Spanish: Health, used to express good wishes or friendly feelings before drinking.

So here it is. My first blog post. It’s about tea, in case you’re wondering. Specifically, Indian spicy tea. Think ginger, cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon and cloves, mixed with black tea leaves and left to bubble on the stove with water. A splash of milk and a teaspoon of sugar and Bob’s your uncle.

Recently, my parents left for a trip to India, and before they left they came to see me, my husband and our toddler son. Whilst my son was napping, my husband (rather uncharacteristically) made some traditional tea on the stove for all of us. The tea was very hotly anticipated – we were all watching it bubble for a good twenty minutes waiting readily with our mugs.

The tea was finally ready and shared between our mugs. I suddenly felt completely present in the moment. I looked around and was aware of the rain slowly pattering on the french door, steam wafting off the mugs and my loved ones around me on a cold Autumn day. Our mugs clinked, we all said ‘Cheers!’ and I followed up with ‘Salud!’ (we had just returned from Spain). I really meant it. After a year of poor health, I really needed us all to be happy and healthy.

This was the best moment of my whole week. I wanted to reflect on why. I realised that I go through much of my life without really, really being present. Tasks get completed, the days go on, goals are set and reached but the moments aren’t appreciated as much as they could be. Since starting on my health journey and meditating, moments like this are becoming more available to me.

It was also a chance to experience pure connection with good intentions with people I truly love. I connect with a lot of people on a regular basis but so many of these interactions are hurried Whatsapp replies, throwaway comments in a hallway or a mundane exchange with a shop assistant. Time to stop, anticipate together, be together and enjoy a beverage is a time honoured tradition for a reason.

It was this moment that inspired me to capture my intentional journey to more health and more joy (more aliveness!) in blog format. I could write about the evidence behind meditation and connection in relation to longevity now but I’ll refrain from doing so until I have had some more time to capture my own experience (but please know that that’s probably coming soon!).

Drink tea with friends and family y’all. Herbal is cool too. Please tell me about your fave herbal infusions below. Because I’m a tea nerd now.