Dayton Wellness Collective

The transition of a task into a soulful practice

The steam rose from my mug in wispy swirls, an enchanting dance of water, fire, & air. I studied it longer than normal– an impromptu meditation that put me in a welcomed trance. Slowly, scents of clove and cinnamon filled my dining room as candle flames flickered and popped. The morning sky bounced orange light through my window and streamed through the spiraling smoke still rising from a match stick. I sat back and took in the view, one that has undoubtedly graced generations of humankind. How long, I mused, have people sat in a room, gazing at a sunrise, with a hot cup of tea? And why does this process feel so deeply fulfilling and grounding compared to other parts of my day?

When thinking about a grounding practice such as preparing an herbal infusion, there are three lenses of focused intentionality we can apply to deepen our experience (we are all fairly short on time, may as well use the most of it). The lens of mindfulness allows us to focus and be fully mentally present. The lens of ritual can assign meaning and purpose to an otherwise mundane task. And the lens of connecting to our ancestral heritage naturally brings us back to the Earth and her cycles (as that is how humans have lived for millions of years). And if one practice could encompass all three? If it could be mindful, ritualized, and rooted? That’s a jackpot, babe. That’s a little slice of soul retrieval.

And so, in this tranced out space, I reflected on how prepping an herbal infusion is an easy way to beautifully entangle all three of these concepts into one deeply satisfying practice. Mindful of how prepping a cup of tea lights up my senses of sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste. How the dried herbs that fill my metal strainer once grew in the sunshine underneath our one beautiful sky, nurtured by rain that contains millions of years of recycled water. The ritual of stretching out my spine while the water is boiling, a welcomed morning salute to the promise of a new day. Or jotting down notes, visions, dreams, and lists in my planner while I wait for my tea to cool down (not too much, I prefer scalding water just cool enough not to burn the roof of my mouth). And the herbs that I select to start the day are rooted in generations of plant wisdom, when we treated our Earth as a symbiotic gift giver instead of land to claim and plumage. When my great great grandmother used to have an herbal garden outside her kitchen. When weeds were medicinal gifts hidden in the woods instead of “intrusive” invaders that disrupt a pointlessly manicured grass lawn.

The history of tea is long and storied, much like humankind’s relationship with herbs. Plant medicine is only one element of the many offerings of herbal infusions. The energetics of a plant, the properties hidden in the different parts, and the relationship we foster when we grow our own herbs are all such insightful and meaningful aspects of an herbal brew. And if tea is something that you enjoy (or would like to get to know better) we would love to discuss all of these elements with you in the quaint and cozy setting of our wellness studio with two ladies who set out to create a perfect blend with an even better story. Herbal remedies have been around as long as written history. Come join in on this ancient tradition and discover your new favorite grounding practice with us 🙂

Click here to learn more about our upcoming herbal infusion workshop featuring the lovely Wenches of Wormwood!!

With love,

Carolyn