IMindfulness, put simply, is the process of noticing. Noticing some small details around us. Noticing environments, processes, and situations. For the mindful coffee experience, it’s important not only to taste the drink but everything around us.

What is very important to mindfulness is taking notice when your mind is interrupted and proceeding to get it back on track.

The easiest way to start with mindful living is to follow our passions. Personally, I use the coffee experience, which includes the entire preparatory process.

Sure, it’s easy to make coffee via an automatic coffee machine by pouring water on instant coffee. When we’re on the move, this may be our only option.

But in my opinion, you will lose the opportunity to be in contact with the coffee. This might devalue your whole mindful experience.

Coffee preparation involves myriad sounds and smells, and you can touch various materials, including the actual coffee beans.

You can feel the temperature of the materials and appreciate their structure.

You can hear water heating in a kettle and the sound of coffee beans once you add them to the grinder.

You can smell the coffee beans, from the opened bag and smell them once you grind. Then, you can smell the coffee once it touches hot water. Each of these sensory experiences is wholly unique. 

My preference for coffee preparation is to brew via dripper. But I also can enjoy a lot of other preparation styles, and I’m known to use espresso machines and moka pot. At the end of the day, though, brewing is what I’ve found to be the best. You have many opportunities to change flavors easily, and the process is always slightly different. You have more time with the coffee and enjoy various stages of the preparation. The movement is slower and more relaxed. When making espresso, everything moves faster—including imbibement!

It’s fun to grind the coffee manually, so get some exercise, touch raw ingredients, and savor the sounds of cracking beans . . . 

• You can smell the just-opened bag of coffee or ground coffee.
• You can appreciate the hot water and paper smell once you will pre-rinse the filter.
• You can try to smell the coffee in various stages of coffee preparation.
• You can focus upon the sound of water crashing onto a coffee bed after being dropped into cup. I particularly like the sound coffee being poured into a cup.
• You can feel the texture and warmth of the cup in your hand.

Try to focus not only on the taste alone but also on the aroma and body of the coffee. Don’t forget the coffee can changes flavors when it cools down. The aroma will get weaker, but the taste can be clearer and maybe more interesting.

What can increase your enjoyment of coffee is a special cup with an interesting structure, color scheme, and design.  In my opinion, ceramic, porcelain cups are ideal. The best are hand-made—not from the factory. What’s more, they have meaningful stories behind them.

Another important thing is the lighting in the room. I’m partial to the morning sun or some less bright, yellow light. The temperature and general comfort of your setting are important also for a mindful experience.

The right timing is necessary for your body. This is different for everybody, and you should consider when you will most enjoy the cup of coffee. I prefer to first eat—and even drink some hot tea.

If you spring for something easy, you’ll fail to value the moment of drinking. You won’t be as excited, happy, or as proud of the results. You will lose a part of your emotions.