Yogi: Can mild stimulants like tea and coffee support our practice?
Sayadaw: If we just drink coffee or tea as a routine is one thing. But if you drink it to support the practice, then you have to be careful because the mind can become dependent. If it finds that it cannot have it, it becomes very difficult, the mind struggles and it has aversion, and other reactions will come up.
As far as practicing is concerned, it is best that we don’t feel like some external condition is necessary for the mind to just be mindful.
It’s not that you can’t drink it, but why you drink it. Don’t let it be a belief that you need the coffee or tea to support the practice.
Yogi: Can it be a skillful means to support the practice?
Sayadaw: Be careful how you use it as a skillful means because you can become dependent on it. Watch yourself that it doesn’t become a crutch.
Sometimes we start using something as a skillful means and later it becomes unskillful. Only we can watch out for that.