Global Tea Hut

國際茶亭
Tea & Tao Magazine
February 2016
茶
禪
一 Five Element Tea
味
Zen & Tea
One Flavor
Contents Issue 49 / February 2016
GL BAL TEA HUT
Tea & Tao Magazine

Zen & Tea

This issue marks the realization of two
long-standing goals: to send out and discuss a Love is
Five Element tea and to devote an entire issue
to the relationship between Zen and Tea. This
month’s “Zen Blend” is one of the most unique
changing the world
teas we've ever sent! Wu De has spent years
practicing in order to create this special blend,
bowl by bowl
making this a very happy Lunar New Year.

Features
13 AN INTRODUCTION TO
ZEN & TEA
15 THE ZEN IN TEA
23 ZEN TO TEA
33 A REVIEW OF 29 19
ZEN & TEA ONE FLAVOR

Regulars
03 TEA OF THE MONTH
“Zen Blend” Five Element Puerh
Yunnan, China

19 GONGFU EXPERIMENTS
29 CHAXI ARRANGEMENTS
Zen and Flowers

39 VOICES FROM THE HUT

45 TEAWAYFARER 15
Kent Steedman, Australia

© 2016 by Global Tea Hut

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be

reproduced, stored in a retrieval sys-
tem or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or other-
wise, without prior written permis-
sion from the copyright owner.
 From the Editor
I
n February, we celebrate the Lunar New Year, next month, you may notice that the next few enve-
often with a special-occasion tea like this month’s. lopes will be a bit lighter. Don’t shake them up and
We’ve been going to the hot springs every week, down looking for the gift to fall out; there isn’t one.
warming our bodies from the inside. We like to We have a much better gift in store: a new website. We
mix shou puerh with red tea in the mornings and to have been brainstorming for months and months about
drink aged or roasted oolongs in the afternoon. A great how to connect this huge global community, especially
aged sheng is also nice around this time of year, espe- since so many of you are always emailing us and asking,
cially in the evening or at night—warming you through “Who are the Global Tea Hut members in New York?”
and through and encouraging a cozy, warm and peaceful Or wherever else you’re traveling. We now have a good
night’s sleep. idea of how we can facilitate this and even have a team
We honestly feel that Global Tea Hut is well on its of web designers to get it done. The next phase of this
way to becoming the best tea magazine in the world! process was to discuss the funding for the rather com-
And of the qualities that set it apart, the holistic breadth plicated website we are building, featuring a live stream
of topics we cover is arguably this magazine’s defining of conversation and events, member profiles, messaging
feature. You can find tea magazines that discuss tea and much more. Eventually we realized that the best
events, industry, and even some coverage of produc- way to pay for our new site was with the gift money.
tion, but we also bring you translations of tea experts, Consequently, we are going to use a few month’s worth
modern and ancient, history, folklore and, perhaps most of gift money to give you one big gift. Those of us who
importantly, the spiritual dimension of Cha Dao. Some- have a birthday in December, like me, will understand
times you can even find all these topics in a single issue the concept of getting a bigger gift for two celebrations
of Global Tea Hut. Other months, like this magazine, rolled into one. We are very excited about the new site
focus on one area of tea. And if you are more interested and all the wonderful friendships and tea sessions that
in linear topics, the next issue may highlight just that. will result from it. We can’t wait to see how it unfolds,
There is an ancient saying that “Zen and Tea are improving the lives of Global Tea Hut members around
one flavor,” which is why a tea lover should have some the world!
understanding of Zen, at least as an important context We’d like to introduce another great improvement
for the evolution of tea culture over time. Throughout to every issue of Global Tea Hut! From now on, you
the following pages, you will realize that Zen is much will find a list of articles at the bottom of these Letters
more than a sect of Buddhism. In its essence, “Zen” from the Editor. We’ve put together a list of past articles
refers to the meditative mind itself. And as such, Zen that will make reading this issue much more rewarding.
is non-sectarian. All of us have access to a meditative Refresh your understanding of useful terms and ideas,
mind. It is therefore unnecessary to read this issue in or read some background information for the first time.
terms of Buddhism, though the teachings of the Bud- Either way, this list will help enrich your learning this
dha may be discussed. We aren’t promoting a religious month. You can find all the past issues you’ll need on
view, in other words, but rather exploring the historical our website for free:
relationship between Zen and Tea, the essence of what
makes tea so beneficial in a life of meditation, and then
sharing some experience from Chajin who are using a
tea practice to live more mindfully.
The best way for all of us to experience the Zen in
Tea (and Tea in Zen) will be to brew up a strong bowl Further Reading
of this month’s “Zen Blend” and repose into that still
place where words cannot intrude. If Global Tea Hut 1) The Production & Processing of Puerh Tea, Issue 32, Sep-
educates the mind, fills the heart with warmth and con- tember 2014, pp. 15-24
2) Puerh Tea Leaf Sizes, Issue 35, December 2014, pp. 7-8
nects people around the world, it will indeed find its
3) Factory Codes, Issue 32, September 2014, pg. 35
place amongst the greatest tea publications ever printed! 4) Tea of the Month, Issue 12, January 2013, pp. 2-3
And speaking of connecting to each other, we have 5) Living Tea, Issue 39, April 2015, pp. 17-22
some big news for the coming few months. Starting 6) Fire, The Teacher of Tea, Issue 43, August 2015, pp. 9-14
7) Greg Wendt’s Teawayfarer, Issue 2, March 2012, pp. 13
 Tea of the Month

Five Element
Puerh Blend

M
any of you have come to movement towards your heart-cen- energy of the body and evoke a har-
one of the events we host ter from your extremities. You mony with Nature, which is also
around the world and should feel the Qi flowing towards moving in and through the Five Ele-
tried some of the amazing Five Ele- the center of your being. This is a ments.
ment tea that Wu De often blends. very comforting, warm and bal- Since ancient times Chinese
These tea blends are deep, relaxing anced feeling. People often feel more sages have separated the mate-
and often result in some of the most grounded after such a session, with a rial world into five elements called
transcendent sessions we’ve ever had. clarity and lasting smile that changes “Wushing (五行):” wood, earth,
There are probably a lot of lasting, one’s perspective on the world and a water, fire and metal. These prin-
lifelong Five Element memories life lived in it. cipal elements influence all aspects
being evoked here in this Hut now In the beginning, Wu De devel- of Chinese culture, philosophy and
as we read these words. We are very oped Five Element tea blending as spirituality—from Daoism to Bud-
excited to share the first ever Five Ele- a way to extend the lifespan of very dhism, Fengshui, Traditional Chi-
ment tea in Global Tea Hut. We hope rare aged sheng teas. It is great to nese Medicine and even tea. Lu Yu
that this tea rekindles some nostalgia drink these teas on their own, but himself inscribed symbols repre-
for the great memories we’ve shared then their very powerful medicine senting the Wushing on all of his
together around the world. And for has a much narrower reach—fewer teaware and spoke of the way they
those of you who have yet to drink people will ever try them. While all combined fluently in the brew-
one of these teas, introducing new we do brew such magic old teas ing of tea. There is a very real way
tea to you might just be our great- unblended at the center, we also like in which tea is an alchemy, com-
est joy! You’ll soon understand why the option of making a Five Ele- bining these five elements into the
this is indeed a very special month of ment tea. And we can do that more sacred libation that heals the soul.
Global Tea Hut. often, sharing great, transcendent Harmony through alchemy has
A Five Element tea like this sessions with all our guests and not always been central to the aesthet-
month’s is a blend of five different just drinking such rare teas on spe- ics and philosophy of tea culture,
dark puerhs, like aged sheng, shou cial occasions. Though this was the whether clearly expressed by ancient
or aged shou, and sometimes black impetus for starting, as we began Daoist mendicants, or left unstated,
teas, which are mixed together based blending and sharing Five Element yet recognized by the modern tea
on their energetic frequency, flavor teas and grew more skilled at blend- drinker who intuitively knows when
and mouthfeel to create a balanced ing them, we’ve found that they are a tea set functions well, when a tea
liquor that will center you in your beneficial for many other reasons is brewed properly, or when some-
heart. When blended well, a Five besides just conserving aged teas. thing in the process is off. And that
Element tea will cause palpable As we mentioned, they balance the alchemy is also our cultivation.

3
“Zen Blend”

Yunnan, China
Check out the Tea of
the Month video to
Puerh Tea Blend
learn more!
Han Chinese/Aboriginals www.globalteahut.org/videos

~1000-2000 Meters
Tea of the Month
As we refine our tea brewing, sen- blended with. Amongst his circle of the next time you try. And before
sitivity, skill and discipline, we also friends, Gary is the fire—he’s the you get disappointed, Wu De says
change ourselves, turning our own wildest of the bunch. They all say so. that he uses both these methods:
lead into gold. But then, one weekend, Gary hangs “Even after years of blending Five
Master Lin often says that the out with a new circle, only to find Element teas, I still have to com-
highest skill in tea (gongfu) is when that in this group he is the tamest of bine a sensitivity to the teas with a
your sensitivity reaches the point all—the earth, grounding everyone. trial and error approach, especially
that you can discern each and every Most often, the role a tea plays will when combining teas I haven’t ever
leaf, “for Heaven creates no two be relative to the other four, and you blended before. For that reason,
leaves alike!” This is a lofty goal will have to know the teas well to I always take teas I am extremely
indeed, and reminds us that we can choose. familiar with, and have blended
always improve and continue hon- This is a bit like casting actors for many times, when I am blending
ing our skills, even unto our last a movie. Good actors can play any for public gatherings. Otherwise,
day on this beautiful planet! If you role—if they’re good enough, gen- getting the blend just right takes a
re-read what he says, though, you’ll der doesn’t even matter, like Cate few tries. When you hit the bull’s-
also find other deep truths. Blanchett’s amazing portrayal of eye, you will know it. The tea will
The issue of single-region ver- Bob Dylan in I’m Not There. Other shine, and everyone will be glow-
sus blended tea in puerh is still an actors need to be typecast; they are ing—centered and grounded the
ongoing debate, and most often more suited to play one or two roles. way people look at the end of a
you will find tea lovers favoring Still others only seem to be able to meditation retreat.”
single-region. From a certain per- play the same character in every As with amount, there is no
spective, this may be justified, but film they make, but they are rare. all-encompassing recipe for
not always. Any given blend may Similarly, most teas can play any of the order in which the teas
be better than any one single-region the five roles, and you will have to are added. This will depend
cake. Also, Master Lin’s aphorism decide which will be more suited to on the kinds and amounts of
speaks to a greater truth, which is be water, for example, in any par- tea one is using. However, a
that all tea is actually blended. Liv- ticular configuration. Other teas, good system to start with is:
ing tea is seed-propagated, and that like Ember, as you can guess from water, wood, fire, earth and
means every tree will be unique. its name, are much more suited to metal. This is the easiest and
Like people, tea trees share genetic be fire in every configuration. All most natural system, since this
similarities, as well as some likeness of this requires knowing your actors is how the elements transform in
because they grew up in the same (your teas) very, very well before you Nature. Water is absorbed by trees,
terroir, but ultimately every tea tree try blending them. for example, which are burned to
will be distinct. This means that tea After you decide on your five ash, becoming earth, where metal
mixed from even a few living tea teas, the skill of blending Five Ele- is forged and then eroded into
trees is a blend of different teas. In ment tea deepens with amount and water…
the concrete, however, even tea from order. The amount of each tea will We know that many of you are
a single tree is actually a blend. The be extremely important, as this is probably very interested in trying
east and west side of a single living what will truly balance the Five your hand at Five Element blend-
tea tree will receive a very different Elements with each other. Certain ing, so we thought we would give
amount, kind and hue of sunlight teas can quickly overpower oth- a very basic starting point, discuss-
and therefore be different in every ers, and need to be added in just ing each element one by one. Of
way. (We say “living” tea here as the right amount. There is no real course, we want to emphasize that
opposed to plantation bushes, which formula for doing this, but one bit if you lean too heavily on this for-
are often so crammed together that of advice is to add the tea in small mula, you will prevent yourself from
such influence is subtler. They are increments, as it is easy to add more developing the sensitivity you need
also cloned, not seed-propagated.) and difficult to take tea away. You to blend nice Five Element brews
will have to be sensitive to the tea. that transform guests. We suggest
The more advanced method is to starting with blends just for you and
Blending the Five Elements put your hands over the bowl you close friends, and then critically dis-
are blending in, close your eyes and cussing them afterwards. This start-
In order to blend a Five Element try to feel the tea, asking if it is bal- ing guide is just that, and this point
tea, you have to know your teas very anced. This obviously requires some cannot be overemphasized.
well. The fact is that most teas can spiritual affinity for the teas inside.
play any of the five roles, depend- The slower method is to blend and
ing on which other teas they are then try the tea, adapting the blend

5/ Zen Blend Five Element Tea

Water: Start with water. In a Five Element tea, water is the
binding force. It holds the structure together. It is most often
the foundation of the blend, though it is worth repeating
again and again that this isn’t always the case—you may
want a fiery or earthy blend, for example. The water tea will Wood: Obviously, any tea can play the role of wood, since tea
most often represent the largest portion of the blend, maybe is a plant. This is the easiest of the five to choose. However,
even by more than half, like this month’s. You want a nice, this can mean that beginners don’t think enough about this
solid tea in this place—one that can take in the energy of tea, especially the amount. You don’t want this tea to take too
the other four and hold them within it. You want a solid tea much from the water. Wood teas are also the easiest to choose
that is Yin and will yield to the other four. since you don’t need to rely so much on energetic, spiritual
means. It is easy to taste when a tea is woody. And when you
are learning to blend Five Element tea, using strong examples
of each tea will make the process easier, as your refinement
will then be about order and amount.

