No. 37 - A Rare Celestial Moment to Pause, Sip, and Reflect

I once dreamt of becoming an astrophysicist but that dream never came into alignment. Nevertheless, I still love gazing at the night sky and this month I'm enjoying watching the planets 'parade' through our night sky. We even caught a glimpse of Jupiter's moons Io, Europa, Callisto and Ganymede all lined up (all you need are some binoculars and a steady hand!). It's a reminder that rare events are to be cherished, preferably with a great cup of tea. So, here's to a month of cherished moments and (not-so-rare) cups of tea 💜

Enjoying A Rare Celestial Moment to Pause, Sip, and Reflect

Did you know there’s a planetary parade happening in our night sky? About 90 minutes after sunset, steep yourself a pot of tea—or, if you’re feeling adventurous, make a “Tea & Tonic”—and step outside. Under a clear Northern Hemisphere sky, you’ll see (from east to west) Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Venus. Neptune and Uranus join the lineup too but you’ll need a telescope to view them. Don’t know where to look? Think of the sun’s daytime path, the planets line up on the same swath of sky.

This celestial gathering isn’t rare because the planets are aligned (they are, in two dimensions, aligned all the time), but because we can see them all at once—a beautiful reminder of how perfectly-aligned moments are a rare gift to be cherished. The question is: Do we pause to celebrate, or even acknowledge, these rare gifts when they appear?

I’m more of a “journey” person than a “destination” one. Even so, I sometimes find myself rushing through life on a metaphorical high-speed express train rather than strolling on foot. The key, I’ve learned, is knowing when to embrace momentum and when to step off the train, lace up my walking shoes (or, let’s be honest, my favourite Fluevogs), and take in the scenery at a slower pace.

Maybe today’s the day to steep a pot of First Light and press the ‘go’ button on your action list. But (note to self) let's remember to balance effort with ease. Perhaps this evening is the perfect time to make your favourite “special treat” tea (like the award-winning Kumari Gold), step outside, and let the stars remind you of all that’s beautifully aligned in your life, right now.

Take the first step toward making the Pause a Habit

While the train races down the track, it’s easy to miss a stop or two. And, while we intend to slow down, sometimes we forget to follow through. Science tells us to make a plan.

Choose your system: What’s the best tool to remind you to pause? A notebook, calendar, phone alarm? Open it now. Yes, right now 😉

Name your ritual: Call it something meaningful, or practical (or a little cheeky!). Let’s say, Steep Calm Tea Time.

Pick a date and time: Be specific and realistic. Even five minutes is enough! Sunday, January 26th at 8:30 a.m., for instance.

Set yourself up for success: Think about what could get in your way, like not having tea on hand (🙈🙉🙊) or being interrupted by a well-meaning partner. Get in front of the situation: make an (earlier) plan to restock your tea drawer; invite your partner to join you 💜

Celebrate the alignment! Sit back, look to the heavens and bask in the joy of life's little alignments.

Have a favourite “special treat tea”? Or a tip for finding time to slow down? Share your insights with the communi(tea)! Leave a comment below or join the conversation on social. Together, we can create a movement to slow down and Steep Calm.

One more thing...

"Look at the stars
Look how they shine for you
And everything you do.”
– Coldplay, Yellow

Until next time,
Steep Calm,
Bree