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.

Singing The Earth

Today started out cold, windy and wet. It is supposed to be warm and sunny with overtones of spring to help us transition from the winter blahs. Earth Day should allow us to head outside and dig in the garden or watch the birds prepare their nests. The heater has been on and off and then on again. No wonder even the birds and the trees are confused. But as the day progressed, spring arrived. The sun came shining through the clouds and the whole city came alive with walkers and joggers. Kids ran around at recess time and I actually got to go for a walk along the riverfront.

The gentle lapping of the water on the Detroit River, the sighing of the wind, the many different calls of birds, and the droning bees all reminded me that today, we celebrate the Earth.

Music comes in all shapes and sizes and in all sorts of sounds. As I listened to the city sounds mixed with the sounds of nature, they made a unique symphony that transported me to another place and time. It was as if I could feel the earth starting its journey of rejuvenation, calling out for us to listen and to participate. My spontaneous reaction was to sing!

Now, you have to understand that when I open my mouth to sing, anyone in hearing distance usually asks me to shut up. The reason – I sing like a frog! I am told that I could sing Basso Profundo with a male choir – so it is not a necessarily beautiful sound. But I had no choice today. The sounds of the earth demanded that I sing. The best part was that as I started humming and singing, a couple of walkers joined me. No, they were not laughing! They too felt the call. Our sounds wove together much like the threads of a tapestry to form a connection with each other and with the earth.

Our faces lifted to the sun, our voices rising and falling like the lapping water murmuring beside us, created a bridge, not only between ourselves but with all those who have passed this way over the years of the Earth and those who have yet to sing their song. How many others have stood where we stood and felt compelled to sing the earth? How many others will come to this place at other times and feel the same way?

As we finished our song, we shyly turned to each other with a smile and a wave and continued on our separate courses. For that shining moment, the music of our hearts, the music of the city, the music of nature and the music of the earth were one. Could there have been a more unique and memorable way to celebrate Earth Day. Mayhaps, the future will bring more opportunities to sing the beauty of the earth

Music on Hold


As a musician, one of life’s major challenges stems from the “music on hold” syndrome. Every time I make a call and have to be placed on hold, I am subjected to all types of music and non-music fillers. Most times, the music that is chosen is arid, vapid and less than muzak quality. It is usually so irritating that I have to force myself to remain on the line. The only reason I choose not to disconnect is that I will probably have a longer time to listen to the poor choices the next time round because there is always a wait.

Let’s not forget that elevators, parking lots, stores, restaurants, banks, and many other public establishments now use music as filler. I must say that it is a bit much when you go to a public washroom and there is music in surround sound. If all these public places are not investing in piped-in music, they are also adding large screen TV’s. Every jogger, walker, young person and not so young people have MP3 players, Ipods, cell phones and even newer technology attached to them wherever they go.

What has happened to our world? The thought that “Silence is golden” has disappeared along with the dinosaur and dodo bird. If there is not something visual, aural or otherwise happening, we are “bored” as many of my students tell me. Listening to natural sounds or, heaven forbid, listening to the quality of quiet is verboten. It could even cause you to hear yourself think. Just imagine where that would get you!

As we approach Spring gradually and slowly here in Southwestern Ontario, I was able to spend some time in my garden yesterday. How wonderful it was to hear the earth awakening, to hear the robin’s song and to listen to the myriad bird calls. The squirrels were having a fine time zipping along the branches and over the roofs, chittering and chattering among themselves. It was so quite I think I heard the earthworm crawling through the earth. No cell phones, no MP3’s or IPods, just nature.

This was restoration for the soul, for the psyche. Renewed and refreshed in mind, body and spirit by the glory of quiet, with time and clear space to sort out jangled thoughts without audible interruption, I wondered why we needed the constant surround of sound. I love music – all kinds (well maybe not country and I do keep trying), and I love to hear music. I have moments when I want the lyricism of classical or the heavy beat and energy of rock or just the gotta move of Latin beats. Whatever the choice, the goal is to listen, to hear, to respond and to appreciate. Music as a constant backdrop tends to deaden the response and appreciation of the listening process. Most times I end up having to turn off the music I love because I am suffering from a surfeit of sound.

As a world people, we have become quicker tempered, less receptive to the pain and challenges others face, more willing to argue and fight, less able to empathize and feel the suffering and pain of others. We have become very “I-centric”, focused on ourselves within our small bubble. Even though we live in a global world, we know less about the world and even less about the people of the world because we never hear them. We block them out with our “music on hold” mentality.

What a world we would live in if we gave ourselves permission to turn off the technology and sounds; looked outward instead of focusing on blocking out the world; talked, perhaps even sang with our friends and neighbours and reached out to listen with our whole being to the world around us. Perhaps, the solutions that we are fighting for would be more easily heard.