Earth: The earth element in a

blend is the grounding force. It
holds the whole structure down. If
you find that the session is flighty,
and your guests describe the expe-
rience in terms of visions, feelings
of being distant or far away,
trippy experiences, etc., then
you didn’t have a strong
enough, or large enough,
quantity of your earth
element. Sometimes
you can tell this has
happened because
your guests aren’t
drinking their tea;
they forget to even
pick up the bowl! (This
could also be too much
metal.) Of course, a
great tea session is a lit-
tle transcendent, but you
don’t want to ever lose the
tether with the ground, the
present moment. This should be
the kind of tea that you drink when
you want to read or study—the
kind that perks you up and keeps
you focused.

Fire: You must be very careful with

fire. It can easily upset the balance of a
blend. We often use very little of the fire
tea. This tea should be warming. Think of
the tea you naturally go to when the weather
is cool. Most of us will have a particular shou
or black tea we turn to when it is cold. Try drink-
ing some of your shou teas, aged sheng or black teas and
Metal: In Five Element tea, metal is the spirit of feeling if any are warming in the stomach/chest. This tea must
the blend. Metal is the power and Qi—the spir- also be an energetic activator. It must catalyze the other four, mak-
itual force of the blend. This should be your old- ing them move. Heat is the conveyer of tea. Without heat, the essence
est, strongest tea. This tea comes last, and should wouldn’t be extracted from the leaves or move through our bodies.
be added sparingly. It is the spark that makes the In the same way, the fire tea makes the blend move. Therefore, this
Five Element engine take off. (The fire is the fuel.) should be the most Yang of your teas, with the ability to stimulate and
This tea is the spike in the punch, the kick, the motivate energy.
dose of medicine mixed with the sweetness that
helps wash it all down. This will be the energetic
power of the whole blend.
6
Tea of the Month
The First Five Element
There are two main reasons why In some parts of Yunnan, the Tea will take in the flavor of flow-
we have been reluctant to send out aboriginals plant camphor trees ers that are put near it. If you want
a Five Element tea up until now. interspersed amongst the old tea this to be quick or strong, it requires
The first is that, as you can see by trees to help keep the bugs away some processing. But if you leave a
reading through this very cursory and increase yield. In ancient times, single rose blossom in a huge jar full
introduction, this topic is advanced, this was a deeper and more sen- of tea, the tea will eventually taste of
deep and very complicated. This sitive method of tea blending— roses. Tea is incredibly absorbent.
isn’t to say that our community much more profound than the Five And this is as true of its energy as
isn’t skilled enough to explore Five Element blending we are discuss- it is of aromas. We have done several
Element brewing or that it is “too ing here. Shamans knew that all of experiments storing puerh tea in dif-
advanced”—whatever that means— Nature is in a state of interbeing, ferent environments and then tast-
but rather that we wanted to explore in which the various organisms in ing them blind, including tea stored
some other topics first. None of the an ecology all influence the oth- in different countries. In one such
teachings in our tradition are secret ers. In other words, the chemical experiment, we stored a tong (seven
or esoteric. You don’t have to pass and energetic structure of a plant is cakes) in two homes, a tea shop and
through hurdles to learn. We will influenced by the environment. Of a cave in which three monks were
gladly share all that we know with course it is. This is why tea changes living and meditating. After five
anyone. That doesn’t mean that so much from terroir to terroir. years, around forty people tasted the
there isn’t a proper order to learn- With a deep understanding of this, teas blind. Our first experiment was
ing them. While you can pick up one could explore the influence one to see if we could all find the one
the fourth Dune book and open to plant has on another, and plant from the monks’ cave. Everyone had
chapter seven—it isn’t a secret only different medicinal plants in the a paper to circle that tea. Amazingly,
for the initiated—it is much more same area to change the efficacy of one hundred percent of the people
rewarding to get to book four, chap- each one. Indigenous vegetable gar- present accurately determined that
ter seven by reading from the begin- dens were also arranged with this tea!
ning to there. in mind. Aboriginals mapped out That brings us back to what
The second reason we haven’t yet the location of different vegetables makes Five Element tea work and
sent a Five Element tea is related to and spices so that each would grow why it is so difficult to blend in
the difficulties of blending one that more abundantly and healthily, a way that you can send it out in
can survive the journey. Blending and influence the energy of those Global Tea Hut: Tea’s ability to
this month’s tea required overcom- around it, especially its immediate absorb the energy of the other four
ing a great challenge, which is also neighbors. One plant replenishes teas is how they fuse and flow. It is
the main reason why we haven’t what another takes from the soil, for also why it is important to choose
shared a Five Element tea in Global example, while other herbs change the right teas and get the amount
Tea Hut before. The reason that the strength or kind of medicine as well as the order you add the teas
Five Element teas work in the first of a neighboring herb. This is why all tuned to the right frequency.
place also renders them un-storable, camphor was originally planted near Different teas allow aromas and
un-ageable and really un-sendable tea: it changes the medicinal quality energies in at different speeds, in
in Global Tea Hut. Five Element tea of the tea, which is helpful in certain different amounts. This is akin to
functions because tea is so absorbent, situations (digestion, mostly). But as the way the aperture of a camera
physically and energetically. tea was commoditized over time, the lens allows more or less light in.
Tea is an amazing plant, with primary motivation to continue this And that is why farmers who want
one of the most adaptable energetic practice was as a kind of natural pest to scent tea with jasmine or other
structures in the natural world, deterrent, increasing overall yield. flowers choose certain varietals and
which is why it is so responsive to Though we digressed a bit to processing methods, since those teas
different processing methods, creat- discuss the interesting blending of allow more aroma in at a quicker
ing the incredibly vast array of teas herbal energies planted near one rate, depending on their moisture
we love. The tea world is, in fact, another, the main point is that the content, thickness of leaf, etc. This
so huge that a single lifetime isn’t tea tastes like camphor. By having a is also one of the reasons Yixing jars
enough to explore it. Even after camphor tree a meter or so away, the are so great for storing tea, since
decades of drinking tea, the sea- tea absorbs some of its aroma and they absorb the aroma/energy of the
soned Chajin still discovers new will forever taste like camphor. And tea and echo it back so that the tea,
teas, new tea-growing areas and this is also true of the harvested leaf, in essence, reabsorbs its own essence
kinds of tea worth exploring. which is how scented tea is made. over time.
7/ Zen Blend Five Element Tea
 Since the teas fuse more and more time. The ones that are imbalanced of actors that can only play one kind
the longer they are together, a Five haven’t yet fused. This may be fixed of role, as opposed to the more fluid
Element tea should be blended right by aging them for longer, but may ones who can do anything depend-
before the sessions and then drunk also take many decades if the teas in ing on the other four elements in a
right away. This is because you the blend aren’t very absorbent and/ configuration. If you put malleable
want the elements to fuse a little, or have conflicting energy frequen- teas together, they quickly become
but mostly maintain their individ- cies. one tea. This is like a group of very
ual characteristics. Otherwise, it Consequently, the reason we acquiescent, easygoing, easily-influ-
won’t be a Five Element tea, it will have never sent a Five Element tea enced people hanging out together:
be one element! In other words, if in Global Tea Hut before is that we they will very quickly become a sin-
you were to age this month’s Five didn’t know how to blend one that gle group that works well together.
Element tea, it would slowly move could survive the journey. How do That may be what you want in a
away from being a Five Element tea, you blend a tea that can go a few certain blend. But not this blend.
and more and more, as time passed, weeks before it is consumed and We needed a group of very strongly
become a single tea of its own. Most still have the five teas be divergent stubborn, individualistic people who
aged loose-leaf puerh teas are blends. enough to maintain each element don’t work well in groups and main-
They were blended during produc- distinctly? Wu De says that he tain their distinct personalities for
tion, and people also add tea to thinks he needed a few more years longer. This required a lot of work
them as they are passed down the of relatively constant practice to be and many tests—many trials and
line—sometimes for a good rea- able to do what he has done this many errors. A lot of Wu De’s time
son, like improving the tea, and at month. We are going to describe and love have gone into this month’s
other times for business, in order each tea in a moment, but the gen- tea!
to increase the amount. But the eral principle that guided his blend-
good ones don’t taste like many teas ing was that he needed the teas to be On the next page you’ll find a
together; they taste like a single tea. clear representatives of each of the description of the five teas in our
This is because they have fused over five elements. He needed the kind “Zen Blend.”

Tea absorbs all of its envi-

ronment. Actually, every
leaf is absorbing different
light and nutrients, so all
tea is, in fact, blended.
Tea of the Month
Wet with Rain
Our water, and base tea, which will
hold and take in the energy of the other
four teas, is a spring 2014 shou puerh
we call “Wet with Rain” (in honor of
Van the Man). It is a special grade of
shou (Te Ji), which is slightly larger
that the all-bud grade often called
“Gong Ting.” The tea was harvested
in the Menghai area. It is smooth and
thick, with a medium level of piling.
These days, most shou puerh is fully
fermented over forty-five to sixty days,
which means it cannot age and loses
much of its essence. Wet with Rain, on
the other hand, has some characteris-
tics of sheng puerh, since the artificial
fermentation is only partial. Energet-
ically, this tea is smooth and yielding,
and very Yin. It will make a fine base
for this month’s tea, especially since its
flavor, aroma and Qi are so consistent
from steeping to steeping. This tea is
strong enough to be the water in a Five
Element tea that is meant to last a bit.
This will represent the largest percent-
age of tea in our Zen Blend.

Bindbole
The spirit (metal) of this blend is
an early-1980s shou puerh that we call
“Bindbole,” named after the oldest for-
est in the Shire. Back in the day, shou
puerh was often only artificially fer-
mented to around forty or fifty percent.
This meant that the tea was rougher,
with some astringency when it was new,
and more potential for aging as time
went on. Many such teas behave a lot
like a sheng, though not as strong. This
tea is no exception. Bindbole ignites the
Qi, helping to lift the whole blend up. It
works especially well with these teas—
Ember in particular.

9/ Zen Blend Five Element Tea

 Chopping Wood
Though any tea can be the wood, we
needed one that was decisively wood.
There could be no better choice than
“Chopping Wood.” We actually shared
this tea in Global Tea Hut a long time
ago (January, 2013). It is a late 1990s
7572 shou puerh. The third number, “7,”
ensures that this tea is made from large
leaves. These mature leaves, sometimes
called “huang pian,” ferment quickly.
They are very woody, reminiscent of the
leaf piles you jumped in as a child.

