Tea for a TSG: One teacher's personal blend
In which I share a quick anecdote that made my day
One of the teachers in one of the Teacher Support Groups I’m running this year recently sent me the following email:
Ok Saturday, [my husband] and I attended a private tea blending class together. While we were talking about the meditative practices around making tea, I spoke about TSGs and the idea of “Staying in your garden.”
Throughout the course of the class I was thinking a lot about this. Meanwhile, I was blending my tea; a green tea with orange peel, rose hips, calendula, and blue corn flower. At the end of the class, we were asked to name our blend, and well, the gorgeous combo reminded me of a lovely garden. Hence, my tea is called “Staying in My Garden.”
Just thought you might get a kick out of that!
OMG I didn’t just get a kick out of it. It thrilled me! It made me smile and glow!
I was curious about the connection this teacher made between meditative practices and TSGs. So I asked her about it.
We were talking about how meditative and relaxing the act of brewing tea can be. The person leading the session shared how creating that quiet moment, holding space for yourself, can center both the mind and the body, giving you time to check in with how you are truly feeling. I mentioned that I’m part of a Teacher Support Group, where we often talk about “staying in our own garden.” tending to what is ours rather than trying to manage the gardens of others or letting their negativity take root in our own.
I didn’t set out for this idea to become the theme of my tea. I was simply drawn to certain colors and flavors. But as I reflected, the connections began to unfold: the light, refreshing brightness of the orange became like the sun, gently illuminating all the other elements. The green tea formed the foundation of the garden, supporting every flower and flavor, its dried leaves even resembling soft blades of grass. The calendula, both beautiful and soothing, carries natural anti-inflammatory properties, while the blue cornflower, equally striking, offers antioxidant and calming benefits of its own.
Can I just throw in here: TSGs are soothing, calming, and undoubtedly have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities!
Together, these ingredients seemed to mirror something deeper. Not only are they physically calming, but they also reflect the quiet, restorative work of the Teacher Support Group and the gentle practice of staying rooted in your own garden.
(I did not pay this teacher to write all these wonderful things.)
I am so delighted when a concept we work on in TSGs makes its way into the outside world. It means the concept makes total sense. This one, the concept of staying in your Garden, has real staying power. I hear teachers and clients use it all the time.
Don’t have the blend? Get the mug!
Hence the new TTE merch. The slightly racy slogan was suggested by one of my TSG facilitator trainees, and the design is by my multi-talented producer, Jullian Androkae. What’s weird is that, of all the merch I could have created, I chose a T-shirt (that’s a no-brainer) and — a mug. For tea. The coincidence is too delightful to ignore.
So hey. Even if you haven’t crafted your own delicious “Staying in My Garden” tea blend, you can still get a mug. Your daily reminder of a really valuable practice that so many have learned makes a big difference in their lives.