The Ritual Tumbler

Because sometimes, the vessel is the ritual

Every morning before I begin the day, I sit with a beverage.

Right now, that beverage is cacao. By nature, cacao invites me to be more intentional in its preparation. From melting the brick in hot water with a dollop of local honey, and frothing it slowly until hearty foam forms on its surface. I enjoy the slowness this morning ritual invites. Every day I make it a point to have my cacao in a vessel that I cherish. The act of cupping the piece and admiring its details allows me to slow down and brings me back to center.

Many of us start our days with a version of this, be it cacao, coffee, or tea, but often we rush through our routines absentmindedly with little time to reflect or ease into the day. But on those days when we consciously make time for ourselves before anything else we allow the opportunity to create something sacred. It’s in these moments that the magic exists.

I often think about Japanese tea ceremony — how part of the ritual is to simply admire the cup the tea is served in. To hold it in both hands. Feel its weight. Notice its imperfections.

And kiddush cups, used for blessing wine in many Jewish rituals. When my Saba Momo was alive, I remember his knobbly fingers around a kiddush cup swiftly reading through the Shabbat blessings, and passing it around the table (sipped in order of oldest to youngest) along with ripped pieces of challah bread dipped in salt. It was always in these moments before we ate that I’d feel a sense of deep pride for my culture and my big loving family.

There is such quiet beauty in these moments, and there is quiet beauty in us noticing ourselves in these moments too.

In 2022, I met my tattoo artist Sima in Tel Aviv and entrusted her to bless me with my first piece. It was a very special experience, and we bonded over our love of whimsy and magic. A year later, I saw a plate she’d created with her best friend Noam, a ceramicist, and I fell in love at first glance. The two best friends were embarking on a collaboration series of one-of-a-kind ceramics for a local coffee shop in Tel Aviv—bringing together Sima’s playful illustrations and Noam’s precise, elevated pottery. I knew from that moment that I had to have their artwork on Safta.

The road was long with a lot of logistics to overcome, but over the past year, I have worked with Sima and Noam to dream up this collection—15 one-of-a-kind tumblers meant for daily ritual (and anything else you find worth celebrating).

Each tumbler has been shaped by hand and lovingly painted with a story of its own. Across oceans, in the spirit of friendship, art, and warmth. I hope that you will feel the love and joy each one of these vessels has to offer, and you may welcome one of them into your home as a sacred vessel for magic.

May your days be shaped by more softness, and your sacred rituals held with deep care.

Tidchatshi,
Maya