Episode Summary

White tea is subtle, which makes it perfect for practising presence. In this episode, we explore Shoshin (beginner’s mind) as an antidote to living on autopilot - plus a 3-minute tea routine to help you taste your life again, even when your brain is doing admin.

In this episode, we cover:

* Why life can start to feel “same, same, same” as routines harden

* Shoshin (beginner’s mind): openness without preconceptions, even when you’re experienced

* The Einstellung effect: when your brain sticks with the familiar option even when there’s a better one

* A rainy rugby match, a cold beige tea, and the moment you realise you weren’t really there

* The contrast: sharing a pot of tea at home as a “container” for presence and conversation

* The science-y thread: mind-wandering, the default mode network, and why novelty wakes attention up

* Why white tea helps: minimal processing + delicate flavour = attention training

You don’t need a new life to feel awake - you need new attention inside the life you already have.

Resources and Links

* Shoshin - beginner’s mind (Medium): https://medium.com

* Einstellung effect - The Decision Lab https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/einstellung-effect

* Meditation & default mode network activity (Brewer et al., PNAS, 2011): https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1112029108

* Novelty & dopamine & memory systems (PMC review): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6352318/

* Make sure you’re getting eteaket’s Tea Mail to be the first to discover our awesome teas, like Rose Petal Purify.

Thanks for pausing for tea with me today.If this helped, I’d love a quick comment, a heart, or a share. It genuinely helps this post reach more people who need a calmer next step.

Erica x

The Tea Mind is reader-supported. To get new posts (and support my work), consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Episode Summary

This week on The Tea Mind, I’m joined by Svetlana Kukharchuk, founder of The Cheese Lady and author of The Cheese Connoisseur’s Handbook. Her journey takes us from Siberia to Scotland, via cheese counters in New York and caves in France - but really, this is a story about trusting your senses, building from joy, and choosing progress over perfection.

Whether you're a fellow foodie or just trying to bring more presence and pleasure into your week, this conversation will ground you, inspire you, and maybe even change your next trip to the cheese aisle.

In this episode, we cover:

* The surprising way Svetlana fell into the world of cheese

* What affinage really is (and why it’s so much more than ageing)

* Why she believes joy should not be saved for Christmas

* Starting a business with a newborn - and why she did it anyway

* How her childhood in Siberia shaped her resilience

* The one blue cheese and baked cheese you need to try this winter

* Why movement, breath, and cheese boards might be your new go-to rituals

Resources and Links

* The Cheese Lady Website

* The Cheese Connoisseur’s Handbook

* Follow Svetlana on LinkedIn and The Cheese Lady on Instagram

* Murray’s Cheese – NYC

* Hervé Mons – French Affineur

* The Chocolate Tree (UK chocolatier)

* Make sure you’re getting eteaket’s Tea Mail to be the first to discover our awesome teas, Valentine’s shop now live.

Thanks for pausing for tea with me today.If this helped, I’d love a quick comment, a heart, or a share. It genuinely helps this post reach more people who need a calmer next step.

Erica x

The Tea Mind is reader-supported. To get new posts (and support my work), consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Episode Summary

Late January can feel heavy. The “fresh start” buzz is gone, and spring feels miles away. In this episode, Erica explores wintering as a real practice (not an Instagram aesthetic), guided by the Water element in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) - quiet, deep, steady energy - paired with white tea. You’ll learn how to conserve your reserves now, so you’re resourced for the coming months.

In this episode, we cover:

* Why late January often feels harder than we expect (and why that doesn’t mean you’re failing).

* How the Water element (TCM) frames winter: conservation, restoration, and working with fear rather than fighting it.

* A river metaphor for resilience: water doesn’t battle the rock - it adapts and keeps moving.

* Why “flow” isn’t doing more, it’s reducing internal noise.

* A 3-minute tea-and-journaling ritual to build steadiness and protect your energy.

Resources and Links

* Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times - Katherine May. https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/438893/wintering-by-katherine-may/9781846045998

* Winter, the Water element (Kidneys, reserves, fear) and Traditional Chinese Medicine article - Ear Spheres. https://www.earspheres.co.uk/post/winter-the-water-element-in-chinese-medicine-rest-renewal-and-returning-to-your-depths

* Expressive writing research overview. https://cssh.northeastern.edu/pandemic-teaching-initiative/wp-content/uploads/sites/43/2020/10/Pennebaker-Expressive-Writing-in-Psychological-Science.pdf

* Make sure you’re getting eteaket’s Tea Mail to be the first to discover our awesome teas, like these white teas.

