When Tea Time Becomes Me Time
It’s said that “necessity is the mother of invention.” Whether we’re moms, caregivers, entrepreneurs, students, survivors or all of the above, many of us “stumble” into self-care after feeling depleted and in need of a way to revive our mental and physical energy. We push ourselves to our limits until we learn to push pause or are pushed into a hard-stop. Yet finding the time or the tools to reconnect with our true selves can be work in itself. If you’re searching for simple and effective ideas to add to your routine, check out our interview with Deidre and Lauren of Ele & Ivy Tea Co. What started as a weekly tradition between friends transformed into a passion project of natural brews that soothe mind, body, spirit and soul.
How did your self-care journey begin?
Our collective self-care journey began with a ritual Lauren and I created, allowing us to pour back into ourselves and each other. We both work in advocacy doing community organizing work and needed to find a way to squeeze self-care into our lives. We had weekly meetings over tea to debrief, release and transform our oftentimes chaotic energy into creativity. Eventually, it became a routine. Tea time became a time that was about us, when everything else we did wasn’t. Everyone needs that. And so, to share that with our community, we created Ele & Ivy Tea Company.
We experienced the beauty and power of your tea ritual during Your Inner Yogi’s first Self-Care Sunday in October 2017, featuring your OMM Tea. Tell us a bit about your blends.
We currently offer two distinct blends. The first is our signature blend, OMM Tea, and our newest addition is Love Spell. OMM is a very versatile total body blend, meaning you can enjoy it’s refreshing properties by sipping, soaking or smoking OMM to compliment your self-care routine. Love Spell is a bold, spicy blend of black tea, roses, ginger and cinnamon dusted fruit. Love Spell has been well received since its debut and proved to be a customer favorite! For more information on our tea blends head over to our website www.eleivyteaco.com.
How can tea be incorporated into one’s self-care practice?
There are so many ways, especially with our total body tea! Our OMM herbal blend can be used to sip, soak in, and smoke. If you love drinking tea, incorporate self-care by using the time it takes to brew your tea to meditate, journal, pray, be silent – whatever you need to have a moment for yourself. Or when you drink it, practice mindfulness. Focus only on the sensations you experience when drinking the tea – how it smells, the feel and taste. It quiets the mind. That’s self-care. If you are a smoker and want to quit, switching to herbal smoking blends can help you transition. If you love spa treatments, consider trying a bathing tea to soak. We add pink Himalayan Salt for its detox properties.
Your products are so versatile and meet people where they are with what they need. We encourage our students to “bloom where they’re planted,“ especially when starting something new or trying to make a change. What tips do you have for establishing a self-care routine?
Yes, love that! We think that’s so important. Really, that’s how Ele & Ivy came about. We would make so many excuses for why we couldn’t make time for ourselves, but with our tea practice we came to understand self-care in a new way. It could be a short moment or a completely indulgent experience. Self-care doesn’t have to be expensive or extensive, it just has to be what you need in that moment.
That’s beautiful. Any other personal mantras or affirmations?
“Self-care is self-preservation.”
Ready to sip?
You can purchase Ele & Ivy blends and starter kits on their Etsy shop and in the Your Inner Yogi boutique. Visit their website at www.eleivyteaco.com and follow them on Instagram at @EleIvyTeaCo for info about product releases and more tips!