Photo by Lisa Chapman-Sorci
You can tell by the fact that there are 3 coffee shops on each block (one at each end and one in the middle) that coffee is the most popular drink in the USA.
Research and medical studies are a mixed bag of information regarding the health benefits and dangers of coffee. One day research shows that coffee reduces the risk of diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. The next day we are warned of the effects of caffeine on high blood pressure and heart disease.
I’m tired of following the medical experts on this topic so, I’ll simply believe what I want about coffee and at some point, some study will undoubtedly agree with me…if only for that day.
What I have experienced are the spiritual effects of enjoying a good cup ‘o joe. Japanese Buddhist monk and teacher Hyakuten Inamoto likes to say “a cup of tea: a cup of Enlightenment” although his preference is a latte from Starbucks.
You may think that this is ‘tongue in cheek‘, however, having a cup of coffee can be very much like meditation. We sit in a comfortable position and bring our awareness to the cup, keeping us in the present moment. Closing our eyes and slowly breathing in the rich aroma, we connect with our senses. We then notice our physical body begin to relax. Looking around we are completely aware of your surroundings without judgment.
As we sip our coffee, we let go of the thoughts of the day. We stop reliving the meeting from this morning and we are not concerned with planning the rest of the day in our heads. We are at one with our coffee.
As with meditation, please don’t mistake the form for the path. The path is in the living, not in the drinking.
Comments
This is excellent - I love it! :)
Welcome! Great article.
Lobsters and coffee. I get google word alerts for lobster and enlightenment.Anything with enlightenment and lobster pops up. Im the author of " The lobster and the chicken" a fable for adults in search of enlightenment. Im the lobster and my ex girlfriend (chicken) is not talking to me, I think she is a little 'shellfish" and she thinks I am. Thanks Herb
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