In Five Element theory, winter begins earlier than in Western calendars—often around early November, rather than the solstice in late December. This timing reflects the natural rhythms of the earth, when daylight shortens, energy retreats, and the natural world quietly begins its inward turn. Trees shed leaves not on a fixed date but in response to changing light and temperature. The water within the earth and our own bodies begins to gather, concentrate, and move slowly.
This early winter is a moment to slow down, turn inward, and notice the subtle currents of our own attention. It asks us to meet ourselves with patience, to observe attachments and intentions, and to engage with practices and reflections that cultivate stillness alongside discernment. In doing so, we create a space to discover what is essential—depth, clarity, and what truly matters as the year winds down. It is a season for both quiet observation and intentional action, for noticing the interplay between what is visible and what lies beneath.
This Week in Practice: One Tea, One Vessel, One Method
The last leaves of autumn drift to the ground, leaving branches bare and the light crisp and clear. There is still a sharpness in the air and in the mind—the lingering echo of Autumn’s discernment. As winter begins, we are invited to follow that clarity inward, toward the quiet depth beneath.
This week, choose one tea, one vessel, and one brewing method—whether leaves in a bowl, sidehandle, boiled tea, or gongfu—and commit to them for the week. This is not about restriction but about building depth and attention: by returning to the same tea, vessel, and method each day, you develop a richer understanding of the subtleties in flavor, aroma, and movement. The familiarity of your tea, your teaware, and your method creates a steady space for reflection as the season shifts.
At first, the practice may feel simple, almost ordinary. Yet as the days pass, subtler qualities emerge: the warmth of the water, the evolving scent of the leaves, the way the body responds to each sip. Even the crispness of the air seems to meet the softness of the tea. The slow unfolding of attention, the gentle sharpening of presence, becomes a practice of stillness in motion.
To deepen this practice, you might add small mindful gestures: noting the temperature of the water, observing the way light hits your vessel, or pausing to breathe between steeps. Consider journaling observations or sketching what you notice in your tea session—it can reveal insights that verbal reflection alone might miss. This rhythm of early winter—Autumn’s precision softening into Water’s depth—is a reminder that there is nothing new to seek, no better tea, no finer tools. Only presence, steeped again and again, until what remains is enough. No more is needed.
Five Element Insights: Edges and Depths—The Shape of What Matters
Alongside your tea practice, this week invites reflection on the balance of two qualities within ourselves: Metal’s clarity and discernment, and Water’s depth and stillness. These forces are intertwined: the sharpness of Metal points toward what is essential, while Water invites trust, surrender, and depth. To support this inner inquiry, we’ve selected reflective prompts from both elements. They offer a space to notice what to release, what to hold, and where your focus and energy are most needed.
Metal Prompts
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What is the experience of contemplating the self as a process without beginning or end?
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What is the one thing, attitude, belief, or behavior that you could let go of that would be of greatest benefit to you and everyone you are in relationship with?
Water Prompts
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What is the single most important thing to me in my life?
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Whatever I have placed in the way of living up to my highest ideal represents a root dysfunctional attachment that I must face, rectify, and renounce. It is not necessarily the thing itself, but rather my relationship to it that is the issue.
You might try writing freely in response to these prompts, letting your thoughts flow without editing. Or, you could meditate on a single question during your tea session, noticing what surfaces in your body and mind. There is no need to answer everything at once or force clarity where it doesn’t yet exist—the process itself—the attention, reflection, and gentle discernment—is where depth emerges.
For added inspiration, consider pairing a prompt with your chosen vessel and method for the week. Notice how the warmth, texture, or aroma of your tea may shift your perspective or illuminate a new facet of an attachment or intention.
What We’re Drinking
Inner Light — Private Reserve Shou Puerh 2023
Produced from a blend of old-growth and young trees from Yiwu Mountain, this shou puerh offers a beautifully balanced experience. Early steeps reveal floral and earthy notes, while the fully opened leaves bring flavors of pie crust, brioche, dates, and wet earth. Slight astringency adds structure and mouthfeel, and subtle layers continue to reveal themselves with each sip.
The energy is strong and uplifting yet refined, elegant yet wild. It invites repeated enjoyment and quiet reflection—perfect for a week of consistent practice. Try savoring it at different times of day and noticing how your perception of the tea shifts in response to the season, your body, and your attention.
Current Inspirations
Wintering by Katherine May
Katherine May’s Wintering is a meditation on slowing down, turning inward, and embracing the natural rhythms of the season. Blending nature writing, personal reflection, and philosophical insight, it guides readers through the challenges and opportunities of rest, renewal, and quiet attention. Especially at the start of Winter in Five Element theory, it offers gentle inspiration for cultivating stillness, resilience, and a deeper connection to life’s cycles.
You might try pairing passages from Wintering with a daily tea session or reflection prompt, allowing the text to guide your thoughts and expand your awareness. Notice what insights arise when you read slowly, pause, and integrate, rather than rush through the pages.
Friends of Living Tea
Meet Erica Hurley
Our friend Erica Hurley works with women who are childless not by choice, guiding them through grief, self-discovery, and reinvention. She creates space for women to be seen, held, and fully alive. A tea lover, beauty seeker, and grief dancer, Erica draws from her own journey of profound loss to help others honor their emotions, navigate invisible pain, and reclaim wholeness.
She emphasizes presence, witness, and reflection, supporting women in reconnecting with themselves and stepping into their full lives. Erica’s work reminds us that grief, like tea, requires patience, attention, and ritual to fully transform into insight and strength. For those interested, consider journaling after a session with Erica’s guidance, noticing how your thoughts and emotions shift.
As winter begins its early turn, this week invites both attention and surrender. Through tea, reflection, and presence, we can cultivate awareness, patience, and depth. There is no need to rush, no need to solve everything. The combination of consistent practice, reflective prompts, and inspiration from friends and texts provides a rich space to notice patterns, honor your inner rhythms, and step more fully into yourself.
Take the time to sit with what arises. Allow each sip, thought, or prompt to unfold naturally. In this gentle, attentive approach, you may find that the quiet spaces of early winter become a landscape for profound insight, subtle joy, and lasting clarity.