What are the Best Teas to Pair with Yoga and Meditation?

Takeaways:

• Tea offers a number of physical benefits when you drink it, but it can also be an essential part of a mental health and wellness routine.
• Adding tea to meditation and/or yoga sessions can enhance your practices with new sensations, flavors, and invigorating effects to keep you alert and naturally energized.
• The best teas for meditation are those with soothing qualities, such as lavender or chamomile.
• Tea and yoga are also excellent pairings. Choose energizing teas to stimulate your yoga practice, such as green tea, matcha, or oolong.

Tea & Meditation Go Hand in Hand

Tea has many physical effects on both the body and mind. Various types of tea have been shown to improve focus and awareness, enhance physical health and improve overall mental health.

If you’re considering tea as part of a wellness routine for yoga or meditation, Rishi Tea & Botanicals has recommendations for every type of practice. We love tea and meditation, yoga and tea or a combination of all three. Consider our list of teas ranging from mild to robust flavors to customize your experience.

Meditative Teas

Meditative teas are ideal for enjoying before you enter your meditation practice. They’re also a good choice if you’re planning to attend a restorative yoga class. Take a look at these soothing teas to consider which is ideal for your next session.

Lavender Tea

Lavender is a fragrant and soothing herb. Studies show that lavender may reduce depression and anxiety and help you sleep. If you want to take a moment to calm yourself before meditating, consider brewing some lavender tea to help.

Look for lavender teas that are blended with other botanicals to ensure you create a drink that’s caffeine-free. 

Chamomile Tea

Like lavender, chamomile is well known for its calming effects. Additionally, researchers are taking note of what people have already known for hundreds, if not thousands of years: meditation and calming herbal teas like chamomile is a wonderfully restorative combination for body and mind.

However, if you typically practice meditation or yoga early in the day, we recommend choosing a tea that’s slightly more energizing, as chamomile can create a deep relaxation that can slow you down for the rest of the day. 

Choose chamomile loose leaf varieties to add a ritual layer to your meditation, preparing your mind and body for your practice as you measure, brew, and steep the tea.

Matcha

Finally, our favorite choice for tea and meditation is matcha. This is a deliberate choice for anyone who wants to enhance their daily rituals, as brewing Matcha requires specific tools and focus. Matcha tea also has high levels of antioxidants with anti-inflammatory effects, as well as a bit of caffeine that can boost your energy before your yoga class.

How to Brew Matcha

Brewing matcha requires a little more effort than simply steeping a tea bag in hot water. To enjoy yoga and tea, make sure you have the correct matcha accessories, including a matcha scoop, bowl, sifter, whisk and whisk stand. Follow these instructions to brew your tea.

1. Measure out one teaspoon of powder into your bowl. 
2. Heat the water to 165ºF, then pour 2.5 ounces over the powder. 
3. Whisk the powder and water in a zig-zag pattern until it becomes foamy and creamy. 
4. Add more water or your preferred variety of milk to customize your tea.

Temperature Teas

These types of teas typically have stronger flavors that can contribute to waking you up and energizing your body and mind as they warm or cool you. While some offer ideal effects for meditation, others are a great choice for a high-energy Vinyasa yoga and tea practice.

Chai Tea

A traditional Indian blend of spices, chai tea features black tea layered with ginger, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon. It’s the best combination of warming spices and bold flavors. It’s both grounding and invigorating for a balance that awakens your body and soothes your mind.

Chai is another tea that you may have to brew more slowly, heating milk to steep the spices for deeper flavors. Use this time to meditate and focus your mind before heading out to your yoga class. However, Rishi Tea & Botanicals offers a variety of brewing methods for those who need quicker options, including chai sachets and concentrates.

Peppermint Tea

On the other end of the spectrum, we have peppermint tea that offers naturally refreshing and invigorating properties. Peppermint tea and meditation can be a great choice in warm weather or after a hot yoga class. Peppermint is known for its slightly spicy flavor, which can enhance clarity, support your digestive system, and give you a non-caffeinated boost of energy.

Energizing Teas

Our final category of tea and meditation options is energizing teas. These typically have robust flavors, a touch of caffeine and tons of antioxidants to enhance your overall health.

Green Tea

The reason green varieties are such a great choice for yoga and tea rituals is due to the blend of caffeine and L-theanine. Combining this amino acid with caffeine promotes mental alertness without the jitteriness that coffee can cause.

Studies also suggest that green tea can improve oral health, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and increase bone density. There are so many benefits to adding just one cup a day to your tea and meditation practice!

Oolong

Oolong is a type of green tea that’s partially oxidized, resulting in unique aromas and flavors that may range from creamy and nutty to floral. Oolong tea offers more complexity in its flavors and a full-bodied mouthfeel that is distinct from traditional green tea.

Oolong balances mental clarity with tranquility, making it the perfect tea and meditation pairing. The caffeine in oolong acts as a natural stimulant while the L-theanine provides the calming benefits. The main difference that may affect your practice are the distinctive flavors and mouthfeel caused by the added oxidation during processing.

What to Look For in Tea for Meditation

Whether you’re interested in yoga and tea or tea and meditation, there are a few things to consider before choosing the varietal for your practice, including:

• Herb Type: Many herbs have medicinal effects you should consider before adding them to your regimen. Chamomile and peppermint, for instance, can affect your digestive system, so you don’t want to have them right before yoga, as they may interrupt your practice.
• Caffeine Content: Similar to herbal effects, caffeine also has a significant effect on your energy, mood, and cognitive function. If you meditate at the end of the day, choosing blends with low to no caffeine content might be preferable to more robust caffeinated options. 
• Soothing Effects: While some teas might be best for waking you up, whether due to their caffeine levels, herbal properties, or both, on the other end of the spectrum are teas with somnolent effects, like chamomile and lavender. These kinds of teas can put you in a deep state of relaxation, making them excellent either as ways to wind down for the night, or to pair after a more rigorous meditation session, where tea and light journaling are more in order.

Look for a tea that provides the effects you want for the time of day and goal of your practice using our list as a guide.

Make it Meaningful

Whether you’re new to yoga or meditation, or looking for more ways to enhance your experiences, consider a routine that matches and encourages the mindfulness you seek. Rishi offers an exquisite tea club service to receive new, premium teas to try as you deepen your practice and find out what you love best.

After all, just like no two journeys are alike when it comes to self-discovery, inner healing, and general wellness, your yoga and meditation styles, just like your teas, are still greatly a matter of personal preference. Ultimately, the best pairing for your practice is the one you best enjoy, whether it’s as a mental warm-up to energize your session, or as a small practice of gratitude to close it out.