Tea, flowers, and happiness can help me slide more easily into presence. Please allow me to explain.
In my regular meditation practice, I meditate in all kinds of spaces–my living room, a doctor’s office, in a meditation center, and in my car. The list goes on.
One of my favorite places to meditate when I am not practicing with others is at my kitchen table in the morning with my tea things. Taking a few minutes to set up this space is a great enhancer of the experience.
The sunlight streams through my window, making me feel like a contented cat that has found her sunbeam. There’s such a simple yet elegant beauty when I surround myself with tea, flowers, and happiness. The way these things engage my senses really helps me focus on where I am.
Although it’s not necessary to have a special setup to meditate–indeed, I often do not–I admit it can be easier for me to drop into the present moment when I have arranged a few things that remind me to enjoy it.
For me, the meditation set up can be as simple as:
- sitting by a sunny window (sunshine!)
- bringing some of my plants or flowers nearby (flowers!)
- setting up my tea and teaware with intention (tea!)
I sometimes add candles and my tea pets, too.
As I sat by my window this morning, getting ready to practice, I immediately though of Thich Nhat Hanh’s verses:
Happiness is here and now
I have dropped my worries
Nowhere to go, nothing to do
No longer in a hurry.Happiness is here and now
I have dropped my worries
Somewhere to go, something to do
But I don’t need to hurry.~ Thich Nhat Hanh
Tea, flowers, and happiness have a beautiful synergy for me. They remind me that the present moment is a beautiful moment. All I have to do is be still and notice.
If you ever feel like you are struggling to get into your practice, you might think about what things you already have that you could arrange near your meditation space.
I’d love to hear if you already have something that works for you or you tried something after reading this post.