One of my favorite things that I used to do was to sit in tea ceremony and then get out my journal and paint with my tea. I always felt so inspired in this state, invoking ritual and also connecting with the part of my inner child who loves to play and be present with the natural expression of ritual.
When I got pregnant, my body changed in many ways. One of these was that I grew to have a sensitivity to caffeine, or more clearly, I became more sensitive to the adrenaline rush that the caffeine provoked in my system! The charge of the adrenaline that I used to be able to metabolize became an overwhelming charge to my body, especially as I entered my postpartum stage. I had trouble sleeping already, and the caffeine exacerbated that. Also, I found that the extra adrenaline amplified any tendencies for anxiety and worry to my system, which was already going through so much. And so, my beloved ceremony with tea fell to the wayside in favor of balance and health.
This morning with a little time to myself, I decided to get out some green tea and have a tiny ceremony with myself. I really wanted to remember something important about this ritual as I go deeper into my relationship with wonder and watercolor for my upcoming course. (We’ll see how I can alchemize the caffeine today, that remains to be seen 🤣). But it’s really lovely to feel into this space and the rush of inspiration and connection that camellia sinensis brings. It’s not for me every day, but once in a while it’s a joy to connect with this old friend 🍵
I hope you can join me for The Wonder of Watercolor, which begins on March 20. Part of our practice will be connecting with our own individual practices which evoke wonder, curiosity and play to infuse that energy into our painting process 🎨
