October 25, 2024Wellness

A Tea Ritual + Rose Hot Toddy For Holiday Stress

The holiday season is a joyous time marked by spending days with loved ones, sharing special meals, shopping for extravagant gifts, and of course, giving them. For as much as we’re feeling in the spirit, we also know it can be incredibly hectic and often stressful. We want you to take a moment amongst the hustle and bustle, to slow down and practice self care, starting with a simple flower tea routine. This calming tea ritual can be used any time you’re feeling things are getting a little chaotic, but we think it’s perfect for helping you stay in that “most wonderful time of the year” mindset.

How to Craft a Tea Ritual

Let’s start by considering why you could be feeling stressed. Celebrating the holidays look different for everyone. Whether your November and December are filled with several gatherings, meals to prep and events to get ready for, or you’re simply feeling stressed by all of the hoopla, weather changes and such, you are valid! Feel all of your feelings! It’s okay to be stressed.

Carving out time for yourself in the form of a calming tea ritual will allow you to keep calm when things start to chaotic. We all need ways to come back to center. This is our favorite way to wind down and settle with a cup.

1. Choose a Cozy Setting

Consider a place you can get comfortable for around one hour. Where in your home do you associate feelings of peace and joy? Is it a favorite chair? Perhaps a certain floor of your home you can retreat to where the kids or dog are kept at bay? Maybe it's a windowsill or reading nook in your tiny apartment. Wherever you are, make sure it's quiet and somewhere where you can feel like your best self. Prepare journaling prompts if you desire to have something tangible to go back to.

2. Consider a Cup of your Favorite Calming Flower Tea

For times like these, we have two teas we recommend the most:

For an intermission during the daylight hours, try calming down with a cup of our Royal Chrysanthemum tea. When you're feeling overwhelmed and need something to take the edge off, consider brewing a cup of one of the most beautiful and treasured super flowers. With mild sedative properties that can help you unwind after a long day, brewing a cup can have a calming effect, help to reduce anxiety and promote a more restful night sleep from flavonoids and amino acids in the tea acting on the body's nervous system. Garnish with rosebuds to elevate the ritual. The two teas pair so well together. Remember, you are treating yourself, so an extra special brew is in order!

Blue Lotus is another perfect cup to help reduce stress and promote relaxation because it contains the alkaloid, nuciferine which is believed to have sedative and calming properties. Also filled with apomorphine, it has mild psychoactive effects that can help ease stress and promote a calm state of mind for you as you aim to wind down at night.

3. Brew the Tea That Your Heart Desires

Consider where you're at in your day and what flavors you're craving most. Chrysanthemum's mild earthy flavor contrasted with blue lotus' slightly nutty, anise-like taste each provide unique experiences for the palette.

4. Mindfully Prepare

Begin to boil water and prepare your tea mindfully. Unwrap your flower and hold it close to you, really marveling at the aroma and texture before your eyes as you gently drop it into your mug or pot. As you pour the hot water over the flower, take a moment to ask yourself what you're noticing. Watch the steam rise, see the flower dance in the water and embrace these early signs of steeping.

5. Watch the Flower Bloom

As you hold the flower down into your cup for five minutes, swirling it around and keeping it close to the bottom, take deep, calming breaths. Inhale the fragrant steam, placing your face close to the mug, allowing it to warm your face as you keep a close eye on your cup. Think of how you handled the flower with care, giving it a chance at rebirth. Now think of yourself and creating that same possibility for your being. Washed clean, you can return from this cup of tea feeling free and renewed.

6. Sip Slowly

Take sip and savor the gentle flavor of your flower tea, letting its warmth and taste fill you with relaxation. Sip in silence, with no outside distractions for at least 10 minutes, allowing your mind to slow and quiet. Consider playing soft music.

7. Think About Journaling

Following your silence, ask yourself what thoughts came to mind. How are you feeling now? Focus on the moment and letting go. Consider one of your journaling prompts, giving yourself the option to assess what you're feeling and how you will move forward. When you naturally finish writing, move slowly, with an open mind, heart and relaxed body as you center yourself back into your day.

While we love a ritualistic meditation, we also know a warming hot toddy scratches another itch and can hit the spot when you're feeling stressed.