As a non-coffee drinker living in a country that has a robust coffee culture, I often find it amusing how the odd eyebrow is raised when I ask for a cup of tea. I’ve always preferred to sip on a variety of refreshing, full-bodied, non-caffeinated herbal teas. Drinking tea is like a daily ritual for me, be it morning, mid-arvo and night.
What’s more, I can choose what type of cuppa I’m going to have according to how I’m feeling and the season. Whether it’s lemon slices in hot water or an organic loose leaf tea steeping in a tea pot or plunger, having a cup of tea gives me peace of mind; sometimes becoming a lifeline.
Given my penchant for tea and meditation, when I found out about a tea meditation event (a fusion of tea ceremony and moving meditation) taking place at last year’s Buddha’s Day & Multicultural Festival, I was somewhat intrigued. After all, tea ceremony is normally associated with Asian traditions and culture, while meditation comes in many forms, both stationary and moving. (For the uninitiated, meditation isn’t just about sitting cross-legged and closing your eyes.)
When it came to attending the tea meditation, no sooner had I arrived at Federation Square, my notion of peace was shattered by an ear-splitting security alarm. Ten minutes later, and just as the tea meditation was about to commence, the alarm, thankfully, was disarmed. Or perhaps it was divine intervention.
At each of the neatly set up tables, participants sat in front of their respective tea meditation practitioners. To start the proceedings, April Jin, a Taiwanese tea master (one of only a few tea masters remaining in the world and someone who has dedicated her life to tea), encouraged us to sit in the middle of our chairs: not too far back, nor too far forward.
After a subtle correction that ensured we had straight backs and relaxed shoulders (to prevent energy getting blocked or trapped), we then used a mudra (hand gesture) that had us place our right hand in the left with our palms turned upwards and thumbs connecting.
Although Buddhism teaches the importance of being present, April Jin said (via her translator) that as Buddhists strongly believe in their past, current and future lives, it’s also important to be good friends throughout these lives. And it’s through tea meditation this can be achieved.
“Tea meditation primarily focuses on taming the mind by practising the principle of living in the moment,” said April Jin. “By performing only one thing at a time and with the mind contemplating the same topic, the mind gradually settles and delusions disperse. In this way, tea practitioners manage to serve the tea with a balanced and joyful mind. In turn, both tea practitioners and participating guests can share the same joy and peacefulness.”
With that in mind, tea meditation commences with the laying out of the tea set. Each action or movement used to place the tea pot and tea cups, pour and sip the tea, as well as clear the tea set, reminds us that each step is required before the next one can be taken.
Even the tea pot and each tea cup were placed with care and consideration on the table, a meticulous process that was remarkably calming for the tea practitioners and their guests. The tea cups were placed in an evenly spaced line; neither too close, nor too far apart, signifying that there is no difference or separation.
From there, the tea practitioner took some loose leaf High Mountain Oolong tea leaves and passed them around for each participant to inhale the rich, grassy aroma. Grown on the 1600-metre high Ali Mountain in Taiwan, it’s a semi-oxidised tea that is somewhere between green and black teas.
April Jin advised that the water for this particular tea is to be boiled at 100 degrees Celsius and that it’s also good to drink the tea at this temperature. That said, it’s best to drink it at a temperature that is suitable.
After the tea practitioners mindfully poured the steaming tea into each of our cups, the participants drank from them in three sips, further enhancing this exquisite, mesmerising art form.
From beginning to end of this graceful one-hour tea meditation, not a word was uttered between the tea practitioner and participants. Only respectful smiles or nods of gratitude were expressed.
Despite tea meditation being more common in Asia, with a scarcity of teachers it’s becoming more challenging to share and experience this tradition widely. I’m also told that through the simple act of smelling a cup of tea, highly attuned tea masters like April Jin can tell what type of tea it is, when it was harvested, and even at what sea level it was grown.
Although I won’t be pulling out and setting up my Chinese or Japanese tea sets every day, my appreciation for a warm cuppa has given me an enlightened perspective of tea making and drinking, as well as cleaning up. Most of all, it reminds us to be present no matter where we are, what we are doing or who we are with.
More information: April Jin visits Australia once a year to conduct and teach tea meditation. She will be leading free tea meditations at the 2018 Buddha’s Day & Multicultural Festival, which will be held on May 19 and 20 at Federation Square.
What’s your experience of being mindful with a cup of tea?
By Kristin Lee
Please note that although I was the media contact for the 2017 Buddha’s Day & Multicultural Festival, as well as the 2018 event, this blog post is based on my personal experience.
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