Zen Blend
Five Element Tea Ember
The fire for this blend had to be the
fieriest tea we know, “Ember.” Many of
you have tried this amazing tea. It is a
sheng/shou blend from the 1980s. When
you drink Ember, you are immediately
filled with a warmth that feels like your
chest and stomach are a stoked furnace.
Guests take their sweaters off when we
prepare this tea, though in the winter it
is very comforting. We had to be careful
about putting too much of this tea into
the blend.

Greg’s Galactivation Serum

Our grounding force, and the earth
of this blend, is a lovely tea that many
of you will by now be familiar with—
the workhorse early-1990s shou puerh
we all know and love, “Gregg’s Galac-
tivation Serum,” named after our very
own Greg Wendt. This solid tea can be
spacy when it is drunk alone (hence the
name), and so you may think of it as a
metal. However, we have found that it
is very grounding when blended with
other teas; it is extremely earthy, in fact.
This is as mysterious as its namesake!
10
 Tea of the Month

Zen Blend
Like so many of you, we also sit down with friends to share the Tea of the
Month. And though we drank this Dong Ding oolong at a different time than
you, we are reminded once again of the interconnectedness we share within this global
tea community. Just as we set out altar cups in acknowledgment of our tea brothers and
sisters the world over, we also drank this tea with all of you in mind, knowing that some-
where under this global, thatched roof, you’ll likely be doing the same! And just as you might
discuss your experiences drinking this tea with your friends, we did the same:

茶 This tea wants to be in communion; it wants to warm you. The liquor is dark and smooth,
and the reflection of the Tea Sage Hut reminds you that you’re in a place of tranquility. The tea
travels down your body, warming you and flushing out toxins. The Zen Blend draws you inwards
to a place of harmony, and you sit... -Ryan Shaw

茶 This tea was truly a pleasure to drink. It was thick and delicious. I felt it activate my mind and
soothe my body. I also noticed an increased sensory focus spreading to the room, and to the oth-
ers around me. -Tertti

茶 I reflected on the idea of blending five elements together harmoniously. I knew in one par-
ticular bowl, that a carefully thought out method was a part of this blend because nowhere in
my spirit, body or mind did I feel unbalanced. It warmed me from the center of my chest and
focused my attention. Surely this tea is a good measure of Zen. -Shen Su

茶 From the moment we sat down, I became very centered. During the session, I became very
aware and connected to old friends who I have missed dearly. It felt like the tea was trying to
provide a stillness for us to be in each other’s company. The intensity fluctuated, as my mon-
key mind loves to interrupt. Beautiful tea; beautiful experience. -Toby Gibb

茶 I immediately felt a meditative experience, a presence in the moment. Because I like

dark teas, I enjoyed the thick, beautiful brown liquor of this tea, which grew brighter near
the edge. A sweetness and camphor aftertaste came on after some time. A pleasant aroma
arose from this tea and the Qi concentrated in the central channel, rising to the top of
my head. The tea flowed down the throat like oil. I felt emptiness. Words and thoughts
dissolved of themselves. Everything began to feel like fireworks and explosions of joy.
-Denis Mikhaylov

Check out the video on

brewing tips now!

www.globalteahut.org/videos

11/ Zen Blend Five Element Tea

 Brewing Tips
A s you can guess, the most important tip we have for brewing this
month’s tea is to drink it as quickly as you can. Ordinarily, we sug-
gest letting Global Tea Hut teas sit for a week or two. A tea’s energy is dis-
rupted by flying around the world, just as yours would be. And just like a
person, it needs some time to get over jet lag. But since we want to drink
this tea when each of the five teas is still as distinct as possible, it may be
better to let this one sit for just a day or two and then have your session.
This month’s tea can be drunk either gongfu or in a bowl. We recom-
mend carving out at least an hour or two to fully enjoy this tea. Five Ele-
ment teas are strong and deep, and can help you to release physical and
emotional trauma. This session may be the deepest and most lasting peace
you’ve experienced in some time, and that isn’t something you should
rush.
On a practical level, make sure that the water you use for this month’s
tea is very hot. You need strong, martial heat to draw the five elements up
and fuse them all together. If you can, use charcoal. Even otherwise, make
sure the water is very close to boiling, with constant steam. You want to
pour into the pot quickly, with a thick and fast stream, so that the pot is
filled as quickly as possible, and then immediately covered. Shower both
before and after if you are brewing this tea gongfu.
Aged teas like this are forgiving, which means that if you put in too
little or too much, steep them too short or too long, etc., they still turn out
nice. Still, we would recommend putting a lot more than usual into your
pot. Ideally, you should use the whole can for one session. This should be
easy if you are brewing bowl tea. If you decide to brew this month’s tea
gongfu, you may need a larger pot to use it all. Five Element tea should be
strong and black, with a kick!
Z
en is no ordinary reli- wasn’t recorded in books or treatises, a thousand years. In the begin-
gion. It has no prev- occurring instead within the realm ning, tea was an aspect of spiritual
alent dogma, rites or of personal experience—the space well-being and healing, used first
rituals; there isn’t even between master and students. And by aboriginal shamans and then
any coherent soteri- in imagining these ancient gardens, later by Daoist mendicants. Learn-
ology—Zen is an experience! And monasteries and forests where intu- ing from these Daoist sages, the
throughout the ages, masters have ition was passed on from master to early Buddhist monks would also
used a wide variety of techniques to pupil, we invariably find steaming come to adopt the Way of Tea as an
help instill that certain sensation in bowls of tea nearby; for since ancient important aspect of their tradition.
students: a recognition of the fact times, Eastern mystics have utilized They would then be the first ones
that the so-called “self ” is an illusory tea to transmit understanding. After to domesticate tea, and also develop
construct of social programming and all, what could be more substantial much of the aesthetics, pottery
of rational, as well as linear, linguis- and experiential, as well as symbolic and brewing methods that would
tic thinking. This experience cannot, and philosophically profound, than mature into the artistic appreciation
however, be easily described or con- the master brewing his mind into a of tea by royalty and literati. All of
veyed in words, concepts or ideas; it cup that is passed steaming to the the famous tea mountains in China
must be lived through. As a result, student, who then consumes and also have Buddhist monasteries on
many of the methods used to catalyze absorbs it, physically and spiritually, them, and this is no coincidence:
this awakening were also non-ver- literally and metaphorically? sometimes the monks or nuns were
bal; and all too often even when They say that the flavor of Zen drawn by the wizened tea trees that
they taught in words, the teachers and the flavor of tea are the same, grew wild there, while at other times
of old used illogical nonsense meant and without an understanding of they brought the tea with them.
to show the practitioner the absur- one, there is no mastery of the other. When tea was eventually brought
dity of trying to achieve a linguistic The affinity between tea and Bud- to Japan by monks who had trav-
Zen. More often, the transmission dhism, especially Chan (Zen), is a eled to the Mainland to study Zen
happened quietly and subtly, and friendship dating back more than from the masters there, it would also

An Introduction
To Zen & Tea
Tasting the One Flavor
develop into a symbolic expression “tea” I mean farming and process- from Mind. All the meditation tech-
of the Zen mind in the tea cere- ing, working and sweating, as well niques, the moral precepts, the slaps
mony, called “Water for Tea (Cha- as the more poignant preparation of and whacks, the nonsensical gib-
noyu).” These monks came back the steaming bowl that was passed berish and all the pots and pots of
with Buddhist teachings, tea wis- around Tang Dynasty monasteries tea have steeped in this truth, since
dom, teaware and even seeds and every evening. The real pith of Zen before anyone ever said the word
saplings as a testament to the fact was only real when it was in your “Chan.”
that tea was such an essential aspect marrow, and it only circulated that And so, if tea is Zen and Zen is
of practicing Zen at that time that bone-deeply after years of muscle tea, then this can’t be a magazine
they couldn’t establish Zen in Japan memory—thousands of buckets of about “Zen Buddhism.” We can’t
without it. But what was this “Zen” water and stacks of chopped wood. just discuss the historical relation-
that needed tea to take root? And isn’t the Way of Tea the same? ship between tea and that tradition.
There was to be a sermon on There’s no reading about how to There’s nothing wrong with tak-
Vulture Peak, but the Buddha only make a cup of tea that shines with ing an interest in the history of the
raised a single blossom and held it both the deepest wisdom and most Zen tradition, or in tea lore for that
poised in his fingers. And thus, as ordinary thirst-quenching satisfac- matter, but if you get too caught up
Mahakasyapa understood, Zen was tion. There is no way to say—not in collecting information you can
established. There is a metaphysical with all the ten-thousand words— flounder.
distinction between the “Buddhist” what precisely it is that tea conveys The “Zen” that is in tea has
tradition and this mind-to-mind beyond its flavor and physiological nothing to do with learning about
transmission of wisdom, which relationship with the body. It takes the dates different teas were grown
came to be known as “Chan” in years of coal and water—kettle after on which mountain and by which
China and “Zen” in Japan, after the kettle—until the ceremony sinks in lineage of monks, however intrigu-
Southern-Chinese pronunciation. and merges with life itself. And yet, ing that information might be to the
Despite this division, the ineffable, it is right here in this beginner’s ket- intellect. Neither is it a memoriza-
living Zen is not necessarily mutu- tle, too. It was there all along. tion of old scriptures or biographical
ally exclusive with the tradition of When the ancients said Tea and sketches of masters.
Buddhist ideals and philosophy Zen were the same flavor, they didn’t The Zen of tea is a direct, exis-
that shares its name. Many mas- mean tea as a kind of Buddhist rit- tential change that is changeless, as
ters have found their wisdom wear- ual. They were talking about that it leaves no trace. Try to catch Zen
ing monastic robes, and chosen to wordless hush before the Buddha and—like a boy playing with the
keep them on afterwards as a way raised the lotus on Vulture Peak; wind—you’ll find yourself staring
of exemplifying ideals and sharing they were talking about Bodhidhar- down in wonder at an empty palm.
their understanding with others. But ma’s marrow, given to Hui Ke for And this Zen has been around for-
unlike most spiritual traditions, Zen the perspicacity of his silent bow, ever, eons before the Buddha held
masters have always been extremely and about Hui Neng’s sieve. They up that flower, just like tea has
aware of the limitations within their were saying that the essence of been here since long before any-
own, or any other, tradition—as if Zen is more easily communicated one plucked and steeped its leaves.
to say: “Zen isn’t in the robes, bowls, through art and life than it is in There were giant tea trees looming
rituals or even sacred scriptures. words, though it can indeed be cat- over antediluvian forests with grace-
Don’t look for it here. And yet, if alyzed by language. You could say ful Buddha-eyes long before the
you look carefully, all this somehow that Zen has always been based on first human voice shattered the til-
points to it.” the intention of the Buddha and then incomprehensible sutras being
The life of Zen was unique all the masters that followed to cast chanted by wind-rustled leaves and
because it was more about the tea the light of that one primal illumi- yellow warblers.
than the usual “sacred” stuff going nation: our true self is not this egoic
on at other monasteries. And by I-subject, and there is no-thing apart
Zen & Tea

泡 The Zen in Tea

Brewing Awareness
出 -Qing Yu

禪 Our beloved Qing Yu (Colin) finally decided to take

意
out his dried-up brush and write for us. And what a
debut! There is a lot say, and then unsay, about Zen and
Tea. It is difficult to discuss; and yet Qing finds a way of

識
guiding us into the stream. His personal anecdotes,
wit and charm help bring Zen to life with the character
that you always imagine wandering the old monasteries
in great form, poking and prodding awakening to arise.