Gentle note

If a low mood feels heavy, persistent, or scary, please reach out to a professional or someone you trust. Seasonal dips are common and support helps.

* Resources for Mental Wellbeing: https://health-in-mind.org.uk/how-we-can-help/resources/

* Resources for crisis support: https://health-in-mind.org.uk/how-we-can-help/get-help-now/ (Scotland) and https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/helplines/ (England & Wales)

Thanks for pausing for tea with me today.If this helped, I’d love a quick comment, a heart, or a share. It genuinely helps this post reach more people who need a calmer next step.

Erica x

The Tea Mind is reader-supported. To get new posts (and support my work), consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Episode Summary

After leaving law to build eteaket, I needed steady focus - not the spike-crash cycle I got from coffee. This episode explores why tea can feel calmer and clearer, and how pairing tea with tiny rituals (breath, stillness, journaling) creates “better energy” you can actually work with.

In this episode, we cover:

* Why “more coffee, more progress” can backfire - especially if you’re caffeine-sensitive

* How caffeine can disrupt sleep and amplify anxiety, cravings, and the spike-crash loop

* The shift from coffee-fuelled pushing to tea-supported presence (and why it helped after leaving law to build eteaket)

* What makes tea feel different: L-theanine working alongside caffeine for calmer focus

* Three teas for controlled energy - matcha for focus bursts, hojicha for gentle afternoons, rooibos for a full reset

* A simple 3-minute Tea Mind routine: boil mindfully, breathe while it steeps, sip with intention

* A practical note on balance - coffee isn’t the villain, but watch sugary matcha/hojicha lattes

Resources and Links

* L-theanine + caffeine cognitive benefits: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21040626/

* Alpha brain waves and calm focus: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18296328/

* Caffeine and sleep disruption: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24235903/

* Caffeine and anxiety: Harvard Health https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/caffeine-and-anxiety

* Yerba mate health: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8622869

* Rooibos benefits: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6533872

* Last week’s episode on hojicha and calm productivity: episode

* Make sure you’re getting eteaket’s Tea Mail to be the first to discover our awesome teas, like these caffeine free infusions.

Thanks for pausing for tea with me today.If this helped, I’d love a quick comment, a heart, or a share. It genuinely helps this post reach more people who need a calmer next step.

Erica x

The Tea Mind is reader-supported. To get new posts (and support my work), consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Episode Summary

Tea is more than a beverage.It’s a practice.A pause you can borrow back from your day.

In this episode, we explore Hojicha: a roasted Japanese green tea that doesn’t shout for attention, but can quietly change how you feel in your body and mind.

If coffee makes you feel wired, scattered, or sleep gets messy… this one’s for you.

In this episode, we cover

* Why modern life leaves us overstimulated, and why “more caffeine” isn’t always the answer

* The difference between high energy and high performance

* My personal caffeine story: tea all day, but coffee jitters (and why matcha worked better for me)

* The moment we discovered hojicha powder as a team and thought: this is the bridge between matcha and coffee

* What Hojicha actually is, how it’s made, and why roasting changes everything

* A simple caffeine comparison (per 240 ml)

* The relaxing science: roasted tea aroma compounds (including pyrazines) and why L-theanine matters

* A guided Tea Routine you can use today: The Evening Clarity Cup

Resources and Links

* Hojicha Lab caffeine chart (as referenced in the episode):https://hojichalab.co.uk/blogs/what-is-hojicha-the-complete-guide/hojicha-caffeine-the-complete-chart-vs-coffee-matcha-black-tea

* Roasted tea aroma compounds and relaxation (pyrazines):

Verywell Health (2024): https://www.verywellhealth.com/hojicha-benefits-11792506

* L-theanine and alpha brain wavesNational Library of Medicine (paper on L-theanine and alpha waves):https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8080930/ and Medical News Today explainer: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324120

* Make sure you’re getting eteaket’s Tea Mail to be the first to discover our awesome teas, like Hojicha.

Thanks for pausing for tea with me today.If this helped, I’d love a quick comment, a heart, or a share. It genuinely helps this post reach more people who need a calmer next step.

Erica x

The Tea Mind is reader-supported. To get new posts (and support my work), consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Episode Summary

In this final episode of Between Years, Erica gently closes the circle we opened twelve days ago. What began as a pause has become a rhythm. What felt like an ending reveals itself as a quiet beginning.

This episode is an invitation to settle, integrate, and carry forward what has emerged during the days between years. With tea in hand, we reflect on what has softened, what has returned, and what now feels ready to walk with us into the year ahead.

