increase your happiness, hone your focus and improve your health. Despite the growing body of scientific research on the benefits of meditation and mindfulness practices, most Americans do not incorporate meditation into their daily lives. However, most Americans do drink coffee, tea or water as part of their morning ritual. Turning this time into a meditation is a great way to begin incorporating mindfulness into your life.

This month’s gratitude tea meditation 

1. Make a cup of Jahmu or any other type of tea, coffee or warm water. Let it cool to a drinkable temperature.
2. Sit in a comfortable seat and hold the cup of tea in both hands.
3. Take a few deep breaths, relax your hips and allow your tailbone to root into the earth. Lift your heart slightly, relax your shoulders and feel your spine lengthen as you breathe into your belly.
4. Bring your awareness to your cup and feel its warmth radiating through your hands and into your heart. Feel the love and energy from your heart flowing through your arms and hands into the cup. Imagine you are about to drink a magical cup of liquid sunshine that can transform you from the inside out— healing, cleansing and awakening every cell in your body.
5. Cultivate a feeling of gratitude for this specific cup of tea. Why are you grateful for this cup of tea and for this moment of relaxation? As you take your first sip, feel the gratitude flowing down your throat, into your belly and spreading throughout your whole body.
6. With each sip, think of something or someone you are grateful for. Really feel the gratitude in your body. If you want to heal a part of your body, practice being grateful for the parts of your body that are healthy. If you want to manifest abundance, feel grateful for all the wealth that you already have. If you want to feel more love and connection, feel grateful for all the people in your life and send them love. Maybe even think of a challenging situation in your life or a person with whom you are struggling. Try to find some aspect of that situation that you are truly grateful for. Feel the gratitude in your body!
7. Practicing gratitude is a great way to increase your happiness and to feel more connected and whole. When you are finished, thank your cup for holding the magical liquid. Thank yourself for taking the time to practice this meditation. Allow yourself to continue this practice throughout the day while you walk, drive, eat, work and play!

Visit Jahmu online for more tea meditations and information on how to bring health into your daily life.

For those of you in the Rhode Island area, visit Jessica every Thursday and Friday for a guided tea meditation at Newport Community Yoga at Gather Tea Shop. Find her on Friday mornings at 8:45 and Thursday evenings at 7:45.