T
he assignment was to write with the A crossed out, and a B+ (a more accessible. Perhaps this was the
a three-page paper on the lower grade) next to it. Alas, one of first moment I fell in love with Tea.
topic, “What is Zen?” I my first lessons in Zen. After the tea ceremony
pondered this question for a couple One month prior, our teacher, a (Chanoyu), we all ambled quietly
days, reflecting on the books and well-respected author and authority into the forest behind the house in
lectures from my university course, on Buddhism in the Kathmandu search of a meditation nook. I dis-
conceitedly asserting, “This should Valley, had brought his students covered a boulder in the center of
be easy, I’m an Asian Religious Stud- to his beautiful home in Holden, the stream with a perfectly flat top,
ies minor, for God’s sake.” Yet, the Massachusetts, for an informal tea where I settled into meditation and
more I banged my head against the gathering (chakai) and medita- a newfound communion with the
question, the more I leafed through tion by a stream. I recall sitting on environment, with myself and with
lecture notes and lengthy academic the floor, admiring the tea bowl life. Even today, fifteen years later,
tomes, the more difficult it became. (chawan), tea caddy (natsume) I recall the shafts of light piercing
My entire grade for the class, which and tea whisk (chasen). The wares through the trees and reflecting off
at the time I took very seriously, appeared archaic and worn, objects the ripples in the stream. I remem-
depended on this one measly paper. whose very existence evoked a sense ber a small blue bird that hopped
After multiple false starts and minor of curiosity. Sitting on tatami in his curiously in the trees, humming a
headaches, I taped a piece of string small tearoom (chashitsu), admiring mellifluous song, and eyeing this
cheese to a blank sheet of paper, the hanging scroll that I now real- unfamiliar visitor with a heightened
wrote my name at the top, and ize was meant to allude to the sea- awareness. The leaves of the maples
turned it in. “This could go one of son (early spring), I found myself moving in the wind, the rush of
two very different ways,” I thought more attentive to the impressions cold water over ancient stones, the
to myself. With an almost impercep- I was receiving without the usual cloudless sky—it was all happening,
tible smile, my teacher returned the interference from my thoughts and all at once, and it felt like the first
paper with an A in the corner, but feelings, standing at the threshold of time I had noticed the suchness of a
suggested that I write an explanation an unknown experience. Everything moment. I was aware of my aware-
on the back. One of the obscuri- went into slow motion, every move- ness for the first time: exactly where
ties that I recall writing was, “How ment became infused with signifi- I was supposed to be, doing exactly
long until the rat is hungry again?” cance and grace, the senses opened what I was supposed to be doing.
The teacher returned the paper, and the rapture of being alive was

15
If asked
The essence of Chado,
Say it’s the sound
Of windblown pines
In a painting.
—Sen Sotan
Zen & Tea

I was manifesting my purpose in cheese paper one month later. The diction. The tea ceremony is only
that moment. And I realize now that minute I offer you an explanation, the beginning. I say unto you: Your
this manifestation is at the heart of my grade starts plummeting, so every act should be a ceremony. If
Zen. I will only point my finger at the you can bring your consciousness,
Zen master Shunryu Suzuki, a meaning. Zen is beyond words, your awareness, your intelligence
direct spiritual descendent of the beyond concepts, beyond the ratio- to the act, if you can be sponta-
great 13th century master Dogen, nal mind. It accounts for the total- neous, then there is no need for
puts it like this, “You may think that ity, while not losing itself in the any other religion, life itself will be
if there is no purpose or no goal in void. One definition of Zen is: the religion.” (The Everest of Zen,
our practice, we will not know what doing one thing at a time. In the with Basho’s Haikus) Thus, tea is a
to do. But there is a way. The way Way of Tea, this means brewing tea Zen practice because it is a time in
to practice without having any goal with your whole being, with all of our day when we set everything else
is to limit your activity, or to be your awareness, with your mind and aside—to be fully with this act, this
concentrated on what you are doing body unified in the art of the cere- moment, this way... The practice
in this moment. Instead of having mony. of anything implies that you do it
some particular object in mind, you Most tea lovers have at some repeatedly, and this act of repetition
should limit your activity. When point in their journey with the Leaf reinforces and cultivates a special
your mind is wondering about else- encountered this beautiful passage quality. Some of the qualities we are
where you have no chance to express by the Indian mystic and teacher working for in Zen are continuous
yourself. But if you limit your activ- Osho: “To make tea a meditative awareness, consciousness, careful-
ity to what you can do just now, in ceremony is just symbolic. It shows ness and respectfulness. If treated
this moment, then you can express that any mundane activity can this way, the practice begins to bleed
fully your true nature, which is the become meditation. Digging a hole into our prosaic lives, our work, our
universal Buddha nature. This is our in the garden, planting new roses relationships, our entire existence.
way.” (Zen Mind, Beginners Mind) in the garden… you can do it with To live with and to embody these
This was my first introduction such tremendous love and compas- qualities is to live with Zen.
to Zen and Tea, and this experience sion, you can do it with the hands Osho uses the phrase, “Do it
was the inspiration for the string- of the Buddha. There is no contra- with the hands of the Buddha,”

17/ The Zen in Tea

and this is a wonderful place to the disciplined regimen of Japanese Too loose, and we become lost in
start. When brewing tea, we might Zen monasteries. In the words of life, adrift in daydreams, imagi-
task ourselves with bringing tre- the great Tang Dynasty master Lin- nation, images, words and emo-
mendous awareness to our hands. chi: “In Buddhism there is no place tions—lost in an existence that
It is, after all, our hands that carry for using effort. Just be ordinary is not the reality of this moment.
out the tasks of our intention and and nothing special. Eat your food, Too tight, and we become unable
attention in brewing tea. Can we move your bowels, pass water and to relax, which is a prerequisite for
sense our hands, the energy and fine when you’re tired go and lie down. naturalness, spontaneity and the
movements required to brew a cup The ignorant will laugh at me, but open reception to other forces in
of tea? We can start here, by feel- the wise will understand.” this great Life. Thus, in this subtle
ing our hands with great attention Oftentimes, the ideal state of balance, this space between, there is
and paying homage to the Leaf, by being in Zen is described as a per- a crack through which the light of
mindfully handling the leaves, the fectly tuned instrument. If the Zen shines through our tea. There
scoop, the kettle, the pot, the cups, instrument is too tight, like a per- is a difference between the state we
the setting of the chaxi, the serving son too intensely self-conscious, the experience in quietude and our state
of the tea and the cleaning of the strings will break. Whereas, if the in the activities of life. The practice
wares afterwards. One might say, strings are too loose, the instrument of Chado, of Zen and Tea, is the
“Well, this approach sounds like will not yield its intended harmony. cultivation of a continuum between
self-awareness or self-consciousness, Thus, we seek to maintain enough these two states. Through contin-
and I thought Zen was all about tension, enough tightness, to remain uous practice, our tea becomes
overcoming this obsessive self-con- alert, mindful, present and aware, infused with Zen. Eventually, this
sciousness, this ‘self ’ altogether...” while also remaining loose enough extraordinary quality becomes our
Here, we must remember that Zen in our body and mind to take in way of life—the possibility of awak-
maintains through all of its art and respond to the entirety of our ening and the greatest gift we can
forms, including tea, a deep rever- experience. If we are too tight, how offer another human being: Presence.
ence for spontaneity and natural- then will we consider and feel the
ness. We must remember these qual- heart of our guests, as advised by
ities as a backdrop when considering the 16th century tea master Rikyu?

18
Gongfu Experiments
What's in a cup
-Sam Gibb

Learning to test and evaluate teaware, as opposed to just

choosing your wares based solely on aesthetic values, is
of the most important assets you will need to grow in
gongfu tea, and to expand your understanding of tea in
general. This month’s experiment sets a foundation for
exploring your teaware further.
E
dward Brown, a Zen priest who have cared for it, used it and This month we compared a
and former tenzo (monastery passed it on. And if you do the same, Qing Dynasty cup to a new Tai-
cook) at the Tassajara Zen you’ll be holding something that will wanese porcelain one. You can use
Mountain Center, once said, “In the outlive you, and perhaps in some this methodology for comparing
course of life we get banged up. We small way convey your tea spirit to any of your cups at home, so do
don’t treat each other respectfully and those left sharing tea after you have not feel you cannot participate in
kindly. Somehow the thing that cap- gone… this month’s experiment because
tured my attention, of all things in While such poetry is nice, the you do not have a Qing cup. Alter-
the kitchen, was the teapots. There is experiment section of Global Tea natively, you could test the shape,
some quality to them that continues Hut asks us to focus on a less subjec- size, glazing or any other aspect of
even though they are banged up and tive approach. I still feel licensed to two different cups. In fact, compar-
tarnished. They still seem so willing nostalgia before experimenting with ing different cups is one of the most
to carry tea and water; and to serve an antique cup, though. After all, important of all experiments. All too
the people who were using them. the tea table is not a laboratory. We often, we find that tea practitioners
And so I would look at those teapots don’t don white coats before con- gravitate towards the cups that they
and I would think, ‘If you can do it, ducting these experiments, as com- find to be aesthetically pleasing,
I can do it, too.’ We can be inspired plete objectivity is never the aim. as opposed to those that make the
by teapots!” There is something (Let alone engaging in a philosoph- best tea. But as Master Lin always
beautiful in an antique. While they ical discussion about whether com- says, “Over time, you realize more
are never perfect, it is through their plete objectivity is even possible.) and more that the cups that make
imperfection that beauty shines. The But in an attempt to move from the the best tea are always the most
small chips, the deep tea stains, the subjective to the objective, we do beautiful ones as well, for they pos-
soft glow—these all make up a small focus on mouthfeel for the purpose sess inner beauty.” Learning to love
part of the magic in an old piece of these gongfu experiments. In our the teaware that elicits the great-
of teaware. They can transport you experience, and the experience of est potential from our tea is a huge
to another time, when people were our teachers before us, this gives a aspect of gongfu tea.
their profession. When their father much greater degree of concordance.
and their father’s father all had the And that means we have a much
same vocation. If you close your eyes sturdier diving board from which we
when you hold an antique cup, you can leap into a dialogue on quality.
can imagine all the other people who It also means we have a more accu-
have held it over the centuries: those rate means to gauge our progress.

20
Gongfu Experiments
What you will need The experiment
You will need two cups you wish Place both the cups side by side, not. As always, focus on the mouth-
to compare. In our case we used a as if you were brewing normally. feel. Is the tea smooth or rough?
Qing Dynasty cup and compared Rinse the cups, the pot and then the Does it go back on its own or do
it to a modern tulip-shaped porce- leaves. Warm both cups and then you have to swallow it forcefully?
lain one, made here in Taiwan. It is lightly brew the tea, pouring evenly Does it pinch the throat? Is it coat-
important to note that shape can be back and forth between the two ing? By focusing on these aspects,
as important a factor in the quality cups. Take one cup in each hand, you should be able to determine
of the tea liquor as the caliber of the starting with the new porcelain one, which cup improves the tea liquor.
material. You will also need a brew- and move back and forth between Try asking the tea which cup it
ing vessel. We used an Yixing pur- the two. Do this in silence, even if wants to be in. This may sound silly
ple-sand (zisha) pot. Normally we you are doing the experiment with at first, but even asking it quietly in
use a less-oxidized oolong for these another person. Have a notepad on your mind opens up new doorways
experiments—brewed lightly, which hand to write down any differences of experience and sensitivity.
helps us focus on the differences you notice. You can also consider You should repeat this process at
between the two variables, as we are temperature—not just the degree least three times, making notes and
less likely to get distracted by flavors but the quality of the heat. Is it noticing the changes from cup to
or aromas. However, this time we scalding or penetrating? You can also cup, steeping to steeping.
used last month’s Old Man Dong notice aroma—not the specific fra-
Ding, as we have been enjoying it so grances, but how high it rises, and
much we couldn’t resist! whether it fills the nasal cavity or

21/ What’s in a Cup

We would love to hear about your
results comparing cups. We have
an amazing discussion board on
our website, and you will find that
one of us is always standing by to
reply to your questions or com-
ments. Share your insights with the
community and us, and help make
this Global Tea Hut extend beyond
these pages!