Completion here is not about closure. It is about continuity.

In this episode:

* Closing the Between Years journey with presence and intention

* Working with Epiphany as a moment of illumination and return

* A gentle herbal tea ritual for restoration and balance

* How all five elements come into harmony at completion

* Personal reflections on ease, flow, and listening rather than forcing

* Noticing your final omen and what it reveals

* How to integrate this pause into everyday life

As your tea brews, reflect quietly: What have these twelve days revealed and what keeps returning?

Live Sessions

I’d love you to join me at our Closing Circle (6 Jan) - a live online space to brew together, reflect, and set gentle intentions for 2026. Register now for your complimentary space (spaces are limited):

Closing Circle 6 Jan 7-8pm UK time:

Resources and Links

* Join {Between Years} - the free 12 Day Tea Ritual at The Tea Mind Substack

* Make sure you’re getting eteaket’s Tea Mail to be the first to discover our new teas, like Sea Within.

Thanks for joining me on our pause for tea to rebalance and thrive. If you enjoyed this post, it would make my day if you’d comment, hit the heart button or share it. Your actions will help me reach more people. Thanks for your support! ✨ Erica x

The Tea Mind is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Episode Summary

In this reflective episode, I invite you to pause at the doorway between the year that’s closing and the one just beginning. December 30 marks a quiet threshold – a chance to stop, breathe and notice what wants to stay and what’s ready to be released.

Rather than rushing into plans or resolutions, this episode offers a simple ritual of black tea, presence and one meaningful question: What am I stepping toward, heart first?

In this episode:

* Why the in-between space of December 30 holds quiet power

* How the Fire and Earth elements meet at the threshold

* A black tea practice for grounding, softening and clarity

* Personal reflections from Erica on what tea rituals revealed this year

* A gentle invitation to set your word for the year ahead – not a goal, but a guiding quality

* The power of small shifts and steady presence

Let the steeping leaves mirror your pace – slow and intentional. What am I ready to leave behind with gratitude?

Live Sessions

I’d love you to join me at our Closing Circle (6 Jan) - a live online space to brew together, reflect, and set gentle intentions for 2026. Register now for your complimentary space (spaces are limited):

Closing Circle 6 Jan 7-8pm UK time:

Resources and Links

* Join {Between Years} - the free 12 Day Tea Ritual at The Tea Mind Substack

* Make sure you’re getting eteaket’s Tea Mail to be the first to discover our new teas, like Earl of Winter.

Thanks for joining me on our pause for tea to rebalance and thrive. If you enjoyed this post, it would make my day if you’d comment, hit the heart button or share it. Your actions will help me reach more people. Thanks for your support! ✨ Erica x

The Tea Mind is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Episode Summary

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas (if you celebrate) or, simply a joyful, cosy day all the same. How are we all feeling in the Boxing Day haze?

This week on The Tea Mind Podcast, we step into the soft, quiet space between Christmas and the New Year. The days where time blurs, the to-do list fades, and something deeper begins to stir.

I introduce Between Years – a 12-day tea ritual rooted in Celtic traditions and global seasonal wisdom. You’ll hear the story behind the ancient Omen Days, why this pause matters, and how a simple tea practice can become a gentle way to begin again.

Not a program. Not a challenge. Just a rhythm to return to.

In this episode:

* What makes this time of year feel strange, and why that’s useful

* The deeper purpose of the 12 Omen Days

* How other cultures honour this pause: Hogmanay, Rauhnächte, Kwanzaa, La Befana

* A tea practice to help you let go and begin again

* An invitation to join Between Years

Ask yourself: What am I ready to release so something new can take root? Let the answer come as slowly as steam rises from your cup.

Live Sessions

I’d love you to join me at our Opening Circle (26 Dec) and Closing Circle (6 Jan) - live online spaces to brew together, reflect, and set gentle intentions for 2026. Register now for your complimentary space (spaces are limited):

Opening Circle 26 Dec 7-8pm UK time:

Closing Circle 6 Jan 7-8pm UK time:

Resources and Links

* Join {Between Years} - the free 12 Day Tea Ritual at The Tea Mind Substack

* Make sure you’re getting eteaket’s Tea Mail to be the first to discover our new teas, like Earl of Winter.

Thanks for joining me on our pause for tea to rebalance and thrive. If you enjoyed this post, it would make my day if you’d comment, hit the heart button or share it. Your actions will help me reach more people. Thanks for your support! ✨ Erica x

The Tea Mind is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.