The Power of Relaxation

For the love for tea and relaxing . Thanks to  Pure Leaf and feedfeed for sponsoring this post.

Not a recipe or food post, but something which is very important in my opinion.

My amma/grandma had the most beautiful, longest, thickest hair with hints of silver touches.  Carefully and painstakingly, using the best homemade shampoos, she air dried her hair on the front porch. Combing and detangling her hair was so pleasant and soothing.  It was just so remarkable how her hair touched the top of the knee. Finally, a face mask made out of milk cream and sandalwood powder completed a Friday schedule.

Did I mention her skin was impeccable?  It was.  Her face oozed a sense of calm even while she managed six sons, a daughter, a daughter-in-law, a little kid who held her saree.  Each one had a different demand that she always fulfilled.

When I think of how calm, relaxed, and in the moment she always was, I hoped and fantasized that I would be like her one day. Now, as an adult, I realize it wasn’t the hair mask, the face mask, or the help she got from her loving sons, although it helped. She had stress for sure, and a financial crunch, but nothing got to her.  It was her choice to be happy. But how did she do it?

She believed in relaxing and having her downtime. She accepted life as it was.  I remember, she would send everyone off and sit on the balcony with her tea, slowly sipping seeing the crowd walk by. Her friends dropped by sometimes, and they would all sit and sip their tea, talking and laughing.  She knew how to enjoy the simple things in life.  Dress well, meet friends, watch movies, make jams, cook for a crowd, and talk talk talk and talk.  She didn’t ever feel guilty, as she kept everyone happy.

I’m a person who likes perfection, and it can get quite stressful and overwhelming at times.  So trying to unwind and be in the moment is hard, but I’m trying.  I deserve it, and you do too.  So, it’s all a fantasy that’s come true for me.  Alone around in a robe, slippers on, water boiling and a big mug of tea. The first sip—the restoration. This moment to yourself is all about practicing the art of slow living. Taking time for yourself, helps. Right after the little bears wave their byes, I sit on my grey sofa, shut the phone, computer and just focus on the hot liquid in my hands.

All you mums out there will vouch that you want to be super moms. If an hour is spent for yourself, the guilt of not spending that time with your family eats you more.  We want to do everything, and everything right.  Sure, there are still a million and more sensitive things to do, and ever more coming. So I enjoy trying to focus on being present, and basking under the beautiful skies, and getting excited for the smallest things.  There’s always a ton to do and achieve, but giving yourself 30 minutes is key.  The mind is quite a complex thing, and can be simple too.  It does what you allow it to.  There’s always going to be challenges, but stressing about it will not help.  A clear, focused, calm mind is a happy mind, which comes up with the best of ideas to solve anything.  Even if not solvable, it’s easily manageable.  That’s the power of relaxing your mind.

The new bagged and loose teas from Pure Leaf celebrate the brand’s love of tea and share it’s passion for realness by giving tea lovers the most genuine tea experience.  Tea time is restorative in so many ways.  Brewing the tea is meditative—watching the tea bloom is beautiful.  Plants have been used as medicine for many generations across cultures, and some of our modern medicines are still derived from these plants. Most teas have beneficial healing properties, and making and drinking them is meditative medicine, a healing ritual that we all have access to. Green Tea with Citrus is one of my favorite from Pure Leaf.  I’m quite impressed with the varieties they offer.

Pure Leaf’s delicate tea leaves are kept long, then simply picked, rolled and expertly crafted, allowing the genuine tea essence to shine through. Iced Green Tea with Citrus is one of my favorite from Pure Leaf. To ensure an exceptional and authentic tea taste, Pure Leaf offers single-source origin tea leaves from Rainforest Alliance Certified tea estates in India,Kenya, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

You can add crushed mint, crushed cardamom, lemon slices or even a pinch of ginger powder.  So good.  I also like to mix the raspberry tea leaves with green tea and a pinch of cinnamon, invoking the taste of Autumn.

Pure Leaf bagged and loose teas are now available nationwide. Visit www.Amazon.com or head to your local grocery store to try all ten hot and iced teas. There is a big giveaway running with Pure Leaf  and feedfeed.  Be sure to follow @PureLeaf and @TheFeedFeed and be on the lookout for their give away on 11/17. If you are in the Bay area on 11/28, be sure to visit Pure Leaf at their pop up event in Union Square and sample some for yourself!

Go brew yourself a cup of tea.

Have a wonderful week and a relaxing one.

Love and Hugs

Ash