22
Zen & Tea

架 Zen to Tea
起 There and Back Again
禪 -Wu De
和
茶
Zen is often a kind of apprenticeship. You learn in through
watching and participating. Tea is much the same. You
have to watch and learn. This is one of the main reasons

的 that we have created a new multi-media Global Tea Hut.

Still, there is a lot we can learn from someone who has

橋
been trying, failing, falling down and getting back up for
many years. Wu De's wisdom is a good starting point for
entering the Zen of Tea, and Tea of Zen...

I
once served tea at an event where The organizers of this event up with the same Zen with which it
a master shakuhachi player filled wanted me to speak at the end. I had begun.
the room with Zen noises whilst tried to politely wiggle my way out Since that evening, I haven’t
I boiled a Five Element Zen Blend of it, suggesting that the tea and lost that feeling. I often pause to
akin to our Tea of the Month. We all flute spoke all the Zen that was smile with gratitude for Tea and
rode the wind through that bamboo, worth saying. I honestly felt like the grace that brought this wonder-
up and down, bowl by bowl, over the anything I said would be an intru- ful medium into my life, through
mountain vistas of our mind’s eye. sion; but they were adamant, so I which I can take all the medita-
At times, it was hard to remember obliged. I really had no idea what tion and cultivation of my life and
to stay focused and serve the tea. The to say. If the strong tea hadn’t been express it to others in a very pure
flute was really that powerful. It was enough to still my mind, the flute form. As many of you know, I often
also remarkable to feel a kind of feed- had blown any remaining ideas start the conversations we have after
back loop between the flute master, from my mind. Surprisingly, when tea with a reminder that all I really
myself and the tea: he would drink it came time to talk, the words that have to say about Tea or Zen was
the occasional bowl and play what came out are the perfect intro for already stated in the silent, cere-
the tea inspired in him, which would a discussion on Zen and Tea—so monial space we just shared... And
then enter my ears and change the perfect that I have often used this I’d like to do that now as well…
way I poured the next bowl… The anecdote to start Zen and Tea work- Though the flashing cursor moving
tea and wind danced together, and shops. I looked up at all the Zen- across the screen as I type this may
the thirty of us fortunate enough to filled eyes there and with a heart not have the power of a deep glance
be caught up in this exchange felt the full of gratitude said, “I would like after finishing an hour of silent tea,
tranquility of a leaf spun through the to celebrate something amazing, I’ve just paused in my typing, put
trees, passed from breeze to breeze, which is that this gloriously talented my hands together and inhaled
and then gently set down onto a brother and I are fortunate to have some deep stillness before setting my
quiet stream. Even now, years later, a way of expressing our Zen that fingers back on the keys again—all
I can only approach the memory doesn’t require words.” And with in the hopes that these words, and
with a brush full of more poetry than that I asked the master to play an the thoughts they will catalyze in
ink... encore while I served one last sweet your mind, will convey some of that
and watery bowl to wrap the night Zen to you now…

23
 The Way of Tea—
Follow it, and ever deeper it leads on;
Like the endless fields of Musashi,
Where the moon is most lucid,
Its depths draw us onwards.

—Rikkansai

Watch the Zen and Tea

video now!

www.globalteahut.org/videos
Zen & Tea
What is Zen?
In the West, we often think of
Zen as a kind of Buddhism. It can
his student Mahakasyapa, who was
enlightened. (It is interesting to note 不
立教
be thought of in that way, but it that the Buddha also did not teach
isn’t just that. “Zen” is the Japanese Buddhism. The word “Buddhism”
word for the Chinese “Chan,” which was first used by a British author
was pronounced “Tsan” in the
south of China and then translated
in the beginning of the nineteenth
century. Asian society traditionally 文 外直
字 別指 見
to “Zen” in Japanese. The word didn’t have the strong sense of reli-
“Chan” is also a translation, so you gious affiliation or identity that is
actually have to follow the etymol- prevalent in the West. Even today,
ogy back to Sanskrit to understand
its essence. “Chan” is how the Chi-
people often see no harm in praying
at Buddhist, Daoist and folk/Nature 轉人 性
心 成
nese translated “dhyana,” which is at temples, as well as visiting a church
best understood as “the meditative on Sunday.)
mind.” It’s actually deeper than that, There are four foundations of
but “meditative mind” will do. So
“Zen” is the meditative mind. Besides
the etymology of the word “Zen,”
Zen, and in contemplating them,
you may see why tea has played such
an important role in the Zen tradi-
佛
we can also look to the origin myth tion over the centuries:
of Zen in order to further the idea
that Zen is not just a religion or
kind of Buddhism, but that, in its 1) Non-verbal transmission between teacher and student.
pure form, it is the meditative mind
itself. Zen traces its origin back to 2) No non-provisional, lasting view; no dogma, no doctrine,
a time when the Buddha held up no scripture or philosophy.
a lotus instead of giving a teach-
3) Must lead to the heart of a person.
ing and something unspoken was
transmitted through that flower to 4) Must reveal the truth of Nature as it is.

25/ Zen to Tea

Not in Words
Since the transmission is but different brewer. I am going to either agree or disagree, believe in or
non-verbal, and not doctrinal or spoil the experiment and state the not believe in the ideas expressed. As
dogmatic, Zen is a difficult thing to obvious (But you should still try I write this article on Zen, I know
share, or even talk about. Zen Bud- it, in order to understand yourself. that some of my readers will agree
dhism can be a basket that carries Don’t take my word for it!): The with it all, some will agree with a
and encourages Zen (the meditative tea is very, very different. The heart- portion and disagree with other
mind), but it can also get in the way. mind of the brewer influences the parts, while still others of you will
“Religion often hinders the religious tea. This should come as no surprise. disagree with it all. (You know who
experience,” as Osho often said. For We can hand two different musi- you are!) But when I make tea, I can
that reason, Zen masters have always cians the same sheet of music, and express my heart free of doctrine or
used art as a tool to encourage trans- even the same exact instrument, and philosophy. And while you could
mission and awakening, as often as they will play two very different ver- say you don’t want the bowl of tea I
they’ve used more traditional Bud- sions of the song. In art, the creation offer you, it would be absurd to say
dhist practices like chanting, scrip- comes out saturated by the colors of that you don’t agree with or don’t
ture, philosophy or other life teach- our soul, like water passed through a believe in it. You don’t agree with a
ings. The martial arts were born freshly dyed cloth. bowl of tea; you drink it!
in this way. Calligraphy, painting, Once you understand that the
poetry and music—like the flute of brewer influences the tea more than
my session—have all been used to the water, teaware or brewing meth- Tea and Zen
transmit Zen over the centuries. But odology (not just because you read
no teacher has spoken as prolifically it here, but because you tried the Tea is moving meditation. It is
on Zen as Tea! experiment), then you can begin devotion in motion. And that is
Tea has sat between master and to understand why tea has been so another reason that Tea and Zen
student for millennia. And there’s important to teacher/student rela- are one flavor. Tea encourages, leads
an easy experiment you can do to tionships throughout history. If the into and then expresses the medita-
understand why. It’s really simple: in mind of the brewer is in the liquor, tive mind, which is Zen. It is a med-
the middle of a session, switch brew- then what could be more poignant itative bridge that acts as an ally to
ers! Same tea, water, same teaware, than for the student to literally and those trying to begin a meditation
metaphorically consume the teach- practice, as well as to the seasoned
er’s mind? There could be noth- meditator looking to further the
ing more Zen. And this works the meditative mind in their life. Tea is
other way, too: the student makes a bridge built of Zen.
tea and offers their heart-mind to Over years of meditation I have
the teacher, an acceptance of which come to find that I really don’t
symbolizes a taking of that student have mindfulness issues. Like most
into the tradition. people, I once complained that I
The second foundation of tran- couldn’t remember to be mindful,
scending dogma, doctrine or phi- hoping to find practices that would
losophy is actually one of the most help me be more mindful through-
endearing aspects of tea. If you out the day. But then, one day, I
invite a Buddhist, Hindu, Christian realized that I have a great capacity
and Muslim into a room to discuss for mindfulness, as does everyone.
their worldviews, chances are they I learned this by watching the con-
will argue. But if they go into that centration habits of my young stu-
same room to drink and discuss tea, dents (I was once a school teacher).
they will emerge brothers. I have I realized that when they had respect
seen it happen! This is a huge mea- for something, they naturally and
sure of the gratitude I expressed easily became focused and mindful
at that shakuhachi gathering, and and that this sometimes would even
every time since: that I can express last for longer periods than what
my heart, free of any ideas or con- you would ordinarily think possi-
cepts. Language can be a barrier, ble for small children. It dawned on
because it represents ideas and con- me that I didn’t have mindfulness
cepts, so the listener/reader can problems; I had respect problems!

26
Zen & Tea
And it is easy to have respect chal-
lenges in a world where every-
thing is mass-produced by compa-
nies that don’t respect the Earth,
or even their customers—by workers
who don’t love or respect what they
do. Things are made to be used and
discarded these days, not respected.
Through tea I rediscovered my
respect for all areas of my life, and
my mindfulness—my Zen.
My teacher used to say that you
can tell everything about a student’s
Zen by watching the way they treat
their shoes. I would say the same
about tea: you can tell a Chajin’s
relationship to tea by the way they
treat their cups and bowls, pot and
kettle, and even the tea they jar for
later. This doesn’t mean you need
to buy the nicest, most expensive
teaware. That is just one way of
showing respect. But in finding your
respect for tea as plant medicine, for
the guest if you are the host, or host
if you are the guest, you will have
found the mindful, sacred center of
tea—the place where tea and Zen
meet. With respect, a tea practice
naturally leads into the feeling of
sacred, the still place in the center of
the heart. The transformative magic developing over years of practice, in tion. That may work. But ultimately,
of a tea session is dependent upon which you are peaceful on the cush- the real way to make your life more
this respect, like most all relation- ion, but feel as though much more spiritual is to start doing more
ships one has in life. of the insight cultivated in medita- things with sacred intention. Walk-
Aside from respect for guest and tion could somehow be translated ing up and down stairs, brushing
host, respect for tea as plant med- into your daily life. I’ve certainly you teeth, eating—these can all be
icine and for one’s teaware, there is felt this way. Sometimes you lose meditations! And tea encourages
also respect for the practice itself. all your meditation in a moment’s this. Through this practice, I find
Never underestimate the power anger, for example. If you already myself closer to living the way I long
of repetitive practice! We are crea- have a meditation practice, you will to. I am closer to the one I wish to
tures of habit. We learn through find that tea facilitates the medita- be.
repetition. And when it comes to a tive mind in daily life. If you pre-
moving meditation like tea, there pare tea after meditation, you may
are many subtle changes that come find that more of the insights and Why Zen?
from brewing the tea upright, with transformations realized on the
intention and mindfulness day after cushion start to find their way into Let’s have one more bowl…
day, month to month and even for your day. As you move through the Before we wrap up this session, and
years. Muscles change, energy begins ordinary activity of preparing tea with your permission, I thought
to flow differently, and you may with a meditative mind, you learn I’d share my three favorite aspects
even see the world differently. This to bring that mind to other activities of Zen, and why I have devoted
is taking the tea bridge from life to as well. And this is the secret to hav- so much of my life to a Zen prac-
Zen. ing more Zen in your life. The key tice and way of life. The first thing
The bridge also leads from Zen to being more spiritual is not neces- I love about Zen is its irreverence.
to Tea. As meditators, we often sarily in doing more of a particular For example, there is a tradition of
find a strange sense of dichotomy activity like yoga or seated medita- writing witty graffiti on scriptures,

