01: Are We Taking Anything In?
I’ve been noticing just how much information we’re consuming these days.
I’ve always been a bit of a knowledge junkie. I love learning new things and usually have several books on the go, podcasts to listen to and courses I’m interested in.
And now, with AI, there’s even more information available to us. Which is fantastic - but only is some of that info is actually sinking in and being put to some use.
We finish one podcast and immediately start another. We read something interesting, then move straight on to the next article. There’s barely a moment to consider what we thought about any of it.
I suspect that’s the bit we’re missing.
The chance to absorb something, question it, connect it to our own experience or simply find out what we think.
This week’s Pause for Tea is a small experiment in doing exactly that. Staying with one cup of tea a little longer, paying attention and noticing what changes when we stop rushing towards the next thing.
p.s. Your pause for tea this week is brought to you by Jasmine Pearls - discover more teas here and listen to this week’s podcast to learn more and brew together.
© eteaket
02: Given Up on Reading? Elif Shafak on Why We Still Need Novels
We have extraordinary access to information, but does that mean we're becoming more knowledgeable? Novelist Elif Shafak makes a thoughtful case for reading fiction in an age of constant digital distraction. She considers what longer stories allow us to understand about other people and ourselves, and why that kind of understanding needs time.
03: How Our Brains Learn
I love learning, but having information available isn't quite the same as engaging with it. In this Hidden Brain conversation, neuroscientist Mary Helen Immordino-Yang explores what makes us feel absorbed in something we're learning. It's an interesting listen if you've ever wondered why some ideas stay with you while others disappear almost as soon as you've heard them.
Listen to How Our Brains Learn
Thanks for pausing for tea with me today.
If this helped, I’d love a quick comment, a heart, or a share. It genuinely helps this post reach more people who need a calmer next step.
Erica x
The Tea Mind is reader-supported. To get new posts (and support my work), consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.