The Zen of Cuban Coffee

Zen is all about Being Here Now. You don't have to "think outside the envelope." Instead, be aware of the envelope that you are in. So, you are making coffee. Here's another way to experience it.

The ritual begins the moment you start to gather the items. Feel the force you use to open the freezer door. Holding the coffee, notice how cold the container is. Hear the sound that it makes when you set it down — the less clunking, the better. When gathering the other tools and ingredients, watch yourself reach for them. Feel their weight and texture.

Listen to the water as you pour it into the ceramic cup. Notice the reflections on the liquid. Hear the door of the microwave oven open, and feel the pressure it takes to push the buttons.

Smell the coffee as you carefully pack it into the basket. Feel the resistance it offers. Did you spill any? If so, then clean it up right away, because this is a clean-as-you-go operation.

As you remove the ceramic cup from the microwave, watch the stream rise. Pour the water into the base of the coffee maker. The metal heats up quickly as you fill it, so be careful. Turn on the stove, and watch the element or gas glow. As the coffee starts to percolate, smell the aroma. Follow the organic, percolating rhythms.

Scoop the sweetener and flavorings into the cup and observe their textures. Notice the contrasting colors. When you are done, put the containers away. Feel your arm and back muscles stretch as you are doing it.

Feel the heat as you lift the coffee pot from the stove. As you tip the pot, listen to the sound of one pot pouring. Watch the waves of steam rise . . . it smells delicious . . . it calls you.

Pour in the cream and watch the colors swirl. Stir the coffee; the spoon taps the sides of the cup, "Ting! Ting! Ting!" As you wash the spoon, experience the water rushing and the silver sparkling. Feel its smooth surface as you dry it with a soft clean cloth. Consciously set the spoon in its place.

Enjoy the many aspects of drinking the coffee — its flavor, aroma, texture, and its heat on your mouth and throat.

Wash the cup and coffee pot, and enjoy doing this as much as you enjoyed drinking the coffee.

Lastly, if something interrupts you during the ceremony, attend to it, but keep the same frame of mind.

Afterthoughts

You will discover much more than what you have read above: experience is everything, or more accurately, awareness of the experience is everything. Bring the senses back to life!

This practice trains you to live in the Now — not only while making coffee, but in other everyday situations as well. Ideally, the "now awareness" will infiltrate all of your activities.

Much mental suffering is caused by living in either the future or the past — the same place, psychologically. This mental pain is imagined suffering, but it can hurt as much as the physical variety. Living in the Now disassembles much of that. In addition, being present frees you from restrictive, reactionary behavior. Young children live in this space. We can learn from them, because these days, we are often too busy to live.

Some will insist that drinking coffee is detrimental to your health. They may be right, and alternatives exist. I recommend reading the upcoming book, The Zen of Smoothies, by Smoothie Master Barry Taistphul. The results will be the same, sans the caffeine.

Lastly, this practice is not meant to treat or diagnose any physical or spiritual illness. No governmental or spiritual agency has evaluated or approved any of this. You are on your own in the company of other reality seekers.

Cheers!