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Enticements to Speed Through a Mindfulness Course

In this post, I reflect on several enticements to speed through a mindfulness course.

My ever-evolving relationship with tea has been one of the main paths through which I have  deepened my mindfulness practice. I am also expanding my practice in new ways. Notably, I recently began an online mindfulness training program. The materials recommend we aim to complete the course in about three months, although we have flexibility. So far, I’m really enjoying the training program’s mix of information, stories, guided meditations, and journal prompts.

speed through mindfulness--icon of person running and person meditating
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No Input Experiment: Traci’s Perspective

What happens when you and a friend conduct a three-week “no input” experiment? In Part II of this two-part series, I share my reflections after blocking out at least 30 minutes every day not to read, scroll, or turn on anything to listen to. This experiment revealed some of my limiting ideas about when and how I practice mindfulness. It also pointed to a way that I was still buying into the cult of productivity. Changing my behavior gave me time to process my thoughts and feelings, find more contentment in the mundane, and (perhaps most surprisingly) cultivate a new relationship to traffic lights!

An icon of a book, a musical note, and a phone each with a red circle and line drawn through it. These symbols represent "no input."
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Tea as Art on the Trail

Tea on the Trail began on June 1, 2018 as an art project to drink tea and photograph thrifted teacups on hikes. Nicole McKinney is the talented photographer, ardent tea drinker, and kind soul who created it. In honor of the five-year anniversary of Tea on the Trail, I asked Nicole to reflect on her experience.

Tea on the Trail's Nicole McKinney--a blond woman, smiling, with sunglasses on top of her head, holding a footed pink teacup and matching saucer, in front of a field of bluebells.
Nicole McKinney of Tea on the Trail in her element!
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Information Rest: Taniya’s Perspective

GUEST contributor! In this Part 1 of a 2-part series, Taniya Gupta of YogaTeaPoetry shares her experience with “information rest,” a 21-day challenge we both embraced. Taniya reflects on her inspiration, process, and results of setting aside 30 minutes every day to not consume any new information–no media, no books, etc.

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Overview of Paquita Tea Room in Manhattan

Paquita is a tiny and lovely tearoom and shop in the West Village neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. You can find them on Instagram @paquita.nyc.

Inside Paquita: Two white cups with blue rims and matching saucers sitting on a deep green table with a iron teapots and a small bouquet of dried flowers. One person is in the process of pouring some honey into one of the cups of tea.
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Tea in the Canyon

This post shares my three-week experience enjoying daily tea in a canyon. It also reflects on how an encouraging stranger inspired me to change how I prepare for outdoor tea.

Reed Canyon by the lake.
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Cost of Running a Tea Blog and Offering Events

Have you ever wondered about the cost of running a tea blog and offering events?

I have started thinking of Tea Infusiast as a passion and a business, charging for the tea events and groups that I organize. Some people have been curious about why. In this post, I share what spurred me to develop a business side to Tea Infusiast.

A stack of white business cards with the Tea Infusiast logo
A stack of Tea Infusiast business cards.
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Review of T Shop in NYC

This post reviews T Shop in NYC, a serene and charming teahouse where you can enjoy gongfu tea on your own, guided steeping experiences, or a cup of tea to-go. Since fees and services may change over time, please check the T Shop website before you plan your visit.

Looking through glass door of interior entrance to T-Shop, wooden floors and shelves, white walls, and lovely teaware.
T Shop’s interior entrance
Chalkboard sign that says "Your new favorite tea shop: T-Shop." Ivy plants sit on a little table by the sign.
Cute sign and jaunty ivy by the interior entrance
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Sign Up for Tea Infusiast News

Tea Infusiast offerings to help us connect with and through tea.

Two teacups on a tea table. A colorful banner is overhead.
Connect through the monthly newsletter.
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Making Time to Pause, Especially When Busy

This post shares my determination to make time to pause with tea, especially when I’m busy. It also explains the Virtual Tea Table, an online group that I created to help tea lovers cultivate a practice of pausing.

When life gets busy, it’s so tempting to reduce or eliminate breaks. We need that time to work because there’s so much to do, right? I have responded like this to the challenges of being busy for years–okay, decades. But, now that I know better, I am trying to do better. The Virtual Tea Table is one way I make time for breaks…and invite other tea lovers to join me!

Four little cups of tea arrayed around a clay teapot. A teapet turtle sits on a card that says "Pause. Steep, Sip. Connect."
Pause. Steep. Sip. Connect.
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