Green Tea. It has been used by the Chinese for centuries to help boost immunity and aid digestion. I’ve been drinking green tea for as long as I can remember and drink it regularly. Now, I’ve decided to use it in my practice.

I was sitting at my altar looking at all the items I had last night when I realised that there was something missing. I try to incorporate my heritage into my practice as much as possible which is why I have the following items on my altar:

• Statue of Guan Yin
• A cross-stitched Bagua
• A hand-painted 5 elements Yin-Yang board
• A small statue of a Chinese Dragon
• Sandalwood incense

I currently light three candles – two gold and one orange to represent the fire element – on my altar every time I use it (as most witches would) and this presents me with a very calming atmosphere. I was sitting at my altar yesterday, wondering what was missing. Then it hit me – Chinese green tea. So, I got up and made myself a cup of tea before sitting back down at my altar.

Coupled with the smell of the sandalwood incense and the warm glow of the candles in front of me, I sipped my tea, reflecting on the last few days and appreciating what the universe given me so far. Inhaling the aroma of the tea itself, I thought about how grateful I was for the life I had. As I sipped the tea, I began setting my intentions for the next day and what I planned to achieve. It also gave me a chance to express my wishes for the immediate future.

By the end of the ritual, one thing was for sure. The soft glow of the candles, the gentle scent of the sandalwood incense and the inner warmth of the tea had calmed me right down and eased any anxiety I might have been expressing before I started the ritual.

How do you relax at your altar?