Lately I have been relying on tea and Tarot to help me deal with the insanity of the situation in which I find myself (wine too but that’s a topic for another day).  I’ve always been a tea drinker but in the last 3 years or so I’ve become more adventurous.  I’ve begun exploring loose tea, teas from different locales, oolongs as well as black teas as well as trying different vendors.  I’m quickly realizing that my tea obsession is right up there with my Tarot obsession.  This made me wonder why roles they fulfill in my life.

I think the tea (in addition to being tasty) allows me to take some time for myself.  The process forces me to slow down for at least a few minutes and just focus on me.  Tarot offers me the same opportunity – for at least 10 minutes every day I take a breather and focus on me.  That may not seem like much but for me it’s a brief respite in the midst of what tend to be exhausting, chaotic days.

Drinking coffee, for me, was a necessary evil.  I needed the caffeine jolt to get me kickstarted every morning (I’m just not a morning person).  Tea drinking is a labor of love, a tiny touch of civility and relaxation in an otherwise externally focused, frenetic day.  It allows me to feel as though I’m nurturing and caring for myself.  On gray, gloomy days, tea allows me to feel snuggly and warm  On warm, sunny days, tea allows me to slow down a bit and just enjoy the beauty of the day.

It’s also interesting what insights I’ve learned about myself via tea and Tarot.  The types of Tarot decks towards which I gravitate tell me that I’m not pastel, light kind of person.  I have nothing against decks that focus on positivity and lightness but they don’t resonate with me.  I need darkness to balance the pastel.  I need shadow to offset the light.

My taste in teas is similar.  I tend to avoid green and white teas in flavor of full-bodied blacks and oolongs.  If a tea is described as having green, vegetal flavors I know it’s probably not my taste.  If it has chocolate or honey flavors I’m putting it on the wish list.

Both tea and Tarot can allow us time to focus on ourselves.  They give us space to relax and reconnect with our inner selves.  Both have enough variety to suit every taste and palate.  They also both have connections to fortune telling – reading tea leaves and Tarot cards are both well established divinatory techniques.  So the next time you are doing a Tarot reading for yourself, considering having a hot cuppa as accompaniment.