Discover the benefits of integrating a mindful chai practise into your life.
More people every day are realizing the benefits of having a mindful chai. The combination of chai and mindfulness is not a new concept. For centuries chai has been associated with several health benefits that are similar to the results of a daily mindfulness exercise. These health benefits include an increased immune system and helping with digestion, while mindfulness health benefits include reducing anxiety and cognitive efficiency.
What Is Mindfulness?
To understand the benefits of a mindful chai, it’s important to define mindfulness. In this context, mindfulness is the “mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.”
To be mindful, a person would need to clear their mind of distractions and focus on the present moment. You achieve a state of mindfulness by fully engaging in every step of small or large routines; or by consciously deciding to be present in physical actions and mentality. The repetitive steps of brewing a cup of tea at home are an excellent example! Find out how to integrate the benefits of mindful chai by reading below.
How Can You Start Practising Mindful Chai?
Making a delicious warm cup of chai at home is a delightful ritual to start your day or break up an afternoon. There are six steps to fulfilling mindful chai practise.
Step 1: Prepare
If you are enjoying chai at a cafe and not at home, feel free to skip to step 2!
When you are about to begin, take a minute to close your eyes. Whether at home in the kitchen or anywhere else, mindfulness practise is a gift and act of self-love. Start with a deep breath and tune into the aromas and smells around you. After a deep inhale, exhale the air from your body slowly. Place all chai ingredients into a cup of boiled water, let it steep, and choose something to feel grateful for in today's practice. If that feels hard, just focus on the slow infusion of chai flavors. Bring your desired milk to a boil, and while you stir the milk and steeped tea mixture, repeat your selected gratitude.
Step 2: Sit
While a simple movement, sitting with your cup of chai also forces you to pause. Place the chai in front of you and take another deep breath. You are slowing down and taking this minute for yourself and gratitude.
Step 3: Warmth
Wrap your hands around the cup of prepared chai. Notice the beautiful combination of spices, and give yourself praise for making this warm beverage. Spend time noticing how the cup feels in your hand and how you feel getting ready to drink the chai.
Step 4: Breathing
For this step, we encourage you to keep your eyes closed. Holding your cup of chai, breathe in the aroma of spices and slowly release your breath to a count of 4. When you inhale, remind yourself of gratitude towards yourself or the team that prepared the chai. Center yourself in the present moment and repeat these breaths for as long as you require.
Step 5: Sip
It’s time to celebrate the tasty cup of chai in front of you. At this point, your mind should feel clear of all negative thoughts, and you should feel completely present. Take the first sip of your chai and focus on the sensations when the chai enters your mouth. Ask yourself, how do your lips, tongue, or even teeth feel when you have this first sip? What is the temperature of the chai? Focus on responding to how your body reacts to this first sip and savor the warm spices and flavors entering your body.
Step 6: Mindful Gratitude
While you continue to enjoy your chai, think back to all the steps that would have brought his cup of tea to your day. We suggest thinking about the soil, water, and sunlight that contributed to each ingredient of your chai. Remember that this process touches many systems before the moment you enjoy whether at home or a cafe. At this point, we encourage you to journal or center your thoughts on everything that has contributed to this moment. At the end of this practice, give thanks to yourself and any other person who contributed to the joy of enjoying a delicious cup of chai today!
What Are The Benefits Of Mindful Chai?
The benefits of a daily mindful chai practise are not immediate. Like all new routines or mental practices, the effects will be gradual. You will notice the following five benefits after starting a mindful chai practise.
1. Benefits Of Mindful Chai: An Increase In Productivity
Taking a break to engage in mindfulness practice with a cup of chai will increase your productivity. Studies have shown a mindfulness practice will commit your brain to finish one task at a time instead of doing work towards several tasks. Mindfulness will refresh your mind and heighten your focus, all while you enjoy a delicious cup of chai.
2. Benefits Of Mindful Chai: An Increase In Awareness
Mindfulness is an excellent approach to increasing awareness as it forces the person to be present. Engaging in a mindfulness practice means you also appreciate each step and task.
3. Benefits Of MIndful Chai: A Decrease Of Anxiety
Mindfulness will decrease anxiety and encourage folks to work on breathing techniques. Drinking tea is a simple act of self-love that will reframe any negative situation into a positive one.
4. Benefits Of Mindful Chai: An Increase Of Active Listening
Beginning a mindfulness practise will spill over to all areas of your life. Listening will increase as you will find yourself being able to focus and stay present in every conversation.
5. Benefits Of Mindful Chai: An Increase Of Empathy
In the last step of the mindful chai practise, we encouraged you to think about the different steps and processes that chai went through to arrive at this moment. With this line of thinking, you will be able to step back and hold more space for people in your life, regardless of the interaction.
See more: The health benefits of chai tea
Shop Monks Chai Today For The Best Chai In Australia
Melbourne has several places where chai lovers and enthusiasts can enjoy or buy ingredients to brew chai at home. Look no further than Monk’s Chai for the best organic chai in Melbourne.
Monk’s Chai only uses organic ingredients, including Assam black tea, fresh Keralan ginger, pure Ceylon cinnamon, cardamom, and pimento. We source ethically grown and sustainably produced spices that encourage our community to thrive. Start your mindful chai journey today with Monk’s Chai!