Turning Routine into Ritual

Coffee is intertwined with American society as much as anything is. From brewing your morning drip to grabbing that drive-thru latte on the way to work, coffee is very much the lifeblood of this country; it’s built into our lives and our routines.

I love routines as much as anyone on this planet. With 20 years in the Army and 12 years as a teacher, I live according to schedules and plans to help destress the unknowns. But get this: Routine doesn’t have to be boring, and it sure as hell shouldn’t reinforce the stress embedded in our daily lives. Coffee isn’t just fuel to propel us through the day; it isn’t just caffeine. It’s a moment. What you make of that moment is entirely in your control.

The latest mantra of Feral Coffee Roasters has been to turn your routine into ritual. Let’s think about that subtle change in mindset. Routine is automated; it’s mindless. We are turning our brains off more and more each day already. Why start our days without intention? There is an endless amount of AI to help you work less (Don't get me started on all that). I’ve learned throughout my life, though, that work is where the magic happens. It’s what pushes us to be better each day. Why automate what makes us human?

Ritual on the other hand is about being present and grounded in the moment, in what you’re doing, in where you are. In some ways, it’s practicing mindfulness, but it’s really just being in the moment and focusing on the task at hand. Coffee is no different than any other aspect of our daily lives. How you brew matters.

I am an early bird; I’ll admit it. I also recognize I need time in the morning without people talking to me. Because I know how I operate best and listen to my needs, I adjusted my routine to create space for ritual. I refuse to walk into school bombarded by emails and work chat to start my day. I needed to create a moment for myself, so I started getting to school 45 minutes early to enjoy slow pourovers while listening to music. I brought my Hario V60 dripper, electric kettle, plenty of filters, my favorite mugs, and my VSSL hand-grinder to the classroom. I was involved in every step of the brewing process. It took less than 8 minutes to brew my first cup, and I was more focused on the aroma, the tastes, and the process in general. Funny thing is, the process woke me up long before the caffeine kicked in. We’re talking about rewiring neural pathways and allowing your brain to work at its own pace to start the day, doing something that stimulates it. As the music is playing and after I’m through my first cup, I allow myself to start diving into the day by setting goals and checklists. 

Could I accomplish the same thing by rushing through the morning and driving through a corporate coffee chain? Maybe, but why would I want to start my day with hurriedness and stress. There’s plenty of stress waiting for us throughout the day, some of it carrying over from the previous day. When I grind and brew that first cup though? Everything disappears; consider it the meditation of a coffee roaster.

I guess we each have to figure out what coffee is to us. Then and only then can we make the conscious and collective choice to abandon our routines in favor of ritual in all things. After all, all we have is the moment, and every moment matters.

New to Feral or need a refresher on how I like to brew? Check our our earlier blog discussing brewing methods and gear! And show us how you start your day by tagging Feral on Facebook and Instagram!

Until next time - Stay Wild, Stay Feral.

Mike

Feral Coffee Roasters