27/ Tea to Zen

like Hakuin’s commentary on the limitations of whatever lens you are is not as difficult to understand and
Heart Sutra. This is something very looking through. Later, others may perhaps helps me to better under-
powerful. Zen is special for not only have a better lens and see things stand how to live a life of Zen in the
publically acknowledging, but cele- from a clearer perspective. Science modern world. Since the emphasis
brating its own limitations. There is grows and expands upon itself in is not on a particular dogma, doc-
a very real way in which this thing this way, and so does Zen. trine or scripture, Zen encourages
we call Zen is not the “it” we are And that brings me to the sec- any expression that facilitates the
seeking, nor even the “it” we are ond thing I love most about Zen, meditative mind, and that means
learning from. Zen is not what we which is that, like science, it never an up-to-date flow of poetry, callig-
are looking for. It may show the way stops growing. If you remember the raphy, art and scripture, ancient to
to the truth, but it isn’t the truth. foundations of Zen we discussed modern.
One of my favorite Zen sayings earlier, you can see that the third Finally, the thing I love most
demonstrates this: “Zen is a stall and fourth principles of Zen put the about Zen is that, as this article
selling water by a river.” focus on experiential truth. With has demonstrated, there are always
The truth is all around us. And such an emphasis on experiential many and more excuses to drink
our minds, our ideas and philos- wisdom, Zen has always encouraged tea. I love that tea helps me to find
ophies—our explanations of our new expansions and expressions the meditative mind when I have
world—are all a part of this world, of truth. In other words, there is a lost my respect for the world. And I
but they aren’t to be confused with never-ending stream of new Zen lit- also love that once I am centered, I
it. The finger pointing at the moon erature and some of it is as good as can then use tea to express my med-
is not the moon. All views are pro- the great scriptures of old. I am as itative experience to others. If they
visional. The scientific method inspired by Shunryu Suzuki’s books weren’t serving so much tea, I never
demands that. You cannot under- as I am by the Platform Sutra of Hui would have found my way into a
stand the way things are, only how Neng. In some ways, Suzuki’s mod- Zen center…
they are now as seen through the ern work is even a better read, as it

28
Chaxi Arrangement

Zen & Flowers

禪 -Shen Su

和 As you learn chaxi arranging, you quickly discover that so

花
many other art forms are relevant to making a nice chaxi
that transforms your guests. And no art is more important
to chaxi than flower arranging. Flowers will always be a
part of tea, which is why we asked Shen to explore the rela-
tionship between Zen and flower arranging for this issue.

F
lowers are said to be the part of the deep understanding the it might just cause someone to smile
enlightenment of the plant Buddha saw in Mahakasyapa’s smile. in Mahakasyapa enlightenment!
kingdom. Since ancient In that moment, Mahakasyapa was And in such a practice, the flowers
times, they have been offerings on flowering, and the flower was smil- are fulfilled. The sacrifice made by
countless altars, for what better gift ing. them, in growing and dying for us,
could one present to the Divine When we realize the deeper is meaningful. Their lives are prop-
than the enlightened aspects of this meaning of our actions, we are less erly celebrated by such a sacred act,
world, symbols of the very pinna- likely to sacrifice their essence to and we are then worthy of having
cle of Nature’s glory? The Buddha a surface level convenience. For them in our space.
also recognized the power of a sin- example, while it is nice to arrange And so, like anything, we get
gle flower. It is said that upon Vul- flowers to make a space more beau- back what we put into it. We get
ture Peak, the Buddha stood before tiful, one might use fake flowers to awe-inspiring flower arrangements
a large congregation of monks, nuns, the same effect. This would be more when we show up with an awareness
and laity. Perhaps in stark contrast to convenient. But if I think of each of and appreciation of that flower the
the expectations of the assembly, the my flower arrangements as an offer- Buddha held high in the air. This
Buddha remained silent, and instead ing, like the Buddha made during awareness inspires us to make flower
held forth a flower. The respectable his sermon, then flower arranging arrangements with the same power,
Mahakasyapa smiled unto this and is not just about beautifying a space as if every blossom we ever use were
became the first patriarch of the Zen anymore, but about creating the that mythical one. And in an abso-
tradition. Though Zen has developed opportunity for someone to awaken, lute sense, they are!
and changed over the course of time, or at least rest in the stillness that There is no particular style to
flowers still play an integral role in flowers so miraculously grant us. My Zen flower arranging. It is not a
the life of any Zen practitioner. orientation towards flower arranging method or a pragmatic approach to
Flowers were beautiful long means everything; it’s the difference arranging the flowers themselves.
before any humans held them in between a chore and a Zen prac- It is a celebration and a welcom-
their hands. But beauty that knows tice. If what we do is connected to ing of our true selves, our guests
it’s beautiful is more powerful than something greater than ourselves, it and Nature. The space in which the
beauty alone! That is what human becomes something greater than just flowers are arranged and the qual-
consciousness contributes to the a task; it becomes art, or even some- ity of the mind arranging them are
equation. We cannot perceive of thing sacred—it becomes Zen. the primary considerations. In our
beauty unless it is inherent within When arranging your own center there are different spaces
us, and so to look upon this world Zen flowers, remember the impe- and occasions that call for differ-
through that lens of awareness is to tus they played in the very flower- ent flower arrangements. Some
bring great joy to the world itself, as ing of human consciousness, and are very elegant and intricately
the beauty in us now sees its reflec- let that motivate you to make each arranged, while others are more rus-
tion in Nature! And that was a small arrangement your best one ever, for tic or even simply scattered about.
29
When you ask of the dark,
The master shows you the light.
When you ask of the light,
She shows you the dark.
Forgetting shadows and suns,
The world rolls away—
Blossoms bloom, blossoms fall.

—Wu De
Chaxi Arrangements

Certain arrangements represent scatter wild ones to suit the theme The living and dying of flowers
abundance and others are made to of the chaxi. In the window peer- before our very eyes is a beautiful
express humility. Most important, ing into our gongfu room, we often reminder of the fleeting imperma-
however, is that we follow the stem display a variety of flower arrange- nence of all things, including this
into the water of Truth all flowers ments, ranging from elegant and very life. In them, we find our own
drink from… floral, to austere and even flowerless. mortality, and an ability to cele-
At our center, we arrange and You will also notice homey arrange- brate the present moment. Flowers
offer fresh flowers in different ments offered in and around the are fully awake, from the moment
spaces. In our main tea hall and kitchen. And, of course, we adorn they open to the moment they die
meditation room, you will always many of our altars with beautiful, and become something else. In Zen,
find orchids on display. They sym- abundant and fresh flowers. We we do not throw our used flowers
bolize abundance, and this is cer- keep these flowers changed through- away. We bury them, burn them,
tainly an abundant center—thanks out the week as needed to welcome place them in a stream or dispose
to you! We are so grateful for your our guests, beautify our Tea and Zen of them in some other ceremonious
support and we celebrate that with center, create opportunities for still- fashion—thankful for all they have
offerings of Nature’s enlightenment. ness, and pay homage to the roots taught us on their way to becoming
On the tea table itself, we often of this tradition, in the flower that soil, and flower again…
arrange simple flowers or sometimes began it all.

31/ Zen and Flowers

 Your ability to arrange Zen flow- start arranging and viewing your
ers need not depend on books, vid- own Zen flowers.
eos or guidelines. Like a good tea Zen, after all, is a state of mind,
session, in which the most import- and so the Zen flower is akin to
ant element is the one serving the an open state of mind, one that is
tea, the most important aspect of a empty and receptive, like a good
flower arrangement is the arranger. tea bowl. If a flower arrangement
Average tea served with heart will reminds you of that truth, it has
always be better than the best tea done its job well! Beyond that,
served without any intention at flowers point to the still space, into
all. While great teaware and skill which no words may follow…
are ideal in conjunction with great
intention, the latter is primary. So
too, a variety of vases and abundant
flower sources are great, but keep
things simple in the beginning. Let
your intentions motivate you to

Let these flowers remind you of

your own potential for awakening.
View them carefully and pay atten-
tion to not only the flowers and fill-
ers but the spaces in between. There
must be space to honor each flower,
just as we must create space in our
lives to make room for growth and
welcome change. Notice how you
feel when fresh flower arrangements
surround you in your environment.
Make a practice of both arranging
Zen flowers and of viewing them. Watch the Zen and
Look towards Nature for inspira-
Flowers video now!
tion. A Zen flower arrangement
might be found in the most unlikely
spot if you are open to seeing it. www.globalteahut.org/videos

32
W
alking down this tea As we grow in the knowledge ing of a desire to share this Way
path, it can feel more of tea history, production, terroir with others!
and more like a laby- and preparation, we simultane- This summer, after the cab driver
rinth. As straightforward as learning ously deepen our tea wisdom. This dropped me off in near halluci-
about tea can seem, especially with a becomes especially clear in light of nation at the front gate, I had the
marvelous guide like the Global Tea the rare issues of this magazine that great fortune of walking into Tea
Hut magazine to help clarify things, focus on and elucidate Tea as a Way, Sage Hut myself. The journey left an
the actual experience of a life of as Cha Dao. Because the impact indelible impact upon me. It would
tea unfolds in a deep, multifaceted of Cha Dao is much subtler than be very easy to explain the value of
way over time as one digests it. Tea receiving a gift of tea this and every my stay in terms of the hospital-
leaves in a bowl eventually lead to month, it may not yet be completely ity I received: delicious meals, cozy
gongfu sets, which themselves start obvious or important, even to long- accommodations, endless tea cere-
out utilitarian and eventually shed term subscribers, that there is a monies and boundless love. But the
themselves into finer clays and richer physical place one can visit, a center most valuable thing, indeed price-
porcelains of greater benefit to a sub- in Miaoli, Taiwan, called “Tea Sage less to me, was my experience of the
tler tea liquor. A few cups of red tea Hut,” which functions as the epicen- “secret sauce” underpinning all of
here and there lead to everyday pots ter of this publication; and within the activities at the Hut. And that
of belly-filling shou puerh, which in which its residents practice this Way secret, the most confusing of them
turn leads to special and rare aged of Tea every single day! Indeed, it all, is called “Zen.”
sheng puerh or Cliff Tea sessions that is only through the cultivation of If you are anything like I was
alter one’s sense of self far more than Tea as a Way at Tea Sage Hut that prior to my visit, the meaning of
we would think possible at the out- Global Tea Hut could even exist in this word “Zen” remains quite elu-
set. But then the simplicity comes the first place, as the production of sive, and it is hard to find its pulse.
back; it always does. this magazine arises as an outpour- By contrast, Cha Dao is much

33
 A Review of Wu De’s Book
Zen & Tea One Flavor
-Mike Baas

more tangible to me: Do everything a more high-quality setup! Knowing tunately for all of us with the desire
you do as if you were serving tea. these impulses well, the residents of to visit Tea Sage Hut, Wu De has
But this begs the question: How do Tea Sage Hut set their minds each provided a guidebook we can read
you serve tea? The package of tea day to achieving the true simplic- well ahead of our visit in order to
that arrives each month, the water ity of Tea in all that they do. What prepare us for what awaits. Let’s get
used to brew it, the kettle and the I learned during my stay is that the into some of its finer points now…
teapot employed in the service of way in which they “set their minds” The format of Zen & Tea One
brewing—all of these things are so to this achievement is Zen. Flavor has us alternating between
hands-on. And in fact, many peo- As Wu De writes at the outset of figuratively “having a cup of tea”
ple who drink tea relate solely to his book, Zen & Tea One Flavor, “It and reading a commentary “while
these graspable attributes, such that is said that the flavor of Zen and the the next one steeps.” This meta-
tea service is so obvious as to not flavor of tea are the same, and with- phor is helpful to understanding
warrant deeper thoughts: pour the out an understanding of one, there the profound philosophy of Zen
hot water on the leaves, pass cups is no mastery of the other.” There- and Tea, since it reminds us to do
around and drink! But is this actu- fore it appears mandatory that those just that: drink tea while we read,
ally the process being performed? Is practicing the Way of Tea would and contemplate between steepings.
tea so simple? On closer examina- concurrently practice Zen in order Anyone reading Zen & Tea One
tion, one will find that along with to achieve anything resembling mas- Flavor (or any book for that mat-
the leaves there is some judgment tery. You only have to take one short ter) would be wise to follow its tea
about their quality; along with the tour around the Tea Sage Hut to drinking guidelines, as they serve
pouring of water is the stream of know that something approaching to properly pace the reading for
a mental checklist of things to be mastery is in full effect. There, the optimum digestibility. And more
done that day; and along with the heart of Zen is beating everywhere if so than many other books, this one
kettle and teapot is the desire to get you know how to feel its pulse! For- must be digested to be understood.

