The Pursuit of Coffeeness & how I find Flow every morning.

I like to think of myself as a rare breed. From the spectrum of millennials whose wokeness is being enamored with craft culture and altered states of consciousness but not with political correctness or cancel culture. Basically a Jordan Peterson podcast subscriber - super rare.

For the relevance of this post, this means I spend 15 to 20 minutes each morning brewing light roasted coffee beans. Those with earthy, white floral, hickory notes and dashes of Thai mango from 36hr carbonic maceration of yellow geishas from Colombia.?

Yeap!

Call me a fool, a mindless arrogant who finds empty pleasure in the eloquent descriptors of coffee bags—one who impractically wastes time just to get his caffeine fix.?

For you, perhaps doing a 30min line at Starbucks while still wearing your yellow LiveStrong wristband might seem more fascinating. I rather eat vegan bacon than subject myself to that torture. Burnt rubber 9-dollar Ventis does not sound particularly sophisticated. And although searching for diverse flavors impacted by terroir or process does capture my curiosity and imagination, there is more than pure hedonism in my coffee pursuit.

Coffee brewing is my moment to practice attention, prime my day for happiness, silence the annoying buzz from the fridge, and go balls-deep into the self. A meditative state applicable to many activities and rituals that prepares you to live "the now."?

There are 3 particular moments where I find Zen in the process.

1) The Setup: This is the pre-work. First, weigh and grind the beans. Going manual or electrical grind can be a choice based on the origin, the density of the beans, or the particular mood I woke up with. Boil the water, getting to my desired 93 degrees Celsius. Choose the appropriate method, get the filter ready, and rinse it. I typically would go for a pour-over, and my weapon of choice is the Origami dripper. Do you need espresso for the crema? Ok, boomer!

2) The Brewing (my go-to recipe): 20gr Coffee:300gr Water, properly mineralized. Go for a 40-second pre-infusion with a 1:2 coffee: water ratio to degas. Second straight in the middle and slow pour for 1:20min, controlling the flow (my take on the so-called osmotic flow) and my shaky hands with the gooseneck kettle (It's all in the hips.) for up to 200gr weight. Let that all flow down. Final circular pour up to the final 300gr, creating some turbulence twice as fast as the previous pour. And to finish, a circular rotation of the cone to let the coffee sit on a flatbed for better and more consistent extraction.

3) The Tasting: Decant it. Now, time to get your body and soul inside the cup, involving all your senses, letting the time and space continuum dissolve into the coffee matrix. Let it cool a bit, and taste again. Is it fruity? Floral? Are there any Jazmin or fermented notes? Is that balsamic vinegar? What would you change tomorrow? Every single detail can have a tremendous impact on the result.

Now, bring your attention back to your body. Bring your senses back to the sound and the space. Recover slowly, open your eyes. The meditation has ended. You are now ready to start your day.?

This process takes around 20min where my entire mental bandwidth is devoted to it.?

Rather than indulging in caffeinated anxiety attack cravings, it becomes about growth. I am finding new learning, having a profound experience, challenging myself daily, and getting the essential instant feedback for flow, so that I can be more in control of myself, of my attention.?

A 20-minute mindfulness practice where my mind becomes one with the brewing. Attention is the best way to enhance the experience, and I host myself in this process.

Maybe I fail, maybe not, but it makes me feel good.

For some, coffee might be a deep conversation starter, a wake-up enhancer, or their 9-dollar fee for co-working space (all valid pursuits). For me, it becomes a development of the mind, turning itself into a metaphor for self-discovery, presence, and an awe-like state of mind. A consciousness-expanding practice that prepares me to manage attention and build a happier life.

Who's the fool now?

Cheers.

#attentionmanagement #experiencematters #flow #coffee #play