Category: Blog

Blog

Meditation Teacher Training: My Experience

Post author By Traci Levy
Post date June 26, 2024
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NOTE: I added some updates to this post since I graduated from the training.

I’m about 80 percent through the Inward Illumination Meditation Teacher Training with Shawn J. Moore through Sankofa of Yoga. [Update: I graduated from the program in July 2024.] This training has been a fabulous journey! I’m learning so much from the practices, classes, readings, assignments, and small group work.

Central "altar" at a meditation training and yoga nidra retreat in 2023. Mindfulness cards, a candle, burning sage, mala beads, lavender, a bouquet of flowers, a bouquet of mugwort are in the foreground. Shawn J. Moore is in the background.

I met Shawn at a retreat with Tracee Stanley in Summer 2023. (The photo is from that experience.) His sound baths and meditation sessions were absolutely transporting!

So, I subscribed to his newsletter and attended a few of his online experiences. (You can subscribe to his newsletter at the bottom of his page, located here.)

Tags meditation, mindfulness practice

Blog

Review of Wistaria Paris Tea House

Post author By Traci Levy
Post date June 17, 2024
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Review of Wistaria Paris Tea House–a French outpost of the historic flagship location in Taiwan.

It’s a wonderful place for tea lovers to enjoy quality tea with gongfu teaware in a serene location. Wistaria offers a small sweet/savory menu, too.

Tea counter inside Wistaria Paris Tea House

Tags Paris, tea rooms, teahouses

Blog

Review of Tea Magic in Williston Park

Post author By Traci Levy
Post date June 11, 2024
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Tea Magic in Williston Park serves bubble teas (AKA boba or pearl tea), slushies, smoothies, and desserts in an adorable setting.

In this post, I will share my reflections on the vibe and what Tea Magic offers bubble tea lovers.

Tags tea on Long Island

Blog Events

Tea Infusiast Offerings

Here are some core Tea Infusiast offerings–resources and events—designed to connect us with and through tea.

Subscribing to my monthly newsletter will reliably let you know about my upcoming offerings (in addition to other tea-related content). You can also contact me directly about customizing and leading an event for you or your group. (See the link at the bottom of this post.)

I absolutely love designing online kits and different types of events to help tea lovers connect with and through tea. I am looking forward to running these core Tea Infusiast offerings. Currently, my resources and events include…

Blog

Review of Humble Cafe in Williston Park

Post author By Traci Levy
Post date May 24, 2024
2 Comments on Review of Humble Cafe in Williston Park

Although Humble Cafe in Williston Park focuses on high quality coffee that it roasts on the premises, it also has some very good tea choices–particularly for tea lattes. In this post, I’m happy to share my reflections on the cafe’s vibe and what it offers tea lovers. (This post was updated in June 2024.)

Earl Grey with Rose tea latte from Humble Cafe

Top down view of a matcha latte with a heart foam art from Humble Cafe in Williston Park

Photos of tea lattes from Humble Cafe, above, from left to right: Earl Grey latte with rose, matcha latte, and hojicha latte with cinnamon.

Tags tea on Long Island

Blog Tasting Notes

Rosebud Tea: Yellow vs. Pink

Post author By Traci Levy
Post date May 19, 2024
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Rosebud tea can be delightful. Let’s compare the flavor, mouthfeel, and more of yellow vs. pink rosebuds steeped as herbal tea.

I have been drinking pink rose and pink rosebud tea for some time. Yellow rosebuds, by contrast, are relatively new to me. Realizing I had two different colored rosebud herbal teas, both grown in Iran, made me curious to compare them. The results surprised me!

A dish of yellow rosebuds and a dish of pink rosebuds

Tags #herbal, #tisane

Blog

Tea Bags vs. Loose Leaf: Advantages of Each

Post author By Traci Levy
Post date May 12, 2024
2 Comments on Tea Bags vs. Loose Leaf: Advantages of Each

Even though it’s often portrayed as a competition–tea bags vs. loose leaf—there are advantages of each approach to brewing tea. Let’s explore this issue!

Most Americans (and Brits!) prepare tea using tea bags (or tea sachets), not loose leaf tea. It was definitely in this category growing up.

Tags accessibility, tea bag, tea sachets

Blog Tasting Notes

Persimmon Leaf and Magnolia Blossom Herbal Teas

Post author By Traci Levy
Post date April 24, 2024
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Their flavor profiles, beauty, and more persuaded me to add persimmon leaf and magnolia blossom herbal teas into my tisane rotation at home.

I am a long time devotee of “real tea” (from the Camellia Sinensis plant) and relatively late to discovering herbal teas that I enjoy drinking regularly. No one was more surprised than I was when I wrote my first Herbal Tea Recommendations post a few months ago! Since then, I’ve found two new tisanes to add to my recommendations.

Note: always research any potential health risks associated with herbal teas before you try them.

Cream-colored magnolia blossom floating in glass pitcher with a green handle

Tags #herbal, #tisane

Blog

Tea Practice Equanimity

This post shares how a long-term, mindful tea practice might help with equanimity in tough times.

For some weeks, I’ve felt like the volume has been turned up whenever I feel sadness or frustration. I still feel other emotions–even good ones–but they don’t feel amplified like the sad ones recently. Given my emotional state, my reaction in the face of a recent disappointing outdoor tea session was hard to explain. But, let me try. I think it speaks to the grounding magic and support of having a regular tea practice.

To enjoy my tea practice, I packed two gaiwans, two different teas, two teacups, a thermos of hot water, my tiny turtle teapet, and a blue, green, and lavender cloth napkin.

In this June 2024 Edition