34
Zen & Tea
It is important in Zen that this wis- tice “celebrating the ordinary,” and order to start applying them, Wu
dom becomes “one’s own wisdom.” take this party to the nth degree, i.e. De soon reminds us that no check-
Wu De’s transmissions in this book every opportunity in every moment. list is ever going to help us, really.
are imparted in such a way that an Complete Zen and Tea mastery is “To understand the essence of Zen,”
open mind, colored by Tea, can eas- never going to be found in a single he says emphatically, “you must be
ily embody it. He himself says that session or even in the epic “twen- Zenless.” Once you arrive here in
actually imbibing tea along with ty-one cup session” of this book. the book, having established a sense
his literary cues to do so is not nec- This is why the residents of Tea Sage of foundation, you will hopefully see
essary, but I highly recommend it! Hut have configured their center, that the engagement with the very
Although any chapter in the book both in schedule and in Fengshui, book you now hold in your hands
can be read at random, Wu De as a place to make everything hap- is the very opportunity to practice
describes the book in his introduc- pening inside its walls a big cele- letting go of the foundation you
tion as a “twenty-one cup session,” bration. A sign hanging next to the built up reading it! The reading sud-
suggesting a slow digestion bowl by front entrance of the Hut reads: “No denly becomes a great opportunity
bowl—equal parts book and actual Entry Except on Party Business!” for direct experiential wisdom! Will
tea! Subsequent chapters unfold the you put the book down, stunned,
As the first chapter asks us to terms of the celebration: cleanliness in order to pour another cup of tea
approach Tea and Zen with an and purity, equal vision towards that in an attempt to get to the bottom
empty, ready-to-learn mind, it which one experiences, full partic- of it, only to realize that Tea itself
helps to start reading this book in ipation, removal of judgment and is just as bottomless!? I realized that
the same way. There he poignantly comparison. There is definitely a just as Tea Sage Hut is a center that
describes a tea session as “a basket “way” to Zen just as there is a “way” is a realized expression of Zen, this
to convey something deeper.” The to Tea. As Wu De’s writing circu- book certainly meets Wu De’s aspi-
book, like a tea session, is pointing itously defines the way in which we ration that it be an expression of
at something ineffable. Tea and Zen can actually celebrate continuously, Zen art rather than be about Zen art.
are too big to be spoken; yet Wu De not just in fits and starts or only Applying the transitive property, this
can’t help but utter many, many pro- while having a formal tea ceremony, book is then also a realized expres-
found things throughout this book, he enables us to see that these terms sion of Tea. Therefore, quod erat
weaving a succinct and poetic fusion aren’t arbitrarily set forth. Constant demonstrandum, if you really want to
of traditional Zen sayings into his one-pointed mindfulness becomes understand that package of tea that
own wisdom. He is not trying to more realistic, along with a foun- comes in the mail each month, you
feed you this wisdom as a means to dation for practicing Zen through must read this book. Then sometime
fill you up, though. The point is that tea. Tea gives us the perfect platform shortly after you read Zen & Tea
if you come empty-handed (and upon which to cultivate this founda- One Flavor, you must visit Tea Sage
minded) to the book, your own tion, and Wu De’s constant clarifica- Hut in order to celebrate!
wisdom will arise spontaneously. tion of Zen avenues to masterful tea To close, I would like to end this
This happened to me while reading preparation stands us in good stead. review expressing my deep admira-
it and during my stay at the Hut, “Leaves and Water” is one of tion for Wu De’s take on the famous
and I have been forever changed as my favorites chapters because it twelfth-century ox-herding pictures,
a result. describes an important roadblock remade as “The Lost Tea-brewing
In the second chapter, Wu De to accomplishing the promise of a Pictures,” that conclude the book.
explains that to a tea sage, “the pots, constant Zen party: the progression The images and story contained
cups and utensils are there to pro- of your own life! Here Wu De takes therein left me with a thoroughly
mote Samadhi, one-pointed mind.” a step back from tea and looks at all satisfied feeling that I had just trav-
So here we learn that at least part of the other elements that comprise the eled through a supremely special
the “something deeper” promoted life of a Chajin: one’s own health, work of art. May you be as happy as
by a tea session is a certain quality artistic impulses, hopes and dreams, I was when I first finished this great
of mind. He goes on to suggest that the uniqueness of one’s own jour- work!
this mind is really “no mind at all.” ney, etc. Reconciling and harmoniz-
And those of us who have spent our ing everything that one is becomes
lives chasing down this no-mind in another term of the celebration. As
meditation know how consistently Wu De puts it, “After some time, Turn the page to read a sample
elusive it can be. Does the book when art and life consummate, you chapter from Zen & Tea One Fla-
finally reveal the secret to attaining realize that you are drinking Zen.” vor...
it? Wu De explains that, in order to Lest we start jotting down the
have a chance, we’ll have to prac- prerequisites to a proper Zen life in

35/ Zen & Tea One Flavor Book Review

Zen & Tea
One Flavor

Aaron Fisher
無為海
Aaron Fisher
ZEN & TEA ONE FLAVOR 無為海
Zen & Tea
You devas should know that all
such forms are taught by buddhas
The First Cup according to the ways of the world
and not according to their inex-
Empty It Onto the Ground pressible meaning.

—The Buddha
Have a cup
One of the wisest professors a God? What happens when we his eyes, “Your mind is like that cup,
at the University of Punditry had die?… so pray tell me: Where am I to pour
reached the end of a long and pros- As he planned for the trip, the the wisdom you seek?”
perous career, with an alphabet of scholar made lists of questions—
letters after his name and a para- crossing some out with red ink and
graph of awards to put in the small rewriting them. He then paced his While the next pot is
biographies printed on the backs study memorizing them, as it would steeping
of his many books. He smiled and be unseemly to bring the actual list
accepted compliments, pretending before the monk. He insisted that Is your cup full or empty? Do
to be modest while his face betrayed his family stay behind in the small you come to your tea as 5.2 grams
the fact that he was basking in it village, hiking up the trail himself. of puerh tea harvested by the Meng-
all. Despite his intellectualism and After a long, grueling trek, he found hai factory in 1997 using the 8582
the fact that he had lived so disem- the small temple and adjoining cot- recipe, with slightly larger leaves…
bodied that most ordinary people tage. or are you empty? Can your cup
couldn’t understand what he was The monk invited him in. When hold the tea you wish to drink, or
saying—despite his “elephantiasis of he said that he had come from far has it too become something you’ve
the ratiocination organ” (as he him- away to ask the monk some ques- filled with ideas, opinions, questions
self would call it), he did deep down tions of the utmost importance, the or comments? And can we really
wish to understand the Truth, the old man asked him to sit down and enjoy the aroma, the flavor or the
world and even perhaps himself. He insisted that they first drink some comfort of a cup of fine tea when
wasn’t really content. tea. This made the impatient scholar we’ve made of it but another topic
He had spent twenty years seek- a bit peeved, as he had waited so in our libraries?
ing answers in the library, discussing many years and was anxious to There is enough to think about,
and re-discussing his ideals over and test the wisdom of one who hadn’t worry about and debate in our lives
again in the jargon he and others read nearly enough books, but he without making the times set aside
had created. They sent memos—and agreed out of politeness. As the for our relaxation into something
later in their careers, emails—argu- water boiled the old monk glanced serious. Instead, let tea be just leaves
ing the nuances of what “Truth” out the window at the mountains, and water. Approach it with an
itself meant (because, of course, one and the scholar thought he was empty mind, ready to learn from
had to establish all that before any being ignored. He used the time to the liquor itself rather than from a
real understanding could begin). organize his questions in his mind, book on tea processing, history or
Now, however, at the end of this silently counting them off on his other trivia. Some of that is fun and
long, winding path through aca- fingers. we’re all curious; it can also be useful
demia, he still felt hollow, as if he When the tea was ready, the when purchasing tea, for knowing
was in fact no closer to understand- monk placed a bowl before the about tea production makes one an
ing why he was here or what life was scholar and leaned over with the aware consumer. However, now that
about. teapot. His wizened hands were the tea is before us, let us wash away
A friend of the family was over perfectly steady, and the stream of all the intellectual traps, whether
for dinner one night and described tea poured so smoothly it appeared about tea, Zen, spirituality, the Way
a recent trip to the mountains. He soft in the dim light—it poured, we should live or even the Way we
mentioned meeting a monk who and poured and poured. Soon the should drink tea…just leaves and
lived way up a winding trail in a tea reached the rim of the cup. Then water.
small temple. He said the monk had beyond. It spilled over the table and There aren’t any questions
become quite famous in the region splashed onto the mat next to the about yourself to which you
for his wisdom and perspicacity. The scholar with a resounding, “Hey! don’t already have the answers.
scholar’s ears perked up. Perhaps one What are you doing?!” The old There is nothing about the
such as this would have the answers monk set the pot down gently and tea you need to know which
to life. What did it all mean? Is there gestured to the brimming cup with isn’t taught by the liquor itself.

37/ Zen & Tea One Flavor

 無
的

There is no need to record the ket (Hosen).” After the basket car- ity of its time empty, so that when
moment with an internal dia- ries something, it is abandoned. the tea is finally poured it will be
logue—no need to describe the tea. Dump out your cup. Throw out fresh and new, unaffected by any
There is just leaves and water. all you have learned about medi- cups I’ve drunk in the past. The tea I
When asked how to practice tation, tea or the Way. There is no had before doesn’t matter—only this
Zen, the master responded: “Drop need to understand tea when we can cup! The moments that have gone or
all opinions!” let the tea understand us. A simple, are yet to come also are not in this
Don’t approach tea as the scholar empty cup or bowl resting on the cup here before me. Without judg-
in this cup-story. Don’t come to the table as it awaits tea is the perfect ment, plain and unadorned wisdom
mountain hermitage of your tea symbol of the Zen mind: always is poured into me, emptied again,
space with a lot of questions in the beginning, always humble and wait- poured, emptied… If your mind is
form of words. Instead, sit down ing. too full, empty it; and if it’s empty,
before your cup of tea with a clear, Lao Tzu often said that it was the fill it. That is the natural and skillful
relaxed mind—open to any wisdom spaces between a house’s walls that use of a cup: empty… full… empty.
it brews. This is, in fact, how the made it useful, the hollow part of a full…
Zen adept approaches life: as if each pitcher that held the water; and, we Your cup is now empty and
moment was the master, and there may add, it is the freedom of the awaiting the tea that will soon be
was something to learn from every empty cup that makes it beautiful: poured, filling you with wisdom and
blade of grass. I am that cup, humble and indis- Truth more palpable and real than
The tea sessions, like any words criminate. The cup doesn’t object. It any concept of an experience can
that could describe them, are just holds great and mediocre tea alike. ever be. Each sip is pure, unadulter-
“fingers pointing at the moon.” It also remains untainted after the ated living wisdom and monumen-
They are a basket to convey some- tea is drunk. It is filled with a tea tal presence, here and now. This is
thing deeper. And that is why Jap- for some time and then releases it your life, it isn’t elsewhere and there
anese tea masters have often called without a trace. Thoughts also pass is no need to think about it, ratio-
tea books, tearooms and even their through my mind, like tea through nalize it or analyze it—just drink it!
disciples by names like: “forgotten this cup; and let them also leave no
Basket (Bosen)” or “Abandoned Bas- traces to taint my future tea sessions.
Let my mind also spend the major-
38
Voices from the Hut

Daily Meditation
每
日
& Tea Practice
-Rich Allum
打
坐 Earlier in this issue, Wu De spoke about how tea is a
bridge between Zen and Tea that leads both from the

喝
profane to the sacred and the other way as well. Rich decid-
ed to do this experiment to journal what would happen as
he drank tea and then meditated, versus meditation and
茶 then tea drinking. While there may not be a decisiveness to
this approach, his daily journal chronicles a life of tea and
Zen worth reading. He shares in his experience, challenges
and difficulties, as well as his insights and hope.

