It’s a privilege to have a good cup of coffee

So here is your one minute of mindfulness for today. Get yourself your cup of coffee.

I have an ongoing joke with my mother. She makes a cup of coffee that when you hold it up to the light, you can see the forest behind it.

I jokingly tell her she makes “piss water,” She tells me mine is too strong, however EVERY time I make it for her, she loves it. Go figure.

Coffee in my family is a way of connection. We gather around the table and have our coffee. Food and desserts don’t mean as much as coffee.

When it comes to being mindful with coffee, it’s the whole process that matters.

Not just the coffee in a cup.

That sound brings anticipation for what we’re about to experience.

But instead of anticipation, we can enjoy the moment.

Most of us make coffee every day, and some of us make more than one pot.

I wonder how many of you are running around getting ready or in another room as the coffee is magically creating its delicious brew? Or, how many of you set a “timer” to have the coffee go off before you even wake up? Often I surmise.

Mindfulness is about slowing down.

I remember one year I had this old one-cup coffee maker. I got my coffee ready and took off to go do something else. I came back to find I forgot to add the coffee only had hot water in my cup. At that moment there was a slight feeling of emptiness.

The metaphor is our desire and need for what can be so powerful that we rush the process. We move quickly and in a mindless manner. This is when what we desire: a good cup of coffee ends up just being full of hot water.

So, let’s take a few moments to be present with your coffee

Take in a deep breath and exhale.

Now if you already made your coffee, that’s ok. The next time you go and make it, turn this podcast on.

Go ahead and make your coffee completely present.

The look of the machine and of the coffee in the container. Is your coffee in the plastic container it came with, or are you opening up a special container just for coffee?

As we open up our coffee container, we notice the aroma pulls us in before it even hits the pot.

Breathe in and experience all the wonderful connections it offers.

This is our coffee ritual. And it is powerful.

Pour your water and make your coffee, and as you get ready to hit that button. Close your eyes for a moment. And just listen.

Listen to the sound of the coffeemaker or the espresso machine and it bubbles and brews. A sound we hear all the time. But do we really hear the subtleties of it?

As you’re listening?

Now notice the smell.

How it wakes up your senses invigorates, and in some cases, it brings a sense of inspiration.

Notice the sound as you pour it into your cup.

There is something very unique about how coffee sounds when it’s poured. The swirling of our cream or sugar.

Then we feel the warmth of the cup as that alone can fill us with a sense of comfort.

How we wrap our hands around the cup. Today, just notice the temperature of the cup. It’s almost like a hug from a friend in the morning on a cold day.

Be present as you get ready to take a sip of the coffee. Feel the warm aroma as it hits your nose.

Enjoy the taste of the coffee; taste the richness, the bitterness, or the perfect combination of flavors.

Whether you have it plain black, with coffee with cream. Or with a unique splash of something yummy. Latte, espresso, coffee hot, coffee cold- whatever you like.

Coffee is also our connection to others as well. It can be a time of gathering, sharing, or being connected in a way that a glass of water just won’t cut it.