Hey Lovely,
It’s Teatime, so slow down, let me pour you some tea!
“Drink likkle tea, a gas” is a Caribbean phrase that translates to ‘Drink a little tea, it’s good for you. ‘ It’s a colloquial way of saying that Tea can be a simple yet effective solution to many health issues.
Elders often say this to us when we are experiencing pain or exhaustion. We often quip about whether Tea can solve any of these problems. But Tea, with its simplicity, is a gentle solution to a problem that seems overwhelming at the moment.
Welcome to Teatime
Let’s take some time to sit with this. Recently, I decided to begin drinking Tea before anything else every morning. As I steeped my Ginger-Lemongrass tea one morning, I chuckled. I had a flashback about my grandmother telling me to drink tea to cure whatever ailment I had. Suddenly, I thought, “Drinking tea can indeed solve many problems.”
Drinking Tea Forces Us to Slow Down
The first thing I thought of was that sipping hot Tea requires us to slow down so that we don’t get burned. I thought of our world as something that sometimes forces us to move quickly. We have to rush to work and quickly come up with solutions. Then we rush home, take care of household duties, rush through the baby’s bedtime routine, rush to tidy, and then rush to bed before it gets too late. Only to realize that an errand that was forgotten: to run to town to pick up an item that’s required for tomorrow’s project. *Cue bed kicks*
When we are forced to slow down while drinking Tea, it is the chance to reflect on what’s happening in our bodies. We get to think about what might have happened and why this part of our body hurts. We may realize that we skipped a meal or that a muscle was strained when moving something heavy. Or it may be that we need to take more time for ease and rest. When we drink Tea, we can sit and pinpoint what may be going wrong with our bodies or what we need to correct in our routine to bring wellness back to our bodies.
Do you have Gas?
The simple solution is indeed drinking Tea because we have gas. When I refer to ‘gas, ‘I’m talking about our body’s signals or ‘symptoms’ that something might be off. So if our ‘gas’ is not getting enough rest, we know what to do. If our ‘gas’ is not drinking enough water, increase the water intake. Or if our ‘gas’ is that we have not taken the time to move our bodies, start to move, even if it’s five minutes per day. If our ‘gas’ is that we have not had healthy meals, then we need to take the time to plan our meals and eat. And if our ‘gas’ is something or someone stressing us, we need to take the time to pray and meditate. It may also be that you can take action to create boundaries, take a few steps back from that situation, or even pause for self-care.
It’s a Healthy Habit
Secondly, tea drinking is a healthy habit. Different types of teas are suitable for various maladies as they carry nutrients, vitamins, and minerals to replenish your body. This habit can heal and ease many ailments that you are experiencing. If you type in a simple Google search, you can find teas to cure illnesses from head to toe! “Gas” might look different from person to person, but one thing for sure is that God made a tree or a bush for anything and everything! So let’s take our mother’s, grandmother’s, and great-grandmother’s advice seriously and drink likkle Tea, a gas you hab!
Tea is for Enrichment
Finally, when I refer to Teatime on this site or my YouTube Channel, I’m pouring into your cup to extend my support to help you grow and thrive. As a cup is filled with nourishing liquid, I’m filling your cup with positivity and encouragement, hoping to uplift and empower you. So join me in this ritual of slowing down, reflecting, and caring for ourselves.
Let’s raise our tea cups and toast to the powerful act of drinking and sharing Tea and see how it can transform our well-being.
