I drink green tea in the morning.

Two cups. One girl, Two cups.

Green tea makes me feel better than coffee ever did. There’s a ritualistic component to it. And who doesn’t like rituals?

I prefer to prepare the water in a water boiler. It feels more immediate and meditative to hear the water heating.

I believe that using a microwave does the tea ritual a disservice.

Instead, I pour the boiling water over the—preferably organic—tea bag or loose tea. Purists will say that one should let the water cool down a bit for green tea.

But I’m not a purist. I’m also oftentimes in a hurry to get my “fix”. Over the years, I’ve burned myself a few times with the hot water but that is decidedly not part of the ritual so please don’t copy this!

After sensing the bitter taste in my mouth that comes from the green tea, I instantly feel more awake. I’m more ready to confront the world. Part of this is probably caffeine, part is placebo.

And part is about having time to be with myself, first thing in the morning.

Drinking tea is just about me. It’s supposed to make me feel better, to re-center me. It can even give me a sense of stability in the midst of intense changes.

Some would say that there are deeper rituals than the one I am suggesting. However, these rituals are oftentimes more difficult to implement or take longer to practice. In contrast, my green tea ritual is convenient and transportable.

Case in point: I’ve generally been able to find a way to have green tea regardless of where I’ve been in the world.

Doing so hasn’t always been easy. In fact, it sometimes required having to begrudgingly place a mug with water in a microwave to heat it up.

For true tea aficionados, that is nothing short of sacrilegious. But my inner tea addict will win over my inner tea purist any day.

With many rituals on offer sometimes it’s good to remember that even the simplest of practices can bring us both health and contentment.

At least that has been my experience.
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Author: Bere Blissenbach

Apprentice Editor: Vanessa Marjoribanks

Image: Flickr/Anna Bieniek