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.

Episode Summary

When the outside world becomes cold and still, it is easy for our inner world to do the same.

In this episode, Erica explores how winter’s dominant energy, the Water Element, can leave us feeling emotionally flat, disconnected and unmotivated. Drawing from the wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Five Element system, you will learn how to gently rebalance your energy by inviting in more Fire.

You do not need a new room or a big life change. Just a mat, a warm cup of tea and a few small signals to remind your body that you are safe, present and alive.

In this episode:

* Why winter fatigue and emotional numbness are signs of Water Element imbalance

* How Fire supports joy, circulation and connection

* Simple ways to create a sacred tea space with energy, not perfection

* How black teas like Earl of Winter can act as gentle ignition for your spirit

* Six practical ways to add Fire to your daily life without burnout

* A step-by-step tea routine to help you reset and reconnect

What is one small source of Fire you could bring into your tea space this week?A red scarf. A bold mug. A candle. A tea that lifts your senses.

Do not wait for the perfect moment. Start with what you have.

Resources and Links

* Subscribe to The Tea Mind Substack for free weekly insights and tea-based rituals

* 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

Feeling foggy, tired and pulled in too many directions?

You’re not alone.In this solo episode, Erica explores how the Water Element shapes our winter experience and why we often feel emotionally off-balance this time of year.

She shares how a simple tea break and a walk in the rain became the reset she didn’t know she needed. Alongside that story, you’ll learn how to use Mulled Pine tea and a three-minute ritual to reconnect with your energy and find clarity again.

In this episode:

* Why winter fog feels so intense

* How the Water Element affects your mind, body and spirit

* What imbalance looks like and how to recognise it

* A personal story about overwhelm, stillness and a shift in perspective

* Why clarity often comes when you stop forcing it

* How to create your own winter tea ritual with Mulled Pine

You don’t need to push through.You need space to pause.Clarity comes when you return to yourself.

Resources and Links

* Subscribe to The Tea Mind Substack for free weekly insights and tea-based rituals

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

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 winter episode, we explore how tea can be a doorway to deeper self-awareness. What begins as a simple cup becomes an invitation to slow down, reconnect, and notice who you are in the moment.

Through a personal story, a sensory tea experience, and a practice rooted in the Water and Fire elements, this episode helps you shift from rushing through rituals to reclaiming presence through them.

Because it’s never just about the tea. It’s about how you show up with it.

In this episode:

* Why tea is not the goal, but the gateway

* How the Water element shows up in winter and in us

* What happens when we live without enough Fire

* A personal story of slowing down and rekindling connection

* A simple but powerful Tea Routine you can practise this week

* One question to ask as your tea steeps

We want the comfort of tea without the confrontation of presence. But the way you brew is the way you live.

Resources and Links

* Subscribe to The Tea Mind Substack for free weekly insights and tea-based rituals

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

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.