A Day of Silence

Dec5

I am taking a day of silence today. A day with no ringing phones and no talking. This is the time of year at my regular day job when the phones are ringing non-stop and everyone in customer service is continually on the phone, taking orders and answering questions, talking about tea. Multiple voices speaking at the same time in the same room. I am beginning to feel overwhelmed by all of this exterior stimulation so it is time for some balance. That balance will come in the quiet solitude I am creating for myself today.

Taking time to contemplate the pattern in a few tea leaves on a beautiful fan shaped porcelain dish, I am able to just “Be” and find my center once again. I see a mountain scene with a couple of streams or they could be paths. The paths could be coming down from the mountains or they could lead you up into the mountains. The streams are bringing life nourishing waters to the gardens and trees in the valley. Anything is possible in the realms of your imagination. What do you see?

Saturday Morning Tea on Sunday

Dec2

On this cold Sunday morning as we anticipate the arrival of wintry weather tonight, I have prepared a cup of Japanese Genmai Cha tea . As you can see from my photo, it is a blend of Japanese sencha (green) tea and roasted brown rice. This particular type of tea came about from necessity rather than invention. During a time when tea was an expensive luxury to the average person, roasted brown rice was added to green tea to make more of it. What resulted was and is today a delicious nutty, toasty brew with lower caffeine. Sometimes, the brown rice pops and the tea is decorated with what looks like small popcorn.

The liquor is a pale yellow and the toasty aroma makes me feel all warm inside. The mellow nuttiness the roasted rice imparts to the tea smooths the pungency of the green tea, making an excellent blend of flavors. If you’ve never had Genmai Cha before, I recommend it highly as an afternoon refresher when our circadian and ultradian rhythms are at their lowest point. Enjoy!

Saturday Morning Tea – a Hint

Dec1

I’m going on another Boston adventure this morning! This time to the Crafts at the Castle arts and craft show at the Hynes Convention Center.

Quoted from their website: “100% of the ticket proceeds directly benefit programs for children, youth, and families struggling with emotional, psychological, and economic effects of poverty, abuse and neglect.”

A very good cause to contribute to indeed. Plus I will have the opportunity to view some very beautiful artwork.

So, my Saturday Morning Tea will be postponed until tomorrow morning when I will brew up a cup of Japanese GenMai Cha tea.

More Reflections on Slow Time

Nov29

As I slowly read and journal my way through the book “Slow Time“, I am at week 4, the chapter on “Night and Day”. In times past, humans rose with the sun and then went to bed when it set. Our biological rhythm followed the day and night cycle. Today most of us stay up long after sunset and are exposed to artificial light from lamps, television and computer screens. In effect, we have created an artificial day and our bodies react at varying levels to this environment. I know that I feel like hibernating at this time of year when, because of the holiday season, it is actually one of the busiest times of year. I can feel this tension in my physical body at times as it works hard to get everything done. It’s important to allow time to just “be”.

The internal rhythm in our body that is directly affected by the day and night cycle is called the circadian rhythm. Most people become aware of this rhythm when it becomes imbalanced from traveling between time zones and experiencing “jet lag”. There is a cluster of cells located right behind our eyes that regulates this rhythm.

Studies have identified another biological rhythm, the ultradian rhythm, that cycles every 1 1/2-2 hours throughout our day. There are 4 parts to this rhythm: an arousal, a peak performance, a stress period followed by a rest period. Do you ever feel that you need to take a break from a project or task? You’re probably in the “stress” part of your rhythm. Taking a break for 15-20 minutes is refreshing and you can return to your task rejuvenated. It is when we work against these natural rhythms that imbalances can occur. Interestingly enough, around 3-4pm each day both of these rhythms, ultradian and circadian, are at their lowest points. Ever feel draggy at that time of day? It’s a perfect time for an afternoon tea break. Or better yet, a siesta.

If you ever have problems falling asleep, it could be because of all of the artificial light stimulation experienced at night. The best thing to do is to limit your artificial light exposure and do something relaxing and soothing for the couple hours before your bedtime. Turn off the television and computer. Light some candles, listen to soothing music, take a warm bath, drink a cup of hot de-caf or herbal tea, meditate, write in your journal, do an activity with a meditative rhythm like knitting, crocheting or beading. These activities gently prepare and open you up for a restful sleep. Sweet dreams!

My October Journal Page

Nov28

My October page took its own long, slow time to unfold. A candle image started teasing into my imagination during a meditation several months ago. I meditated some more on this candle image and it grew into thoughts on illumination and wisdom. I originally wrote about the candle illuminating and unmasking my Higher Self but this changed as I beaded the page.

November was a busy month with preparations for my jewelry show and then Thanksgiving not even a week later. So, finding time to bead was a challenge. When I actually sat down to bead, my mind was crammed full with all of the things on my “to-do” list. An inner voice kept droning on and on that I should be doing this and I should be doing that. My gremlin voice. Hmmmm… As I let my mind settle around all of these thoughts, I began to imagine my illuminated candle, not the figure, as my Higher Self. The figure represents my gremlin. Though she looks serene, almost like she is sleeping or meditating, she is always there, a ghostlike figure, watching, waiting for the perfect moment to find my cracks. She feeds on what lies in the cracks of my psyche, my guilt about not being “good enough”, a good enough artist, a good enough mother, a good enough friend, a good enough partner, a good enough person. She tells me about all of the things I should be doing and, if I don’t do them, I am a failure. I cannot get rid of this gremlin because she is a part of my psyche, my inner critic. Instead, I let the light of my Higher Self, who I truly am, illuminate her and unmask her for what she is. And then I embrace her as a part of me.

This page was a struggle for me but it also brought me deeper into myself while I was beading it. My gremlin voice tells me that I am behind with my beading. My Higher Self tells me that I am not too far behind and it will all come together in its time.

And now I turn my attention to starting my November page which marks the halfway point on this wondrous journey.