Amy and Jerry are regular folks with a full life of family, work and engagement.  However, one caveat, we enjoy digging a little deeper while trying to find that extra thing that connects mind with experience.  We were casual coffee drinkers until a fateful 225 Magazine article motivated our coffee roasting.  12 years later we have vicariously traveled the world via roasting and drinking coffee.  From Central America to Africa, we have been transported by the variety of nuanced aromas and flavors.  During these “travels” a decision to consume tempered by mindful experience has been explored. 

• Consume simply to enjoy with little thought of origin, place or the human condition. Simple enjoyment and fulfillment of desire. 

• Experience the multitude of flavors, aromas, exotic local and varied peoples.  The gestalt level of interaction that somehow encompasses one into the spiritual center. 

  Understanding that these two elements are both part of the whole, we have found ourselves transformed by the ethereal connection of coffee to the visceral temporal. Hard working small farmers with a generational familial connection to the land while working under challenging conditions to produce the loveliest of crop.  The coffee bean which is never transformed but transforms all in which it contacts.  Water does not transform the bean but the bean the water.  Coffee transforms the human body, intermingling with our body chemistry in over 6000 ways, and alters the soul with such delight.  If the will is present, the human mind can engage the multitude of different flavors and aromas. Much like a great jazz quartet or symphony orchestra, coffee can stimulate the brain at a plethora of levels with the expansion being both exhilarating and healing. 

 Taking a breath and throttling back a bit, we are not trying to be high minded. Lord knows we have slammed down our share of coffee not taking the time to fully engage that “Rocky Mountain High” coffee experience.  You know… those mornings when one is fending off that “Monday Morning Fog” and caffeinating not to “fall into the machinery” at the job.  However, we insured it was a full body specialty single origin caffeinated experience which, of course, was delicious.  Most (probably all) coffee drinkers can relate to this habitual ritual, but the beauty is that there is also a choice.  The choice to take a moment to evoke the sensual complexity, humanity and place of coffee. To engage the multiple complex deep flavors, to appreciate the farmer who carefully cultivates and to imagine the rugged beautiful country of origin.  The issue is ritual and choice can become entangled. Ritualized habit can overshadow the beauty of choice and obscure the ability to cultivate a deeper experience.  To slow down and modulate intention can return us to the beauty of exploration. Truly experiencing an exceptional coffee with intention will beguile the mind to follow while evoking a deep dive into humanity and connectivity.

Coffee…  transforms but is not transformed, expands our senses, supports us through tough times and provides opportunity to transcend habit via choice while vicariously connecting us to humanity and place. Coffee… simply the ticket to relax and be reminded of times with family, the holidays or those special memories waiting to be rekindled.  The beauty is that we can have our cake as well as eat it.  Enjoy the complexity of this humble miracle while being reminded of the simple pleasure of being alive with abounding energy.   Travel the world with childlike amazement and breath in the pleasure of this beautiful blue planet.

Turn the Page… we love coffee with it being a special element in our life.  Next Chapter’s goal is to bring warm memories and feelings of contentment.  Allow us to bring freshness to both your ritual and your deeper exploration of choice.