Making Time for Rituals

"Sex?" Boy George was once quoted as saying, "I'd rather have a cup of tea." But if you ask me, making love can be like making a cup of tea.

Uh-huh, I hear you say, so what similarities do they share?

Countless. They are two of the world's finest rituals for starters, and rituals all share an importance in preparation.

Knowledge is king in this area, and although the perfect cup of tea - like making love - is down to the individual, there are a few steps you can follow to make the best of your daily brew. Depending on your choice of tea, that is.

Did you know? The less processed the tea leaf, the greater antioxidants. This means that green tea has more antioxidants than black tea, and white tea (the least processed of the teas) has the most antioxidants of all!

• Experts advise to use cold, fresh water in a clean kettle and avoid recycling water already in the receptacle.
• Soft water makes for a better cup of tea, but if you live in a hard water area, opting for Assam and Kenyan teas may make for a better cup.
• Make sure not to over boil the water, as it will de-oxidise and go flat. Do not leave the kettle alone when boiling tea – you must remove the kettle only a few seconds after the water has boiled. When the water is ready, you must be ready.
• Use either one teabag or one teaspoon of loose tea per cup. For black teas pour the boiled water immediately. For other teas, like green teas, let it cool to around 85C before pouring. Let it brew for three to four minutes (or just one to two minutes for white teas like jasmine). Remember as a rule, do not brew your tea for fewer than 3 minutes – the longer the brewing time, the better the tea!
• Stir the cup before serving. It's the most important part. Then add sugar or sweeten with a honey alternative if desired. If you're using a pot, remove the teabags before serving or it will sit there stewing for too long.

— Taken from MSN Food

William Hanson/BBC Magazine

Continuing with tea tips, some argue that if you add milk last, you have better control over the amount, plus if you pour the milk in first you end up with watery, milky tea - and who wants that? But others say that adding milk first enhances the flavour of the milk when the hot tea hits and scalds the milk, and protects fine porcelain cups from cracking when the tea is poured (from which the practice originates). It is thought that historically, the order of steps was taken as an indication of class: only those wealthy enough to afford good quality porcelain would be confident of its being able to cope with being exposed to boiling water unadulterated with milk. You be the judge of your own taste - it's your cup of tea after all.

Teas for your health needs.

Once you've mastered how you make your tea, it's good to look at what tea you're using for two major reasons. First, there's a wide range of flavours within every type of tea that hosts different preventative health benefits, and second for a more refined quality of taste. It's advisable not to add milk to green or oolong teas, for example, and it's customary not to add sugar to Earl Grey, nor to add milk to Darjeeling teas.

Cream is not good with tea at all, as the milk fats interact adversely with tea tannins. The term "cream tea" in British tea culture does not refer to tea served with cream (as opposed to milk). It simply means that tea is served with a scone with clotted cream and jam. There used to be a tradition of tea rooms in the UK which provided this combination of cream and jam on scones, commonly known as cream tea. However, these establishments have declined in popularity since World War II. In Devon and Cornwall particularly, the traditional fare of cream teas are a speciality.

Victoria Wood on tea: "The little plant that changed the world" [BBC]

Keeping to the theme, it's also best remembered that a spiritual touch during any ritual can promote wellness, balance and wholeness. You might think that tea and spirituality have nothing in common, but they are closely connected. There are various legends surrounding the origins of tea and its origins from China and Japan; where rituals were akin to religious ceremonies. Today, we can make it an opportunity to relax and revitalise. This is true whether it's making a cup of tea, or taking time out to make love with your twin flame.

The dark side of tea?

Another important thing to keep in mind is the time of day can matter when practising your rituals. Science suggests we are very sensitive to time, especially to the workings of our body clock. The inner workings of the body go through a daily routine known as a circadian rhythm, which keeps the body in sync with its surroundings. As the chemistry of the body changes throughout the day, this can impact on health. Examples include studies that show the time of day can increase the risk of dying from an irregular heartbeat. Data from the research suggests that the risk of "sudden cardiac death" peaks in the morning and rises again in the evening, because levels of a protein which controls the heart's rhythm fluctuates through the day.

An ancient beverage for daily health?

Notably in British culture, tea already has its own time of day. It's a social drink that has become an indispensable part of the British way of life. Tea is not only the name of the beverage, but of a late afternoon light meal at four o'clock, irrespective of the beverage consumed. Anna Russell, Duchess of Bedford is credited with the creation of the meal circa 1800. She thought of the idea to ward off hunger between luncheon and dinner, which was served later and later.

Afternoon Tea – What’s the story?

So we have all heard about the classic ‘Afternoon tea’. But where exactly did it come from and why is it now an English tradition? We decided to explore a little more.

Afternoon tea vs high tea.

Tea consumption increased dramatically during the early nineteenth century and it is around this time that Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford is said to have complained of "having that sinking feeling" during the late afternoon. At the time it was usual for people to take only two main meals a day, breakfast, and dinner at around 8 o'clock in the evening. The solution for the Duchess was a pot a tea and a light snack, taken privately in her boudoir during the afternoon.

The tradition continues to this day and still has classy aristocratic connections. However afternoon tea was a shibboleth dividing the social classes. If you were a working class person, afternoon tea meant your evening meal, and came to be known as high tea.

Depending on the time of day doesn't just change the meal you have your tea with or change the sensitivities of our body clock, it may even change the effect of the drink on your body. Doing the research can mean that the health benefits of tea are enhanced when taken at certain times of the day, which is another way tea might be like lovemaking. How? Well, some say that having sex might be more beneficial when our bodies are at the most ready for this most intimate of rituals.

Pondering on this, a BBC article on the myth of the 8-hour sleep this time, writes that people in the 16th century used to divide their sleep up into four hour slots, by waking up in the middle of the night, and that doctors advised couples to have sex before their "second sleep" as the best time to conceive.

Undeniably, due to our lifestyles we are constantly adjusting our body clocks. For example, shift workers are advised to sleep in multiples of 90 minutes as this is suggested to be the natural routine for a body from light sleep to deep sleep and back again.

Sex in between these segmented sleeps for shift-working couples would mean they have more enjoyment and do it better than if they performed just before going to sleep, when they might already be tired.

So, as with everything, to get the best out of doing something, preparation and timing is everything. But be warned: both sex and tea - the culmination of centuries of endeavour by rich and poor alike - can be addictive; once you've tried it you just can't get enough of it!

Yours in love,