I am not sure when it happened, but one day, I realized I was hooked on tea. I was never much of a coffee drinker so there wasn't a habitual painful weaning process. No need for rehab here.

I come from a family of coffee drinkers (addicts), where sitting down to enjoy a homemade espresso from one of those exorbitantly high price artful machines was ritual. A time to relax, share stories and indulge in a random sugary baked goodie, my sister was usually the instigator for these impromptu rendezvous, time after time conning my father into playing coffee bitch.

My friends often kid that I hold "office hours" at the Path of Tea, a local all organic tea shop located on Alabama just east of Whole Foods. I have a habit of zenning out there, talking to strangers and downing a cup (or two) of my favorites — the strawberry Sencha Japanese green and citrus Oolong are my regulars — sometimes opting for a deceivingly rich vegan cupcake, though the lemon bars and cake balls are quite popular.

The company is always fascinating; most are ready to share their quirky life stories openly.

My interest in what Path of Tea owner Thia McKann calls "the international friendship beverage" began upon hearing rumors about its health benefits. Flavors like creme caramel, chocolate mouse, white peach and cinnamon apple kept my palate happily amused.

Before too long, the shop became a repose from my discombobulated routine. If I could stop by for only five minutes, a cup would help me refocus, refresh and recharge.

Alejandro Chaoul-Reich, director of research at the Ligmincha Institute and director of the Ligmincha Texas Institute for the Tibetan Meditative and Healing Arts, frequents the Japanese-style tea shop. Though I first met him there, it was through the Rothko Chapel meditation series that I learned about his research and work in Tibetan meditation. He led the first of a 40-day series that challenged Rothko goers to practice meditation in honor of the chapel's anniversary.

When the Jung Center began offering workshops linking meditation and tea with McKann and Chaoul-Reich, I couldn't resist.

What did I learn?

The practice of drinking tea is not just about consuming a beverage. It has a contemplative quality as well as a social function.

Tea that comes from the Camellia sinensis plant has caffeine just like coffee but it affects the body differently. No jitters. It's the L-theanine found in tea that aids in the production of dopamine and serotonin (happy hormones) — and acts as a catalyst for the origination of brain Alpha waves, the kind emitted during awakened relaxation.

White, green, oolong, black and pu-erh teas all come from this plant but are processed differently, giving each varying medicinal qualities. White has the highest amount of antioxidants. Black supports cardiovascular function.

Oolongs feel silky on the tongue because it has the highest amount of tea oil concentration as the leaves are shaken with bamboo during oxidation. Oolong helps with liver function, digestion and cuts down on fats and triglycerides in the blood stream, also serving as a mood elevator. You drink it, you feel high.

Rooibos teas come from the red bush plant grown in South Africa. They have higher amounts of antioxidants than any other tea, making them ideal for any inflammation issues, including arthritis.

How do I feel after drinking it? Alert, relaxed and surprisingly issue free. Not unlike the effects of meditation.

Meditation, I learned, is not about escapism. It is not about finding a state of being where you are whisked away to a tropical location, free of responsibilities and devoid of yourself. Chaoul-Reich teaches meditation as a daily practice to cultivate a present state of mind. In the Tibetan tradition, it's not about the journey. It's about the now, reconnecting with yourself, not just mind and body, but mind tsel (the Tibetan concept of energy) and body.

Some internal or external distractions may enter into our consciousness during practice. The guru's advice? Don't judge yourself for it. Acknowledge the intrusions and strive to host those thoughts rather than becoming them. Grasping an emotion, as Chaoul-Reich explains, is becoming it.

It's the difference between being angry (internalizing) and having anger (containing it).

Though Chaoul-Reich studies the more structured form of Tibetan meditation, one that believes that there are 84,000 methods to approach the 84,000 ways to disconnect with oneself, in these sessions, he approaches meditation more playfully.

That included chanting on "ah," a sound that promotes compassion, chanting on "ohm," a syllable that's associated with peace, and a more active type that ended in laughter.

Yes, laughter is a type of meditation. And it leaves you seriously high and effervescent.

Tea is meditation. And meditating feels like drinking tea. Give both a try?

Learn more from Alejandro Chaoul-Reich: