ESPRESSO: A MORNING MEDITATION
One of the greatest gifts of retirement is the time to practice meditation. Unlike the common notion that meditation is a static practice of sitting cross legged on the floor humming mantras, meditation can be active, focusing attention on activities to achieve mental clarity, emotional calm and a physical presence. Preparing espresso daily in a small Moka pot is an excellent meditation. Practicing with the upmost attention fills me with a physical warmth that lasts all day.
All you need to practice this morning meditation is a Moka pot ($10 online), water, coffee and your stove. I often wonder how much more mellow my life would have been if I had started this practice in my twenties? Try this meditation on the weekend, then expand to your daily routine. If you're not a coffee drinker, preparing any beverage (i.e. tea) with care and attention will bring the same mental and emotional benefits as coffee.
Step 1: Unscrew the pot
Step 3: Fill the bottom filter basket with coffee grounds, DON"T PACK DOWN
Step 2: Fill bottom of the pot with water, a scant 1/2 cup.
BREW POT
SHARE OR DRINK IT ALL YOURSELF FOR QUITE A JOLT!
CLICK HERE to watch the best YOUTUBE VIDEO I found on how to prepare coffee in a MOKA pot. I currently use ground coffee but I am planning to add hand grinding (as shown in the video) to add time to my morning espresso meditation. This moka pot shown will serve three one-ounce servings as pictured to the right. I use the entire pot yield in an oatmeal-milk cappuccino CLICK HERE to view that recipe.
THE PRACTICE
Each morning I try to focus all my attention on the preparation and drinking of this wonderful elixir. One thing that helps me is to take a deep breath at each preparation stage; to stop and deeply smell the brewed coffee in the pot before pouring. Then, right before I take a drink, to again breathe deeply to fully experience the caffeine jolt, IF, and ONLY IF, I'm paying full attention.
THE CLEAN UP
Never use soap to clean your pot. Use hot water and rinse all the pot piece thoroughly. Let each piece dry and then reassemble for storage. My grandmothers left their coffee pots on the stove burner. As the video suggested screw the top and bottom loosely as not to stress the caskets. Take care of your pot and it will last a life-time. Since I bought my when I retired mine will easily last me until my dying day!