Though we're beginning to see a shift, much of the world today still places productivity on a pedestal. And while creating, and doing in general, are, quite obviously, not bad things in and of themselves, the issue we've seen when it comes to our mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing has stemmed from the great lack of balance between doing and being.

In order to keep up with the pace of the world around us, many of us turn to caffeine. And though most of us love the ritual of that morning cup of coffee, if we're honest, it's often a little bit more than that: We're dependent on it. And we come face to face with that dependency when we consider giving it up.

Before going further, I don't intend to share this to fear monger nor moralize. We're all different, and we all have our own paths in life, and so, of course, if this doesn't resonate with you, then leave it. If something in here does speak to you, however, I'd simply consider sitting with that for a little while, seeing what it may mean for you and your particular life.

The Spiritual Implications of Over-Caffeination

The reason I felt called to share this was that, in cutting my caffeine intake down drastically (to well under 100 mg/day), I felt not only a difference in my physical and mental bodies (better sleep, less anxiety, etc.), but I felt a sense of coming home to a deeper layer within myself.

Put it this way: As someone who is fond of visualizing, I am very familiar with how it feels to be my True/Higher Self. There are certain traits that have always stuck out to me. I.e. Grounded, graceful, calm, loving, patient, etc.

I could always access these traits within myself—especially when the day was going well, and I'd meditated. However, on days in which things weren't going so well, and perhaps I hadn't meditated either, then... when something went wrong, my stress response would be quite strong, and I'd find myself snappy, anxious, overwhelmed.

And while, yes, meditation plays its role, as well as a number of other tools I tend to write about here/share about on my podcast or Instagram, one of the most jaw-dropping shifts for me came when I made this change: simply removing caffeinated coffee from my life.

All of a sudden, when something went wrong, even if I hadn't meditated, I remained grounded. I remain grounded, as I now have what feels like permanent access to my True Self's way of being/responding to the world. What's going on in my mind is that my thoughts move far more slowly, and so I am able to notice them, observe them, and not latch onto them, as I'd have previously done because it all would've happened in a quick, unconscious flurry.

Again, I know this is what meditation teaches, but it's as if removing caffeinated coffee allowed me to effortlessly live the lessons of meditation—and mindfulness.

So, this suggests to me that excess caffeine keeps us in a state of vigilance/fear, which equates to our "not-self," as is said in Human Design, AKA a state of misalignment/inauthenticity, wherein life is harder than it needs to be, than it's meant to be.

Therefore, when we can remove excess caffeine, we remove an obstacle to the True Self—the self we encounter in meditation/when life is flowing, and we take one step closer to embodying this version of us that we came here to be.

Re-Establishing Connection with our Bodies

Further, I've had many long reflections on coming into conversation with the body. When we’re over-caffeinated, we’re often moving so quickly, stuck in the confines of our minds, completely incapable of hearing what our bodies are trying to say to us. (This is kind of the point. This is how it works to keep us alert, by blocking adenosine receptors.)

Caffeine becomes a tool to avoid surrendering, to avoid trusting—trusting that rest is okay; that we don’t have to be “on” all the time; that we are enough, even when we’re still.

When we remove it, we give our bodies a chance to speak, to communicate their needs. And this is a deeply healing process, wherein we learn to cherish, honour, and care for our vessels, not shut them up.

The Good & the Challenging: My Experience Cutting Back

I won't lie, this shift isn't necessarily the easiest. I spent a few days lying on my couch when I first detoxed off caffeinated coffee, and, from there, as I slowly regained my natural energy back, I found I still had to create more space than I was used to for downtime, more grace for things potentially taking longer—moving less so at the quick speed that caffeine and our egos enjoy, more so at the slow, melodious speed that our bodies and souls enjoy.

The good news: you're not in transition forever. At some point, this nervous-system-friendly way of being becomes "the norm," and you don't miss operating from a state of chronic stress anymore,

preferring instead the feeling of alignment, groundedness, connectedness to self and Source, and patience, which, for me has resulted in greater creativity, too.

A Gentle Invitation

If you’re feeling disconnected, tired, anxious, I invite you to explore your relationship with caffeine. And if you feel called, take a break. Give yourself permission to rest. To be. Because in those still, quiet moments, we find something far more nourishing than any cup of coffee. We find ourselves.

Supportive Tools:

Peppermint oil: for headaches, if you go cold turkey
Caffeine Blues (book)
Short walks outside: for natural energy
Herbal teas and waters: for hydration, aka natural energy

*Personally, I still drink a cup of Genmaicha green tea each day, and so this may be an easier transition for you, too. Plus it has a nutty flavour, which many who enjoy the taste of coffee enjoy as well :)