The Ritual of Coffee

People Drinking Coffee

 

I love my morning coffee.  That rich deep warm feeling and smell reminds me of those exploratory days in my twenties when I used to meet up with a group of friends every weekend morning. We would brunch all day, dance a little, laugh a lot, and then wander off to work or play with the plan to meet up again that evening. Every morning, I look forward to the smell of our freshly made coffee, the pouring of dark liquid gold, the swirl of white frothy milk into the dark pool, and that warm smell when I hold the cup up for the first sip, and then the warm rich taste of my coffee. Each sensation of even that simple ritual is one I cherish.

For the love of Coffee

There’s more to love about my morning coffee ritual than you would think. More and more research supports that coffee is neutral or beneficial, not detrimental as believed in the past, for your health, or at least chemopreventive (another way of saying decreases the chance of cancer happening) for several different types of cancer, including breast, prostate, colorectal, liver, and cutaneous melanoma. (12) I guess the bad news is that the amount of coffee you have to drink would need to be 3-4 cups a day (3)….but in today’s “grande” world…is that hard?

Routine away the Stress

And there are benefits to having a routine, too. Rituals have been shown to decrease anxiety or stress and increase well being. (1) In this modern, unpredictable world, the benefit of routine is that it is an anchor of predictability.  That predictability frees up brain space for one to be creative and productive. Was that weekend coffee with friends indeed more beneficial than I realized? And I wonder if the coffee ritual of self-care I practice at night helps me in more ways than topically. The Invigorating Coffee Scrub in my evening shower helps to bring my morning full circle. I visualize that carefree time of youth as I wash away the dry skin patches, feel the smooth skin below, and protect with the earthy hydrating Kartini Oil or luxurious Candlenut Body Creme.

Now I am realizing I have two Rituals of Coffee, and I plan to make the most of both. One moment of mental breath plus one moment of phytochemical protection. Equals a day of delight and health. One more cup, please!

 

SHOP THE STORY

Candlenut Body Creme 213g
Invigorating Coffee Scrub 225g
Kartini Body Oil 118ml