Relaxing Rituals

I love the feeling of indulgence, of letting go of your reality and allowing yourself time to drift away. I love the sound of silence and alone time. Me time. It’s the feeling of time standing still and everything falling in line. I don’t get to enjoy much Me time these days (hello motherhood!), but when I do find the time to unwind I make sure to make it special and savor every minute of it. I try to create my own little tranquility ritual. It usually always involves lighting up a candle (and if you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that’s the Jo Malone Wild Fig and Cassis candle) and making a cup of tea. There is something so comforting about sipping on a warm cup of tea! The tea relaxes and soothes from the inside, while the calming scent of the Jo Malone Wild Fig and Cassis candle creates an atmosphere of serenity within the four walls of my home.

When I have time, I like to make tea the old-fashioned way: boiling the water on the stovetop and simmering the herbs and spices. One of my favorite tea recipes at the moment is one I concocted in my kitchen one cold, gloomy day a few months ago. It’s a ginger/mint tea, perfect for those days when the fatigue seems to set in and your energy levels run low. The mint is delicious and refreshing. Its anti-inflammatory nature can reduce blood pressure, thus helping ease the body and mind. Fresh ginger has many medicinal benefits and a ton of flavor. It not only helps with relaxation and achy muscles, but it also aids with bloating and digestion.

My Comforting Tea Recipe:

2 cups water

5 thin slices of raw ginger

3 springs of mint

1/4 lemon

1 tbsp honey or to taste (this is optional, I usually skip it)

Yield: 1-2 cups of tea

Peel the ginger and slice it thinly. Bring the water to a boil, add the ginger slices and simmer for about 10 – 20 minutes. The more you simmer the tea, the fragrant and more potent it will be. Remove from heat, add the lemon juice, mint and honey and cover for another 10 minutes. Enjoy your tea!

Note: Simmering means taking a liquid to its boiling point and then reducing the heat so that the water is not a rolling boil.

If you’re pressed for time or prefer something quick, Twinnings of London (available at most grocery stores and Target) makes an excellent Lemon Ginger Tea that I recommend trying.