We have plants growing around the house that are great for brewing tea (we drink it hot in the winter and make iced-tea in the summer). I have found that picking leaves is an instant & wonderful meditation practice.
A part of me is still very mindful, so sometimes when I approach a plant, I am flooded by reasoning. Pick the leaves that are already starting to dry, pick another one that is not enough, don’t pick too much (umm… so we have enough to dry and last the winter)… loads and loads of mind chatter. It all happens so fast that just watching it flow by is awesome.
Then comes the fun part. First waiting for the noise to settle. Then looking at the plant, just watching and waiting. Then magic – I know what leaves to pick. Sometimes it takes an instant, sometimes it takes a bit longer, but there is always a clear answer. No reason – just an answer. Certain leaves are there for me to pick. Sometimes they are out in the open – and my attention is called to them. Other times I need to run my hands through the plant and look deeper inside until I find the leaves that are looking for me.