By Rob White
Coffee isn’t only something we can gulp down in the morning; it can enrich us spiritually and emotionally. Here are five ways that a cup of joe can provide us with motivation, happiness, and even a touch of enlightenment.
Mindfulness In A Mug
Mindfullness is a laser focus on what you’re doing in the present. Next time you make a cup of steaming hot coffee, wrap your palms around the mug. Feel the heat make its way into your fingers, and feel a wave of warm, healing energy gently flow through your arms, your torso, and throughout your body. Pay attention to the scent, and savor it competely. You are living in the moment now. There are no worries about the past or concerns about the future; just you and your cup of enlightenment.
Morning Ritual
In an ever-changing world, it sometimes seems we can’t count on much of anything. Your favorite cereal or soup is no longer available… your favorite store moves or goes out of business… your favorite airline merges with another or simply dissolves… your favorite technology changes and moves on without you, whisking you from the cutting edge to the stone age overnight. And yet… one thing stays the same, and that’s the ritual of making, and then drinking, your cup of coffee in the morning. You may have traded in your French press for a single-serving coffee maker, but you can still count on the tradition of making coffee to help you feel grounded in the morning.
Indulge In The Beans
We worry if we have too many, or too few, material possessions. We spend too much energy comparing ourselves to our neighbors, and to people who live around the globe. We downsize our vehicles for an economy model, or even traded in our SUV for a bicycle to be better world citizens and to decrease our global footprint. Coffee teaches us that simple indulgences have value beyond their price tag. With your morning cup of joe you’ve reminded yourself of the simple pleasures of life, and you’ve proven it.
Great Equalizer
Making a cup of java doesn’t require an advanced degree in chemistry or years of practice. You don’t need any special knowledge or particular credentials. Your cup of joe doesn’t have to come from a high-end coffee shop or the most high-end brewing system available. It can be instant or even decaffeinated. Let’s face it: your favorite cup of coffee doesn’t even have to be coffee at all – it can be hot cocoa or tea. The point is that everyone can have his or her own favorite morning brew, and regardless of what you’ve achieved or how many toys you’ve accumulated, your cup of coffee, and the happiness it brings you in the morning, can rival anybody’s brew. Coffee is democracy at work.
Slow It Down
Guzzle down a just-brewed cup of hot coffee, and your morning will be careening off to a stressful start, and, very likely, a burned palate. Smell the coffee, and take leisurely sips… taking all the time you need to enjoy the flavor, and your morning will be off to a great start.
A mug of coffee’s price range is within everyone’s reach. No matter how you make your joe, starting your day off with a gratifying ritual is priceless. And think about this: It’s been said that an awakened individual has no bad day even if he does, in fact, have a bad day. Well, that’s because he has a good cup of coffee to start things off.
Rob White is an author, motivational coach, and story-teller. Visit him online at www.robwhitemedia.com.
