Tea – Journey to Sanity
Tea is my panacea for all ills. Whatever the state of my world – good, bad, crazy or just too intense, I know that a cup of tea will transport me to that quiet place where I can once again connect to the song of life.
Tea is such an important facet of my life that there are many rituals that surround my tea drinking. If time is of the essence, I will make do with quickly boiled water and a teabag (heaven forgive me for such heresy).
If it is to be a quiet realigning of the total psyche – then, the water has to be heated to just the boiling point. Note, the water cannot be boiling; it must be at just the point where the bubbles start to break. The tea pot must be then warmed. The type of tea carefully selected – what will it be for this moment – green, black, white, oolong, herbal or… The tea leaves must be carefully measured into the teapot, water gently added and then the teapot must be kept warm while the tea steeps. The teacup preferably china, never a mug, is also gently warmed while the tea is steeping. Once the tea is fully steeped, empty the water from the teacup and pour the tea into the teacup. Inhaling the aroma at this point is like ambrosia. My tea requires no additives such as sugar or milk or even lemon.
This moment’s choice is white tea. White tea gets its designation from the fine, silvery white hairs found in the unopened buds of the camellia sinensis plant. White tea leaves have a striking appearance. Largely produced in China and deeply revered during the Song Dynasty that flourished from the 900s to the 1200s, white tea possesses a light, delicate, slightly sweet flavor that sharpens the senses without overwhelming the tongue. I find that White Tea generally promotes a sense of well-being. With all the stress that this day has contained so far, this is the perfect choice.
As I start to sip, my thoughts start to unwind. I recall phrases from “The Book of Tea” by Okakuro Kazuko that states; “In tea reposes a microcosm of emotion. Over tea, we sing the joys of living, we cry tears of futility, and we share thoughts of the universe. … Tea is the elixir of life; distilled emotion…Tea is the hereditary story of the soul…”
Each sip of tea connects me to that living stream of history – to those who also journeyed the pathway of tea and who found in its fragrance and taste, time to muse and to vision. Wars have been fought over tea; independence celebrated over tea; death mourned over tea; life have been lived and loved over tea. Tea gives me permission to open the senses. Sounds of the world seem infinitely clearer; vision is both inward and outward; emotions are quieted and the ability to feel is intensified; the steam as it rises from the cup reminds me of the evanescence of earthly things.
Tea – such a simple thing, such a simple ritual. With every sip of tea, with every cup of tea, I find myself on the path to reconnecting to the ebb and flow around me; to the comfort of being part of the human continuum. Sanity restored, I can once again tune in to the music of the world around me.
Tea is my panacea for all ills. Whatever the state of my world – good, bad, crazy or just too intense, I know that a cup of tea will transport me to that quiet place where I can once again connect to the song of life.
Tea is such an important facet of my life that there are many rituals that surround my tea drinking. If time is of the essence, I will make do with quickly boiled water and a teabag (heaven forgive me for such heresy).
If it is to be a quiet realigning of the total psyche – then, the water has to be heated to just the boiling point. Note, the water cannot be boiling; it must be at just the point where the bubbles start to break. The tea pot must be then warmed. The type of tea carefully selected – what will it be for this moment – green, black, white, oolong, herbal or… The tea leaves must be carefully measured into the teapot, water gently added and then the teapot must be kept warm while the tea steeps. The teacup preferably china, never a mug, is also gently warmed while the tea is steeping. Once the tea is fully steeped, empty the water from the teacup and pour the tea into the teacup. Inhaling the aroma at this point is like ambrosia. My tea requires no additives such as sugar or milk or even lemon.
This moment’s choice is white tea. White tea gets its designation from the fine, silvery white hairs found in the unopened buds of the camellia sinensis plant. White tea leaves have a striking appearance. Largely produced in China and deeply revered during the Song Dynasty that flourished from the 900s to the 1200s, white tea possesses a light, delicate, slightly sweet flavor that sharpens the senses without overwhelming the tongue. I find that White Tea generally promotes a sense of well-being. With all the stress that this day has contained so far, this is the perfect choice.
As I start to sip, my thoughts start to unwind. I recall phrases from “The Book of Tea” by Okakuro Kazuko that states; “In tea reposes a microcosm of emotion. Over tea, we sing the joys of living, we cry tears of futility, and we share thoughts of the universe. … Tea is the elixir of life; distilled emotion…Tea is the hereditary story of the soul…”
Each sip of tea connects me to that living stream of history – to those who also journeyed the pathway of tea and who found in its fragrance and taste, time to muse and to vision. Wars have been fought over tea; independence celebrated over tea; death mourned over tea; life have been lived and loved over tea. Tea gives me permission to open the senses. Sounds of the world seem infinitely clearer; vision is both inward and outward; emotions are quieted and the ability to feel is intensified; the steam as it rises from the cup reminds me of the evanescence of earthly things.
Tea – such a simple thing, such a simple ritual. With every sip of tea, with every cup of tea, I find myself on the path to reconnecting to the ebb and flow around me; to the comfort of being part of the human continuum. Sanity restored, I can once again tune in to the music of the world around me.
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