This question is unique to the mate drinking world especially for those coming into contact with the South American side where a mate circle (with ceremonial characteristics) plays a central role in the act of sharing a moment.
You are never alone with a good mate is one interpretation of the legendary Guarani saying.
Yet the ritual of drinking mate as a community in today’s modern age seems as archaic as the tribal roots from which it originates.
We no longer live in the forests and our DNA is somewhat diverse. It seems fitting that in today’s individualistic modern world scarred with social distancing that the notion of to each his own can also be celebrated in a communal way.
The ex-pat Syrian community has embraced Mate for over a century gradually migrating form collective drinking to smaller solo mates in shared social settings.
And the Berliners prefer their bottled beverages (which is indeed a better alternative to the accepted beer chugging that normally takes place)
Sharing a single gourd in an intimate circle can facilitate group resonance or enable deep exchange
And most mate drinkers (such as the author at this very moment) have at least once in their lives experienced the creative energies unleashed with those late night mate sessions alone…..
The benefits of including mate drinking in ones daily habits have been cited by various parties since innumerable times. One does not have to believe the health claims, but the best way to know if it works is to try it out.
Just the act of sitting for 20 mins a day in somewhat silence sipping on warm water infused with fresh forest energy could be an interesting winter pastime…..