W
hilst staying at the Tea fits of doing such an experiment. drink tea first.” I told myself, “I can’t
Sage Hut in Taiwan I I felt that the best time to conduct concentrate, this isn’t working!” I
was talking with Wu this practice was first thing in the do usually drink tea prior to medi-
De about my desire to begin writ- morning, with the hope that in the tation in the morning, so on reflec-
ing again. Other than the occasional years to come I’d be able to extend tion my reaction made sense. In that
haiku, I haven’t written much of any- this practice of experiential analysis moment, I was shocked at having
thing since my school days, despite and then habit reformation into the seen the fixed view I had gained
having a desire to. Quite simply, I rest of my life. Sharing this personal from a mere six to eight months of
had no subject to write about or any journal of my experience will hope- conditioning. Also, I had meditated
reason to write about it! Wu De then fully be useful to others with a tea without the aid of tea for over two
suggested that I could conduct an and meditation practice. years beforehand, so my craving for
experiment involving tea and medi- a specific order to things was cer-
tation and write about that, as there tainly surprising. The tea session
are many readers of Global Tea Hut Day 1 that followed my meditation was a
magazine out there who are just as contemplative one: “How often do
Since it was the first day, my
inexperienced in these matters as I I behave out of conditioning and in
mind was distracted with the myr-
am, and may be interested to hear what circumstances?” I wondered,
iad of things I thought I needed to
the views of a like-minded person. already knowing the answers. The
pay attention to and look out for,
The experiment was to see what the tea itself, though, was a disappoint-
to notice and to write down. It took
difference between meditating and ment. There was no magic, no con-
what felt like a lifetime for my mind
then drinking tea or drinking tea and nection and, on a sensory level, no
to be calm enough to even consider
then meditating had on one’s morn- enjoyment, although it was a tea
myself meditating. As usual, the
ing practice and day in general. that I love! I vowed to try again
thoughts of last night’s TV shows,
I decided that I would dedicate tomorrow with a beginner’s mind.
the work schedule for the day ahead
an hour each morning for two weeks
and the coming weeks’ jobs to be
to this experiment: half an hour in
meditation and half an hour drink-
done periodically filled my head, Day 2
coming and going like waves of dis-
ing tea with mindful awareness,
traction lapping at the shore of my I think my whole being
swapping the order after one week.
mind. Then I noticed a recurring needed to meditate today. No
As they are both daily activities for
idea: “It would have been better to sooner had I sat on my cushion
me, I immediately saw the bene-

39
Voices from the Hut
and straightened my back than my Day 4
whole body relaxed—my mind

深
quieted down and my concentra- My meditation felt short today.
tion deepened. Throughout the Perhaps it was because I felt partic-
session many thoughts appeared ularly absorbed. I attended a med-

安
as always, but today they merely itation workshop last night that
came and went. I clung to none of focused on working with sensations
them. Needless to say, my tea ses- within the body, from the gross to

內
sion afterwards was a complete con- the subtle. These sensations were
trast to that of yesterday. Everything the focus of this morning’s session.
about it seemed different, seemed When the time came for tea I was

發
deeper. The steam coming from my still very centered, calm and alert,
bowl danced before me in a way and the difference it made to my
I’ve never noticed before, the liquor tea experience was quite apparent.

現
was a beautiful gold, shimmering in As soon as I lifted my bowl, I could
the morning sunlight. The mouth- feel the heat and energy through my
feel was exquisite, and I noticed hands and arms, much like the day
how easily the tea passed down my before but much more intensely.
throat, warming me from the core. I don’t mean simply that the bowl
I ended the session with a strong was hot; it felt like I could feel the
feeling of quiet contentment, ready vibration of the heat transferring
for the day ahead and feeling much from the bowl and then through my
more open to meditating before tea! body. I took a sip and again I could
feel that energy as it moved down
my throat. I was also amazed at the
Day 3 taste of the tea! Although I love the
purple-red tea that I was drinking,
I woke up tired and yet the it had never tasted like this before.
prospect of meditating didn’t seem There was an amazing sweetness to
off-putting. I sat on my cushion it and a depth of flavor that lingered
and spent half an hour sitting with- for minutes after each bowl (hui “Never ever (times ten!) pick up the
out too much distraction. When gan?). I’ve read that this returning kettle until your heart is still!” And
it came to drinking tea, I wasn’t on the breath is a sign of a good tea, just like that, I was transported from
expecting a repeat of yesterday’s but it had never been so noticeable my negative space into the present
heightened awareness, making the to me before. I finished my session moment. I waited a minute or two
assumption that an uneventful med- with an overwhelming feeling of until I was sure and then poured.
itation would lead to an uneventful peace and contentment. Unlike most days this week, today
tea session. On the surface I was it was the turn of Tea, and perhaps
right; my senses didn’t detect any- more importantly the ritual of brew-
thing extraordinary in the bowl or Day 5 ing, as I am learning to practice it,
my surroundings. However, my that calmed and centered me. Today,
internal experience surprised me! My meditation this morning
tea was the meditation, rather than
I’m far too inexperienced to talk of was full of distractions. All manner
merely an activity for after medita-
Qi, and I’m not even sure I could of thoughts, coupled with a mon-
tion. As I finished my tea session,
describe what it feels like as it moves strous feeling of hunger, made con-
I found myself thinking of a quote
within us, but I definitely experi- centration very difficult indeed. I’m
from Shunryu Suzuki’s Zen Mind,
enced something today that I hadn’t sure we’re all aware that hunger has
Beginner’s Mind: “Not two, not one.
felt before. As I drank the first bowl a huge impact on our mental well-
This is the most important teaching.
my attention was drawn inwards, being, and this morning was testa-
Not two and not one. Our body
to a feeling that was radiating from ment to that fact. I couldn’t settle
and mind are not two and not one.”
my core upwards towards my head. or concentrate and found myself
Although I know he was not talking
I felt more alert and energized, but becoming quite vexed until the
about tea and meditation when he
calm—it wasn’t like the adrenaline sound of my kettle snapped me out
said this, I couldn’t help but feel it
kick of too much caffeine or sugar; of my negative spiral. As I touched
was relevant to me at the time…
it was more subtle... the handle, I remembered Wu De’s
golden rule from a previous issue:

41/ Daily Meditation and Tea

 念
念
不
離
心

Day 6 Day 7 Day 8

I returned to my bodily experi- My meditation this morning Today marked the first day of
ence today, concentrating my mind was deep and calm; both body and the next stage of my experiment,
on my hara during meditation and mind felt more still than they have tea before meditation. My tea ses-
on into my tea session afterwards. I for some time. Simultaneously, I sion was peaceful. There was a real
noticed something strange: by keep- felt a strong sense of metta, lov- sense of quiet as I gazed out of my
ing my mind on my body experi- ing-kindness. My heart felt light patio doors, occasionally noticing
ence and less on my physical actions and open and this sense of peace the wisps of incense smoke drift-
during tea, my movements became seamlessly echoed throughout my ing around my living room. As I
more fluid. I felt a union between tea time. I noticed that I was more drank my last bowl and settled my
my left and right sides, like every- present today. My movements felt hands into the dhyana mudra, the
thing worked well together. I also slow and controlled, easy almost. first thing I noticed was the clar-
felt a sense of harmony. I believe I also noticed that when my mind ity of mind and my level of focus. I
that most of the time my brain is did wander it was only for a fleet- dropped right into meditation with
too engaged in what I’m doing, as ing moment before it returned to a real sense of purpose. I gently
I try desperately to control every the tea. Usually this sort of return- watched my breath with an unusu-
aspect of any given moment. The ing requires a great deal of determi- ally low amount of distraction until
idea of “Mushin no shin (the mind nation and an internal battle ensues my alarm sounded to signify the end
without mind),” is certainly not a over where my mind should be of meditation and the start of my
new concept to me, and you may focused! Overall, my final session day. I was feeling good!
have heard this as well. But, like me, of meditation before tea was one of
you will probably hear it many more peaceful rapture.
times before you truly understand
it and have the ability to apply it to
your life. Still, today felt like at least
a tiny movement in the right direc-
tion!

42
Voices from the Hut
Day 9 Day 12
This morning’s session was a dif- making sure that the left and right As my kettle started to murmur,
ficult one for me. A lack of sleep left sides were working interdependently I began to feel grounded. The world
me feeling agitated and my mind and flowing in circles towards the once again felt quiet outside and I
was alight with distraction through- center as we’ve learnt in this maga- sensed that this feeling was reflected
out. My tea brewing felt clumsy, zine. As I moved into meditation, I inside me as well. As I lifted the first
too. On one occasion, I very nearly felt profoundly energized. Despite a bowl to my mouth, my senses were
knocked my teapot over with my feeling of determination, however, ignited by the fragrance of the tea. I
sleeve and at times I seemed to pour this energy did prove to be distract- felt my eyes widen in ecstasy as my
water anywhere but where I needed ing throughout, as I was often con- mind began to imagine the taste
it to go! My meditation was equally sumed with many thoughts and feel- even before the liquor passed my
full of distractions, least of all due ings. During my tea session, I was lips. I was not disappointed! Fully
to my cats fighting an epic duel able to rein in this energy by focus- absorbed in the tea, I remained
over territory with another local ing it on my movements with posi- focused on each bowl. I tried to cap-
feline halfway through my sit! My tive effect. But during meditation, it ture every nuance of each steeping:
ego was tempted to write today off was a hindrance! Was the temperature quite right?
and simply make tomorrow “Day What was the mouthfeel like? How
Number 9” instead. (After all, only easy was it to swallow? Was there
I would know!) But I realized the Day 11 much of an aftertaste? I found
importance of recording the experi- myself surprised at how some days
I was awoken by the rain today.
ences just as I had them, especially these aspects of tea are so invigorat-
As I prepared my tea space, I opened
the more difficult ones. These “bad” ing when my mind is concentrated,
the French doors and breathed in
experiences, as we tend to label and conversely how I fail to even
the petrichor, immediately feeling
them, often hold deeper teachings consider them on days when I’m
a wave of joy and calmness envelop
than those we deem to be “good.” more distracted. I kept my mind
me. I settled down on my cushion
One other thing that today’s ses- returning to my hara during my sit,
as the kettle warmed and looked
sion did highlight for me, though, occasionally noticing a returning of
out into my garden. I watched the
was how my awareness increased the the tea on my breath and a sense of
birds foraging for moss and lis-
more I brought my attention back joy that came with it.
tened to them sing, as a string of
to the present moment. I was very
incense smoke gave in to the breeze.
distracted, but at least I was aware
of it. Today’s session may not have
I closed my eyes and took a deep Day 13
breath, opened my eyes and poured
been blissful, but it was productive!
my first bowl of tea. Then another. I stayed up too late last night
Again and again, becoming more drinking puerh and reading, and
Day 10 still with each sip until the tea was this was very evident this morn-
done. I then closed my eyes again ing! Although I felt calm and
Today started with a deep feeling and folded my hands, dropping into happy, there was an awkwardness
of joy. Last night, I welcomed home meditation. I suppose one could to my movements—a sort of time
a dear friend who had just spent argue that this morning was a bit delay between thought and action,
three months in the mountains of of a cheat, as far as my experiment which led to a few minor collisions
Spain on an ordination retreat. She goes, since I was definitely in a form between kettles, pots and cups.
returned home adorned in a glow as of meditation before and through- (Gladly nothing serious!) I was also
beautiful as her new Buddhist name. out the tea session today. My mind very aware that my inner mono-
The Nottingham Sangha was out in conjured images of friends I would logue was almost constant through-
force, and its warmth and energy have loved to have shared this expe- out my sessions and although my
was palpable! As I settled onto my rience with, pouring metta as well thoughts were pleasant, they were
cushion this morning, I took a as tea into each of their bowls. I seldom about the tea in front of me!
moment to express my gratitude remained still and peaceful until the My meditation was much the same,
for all that I have, and to recognize time came to begin my day. although admittedly it was a little
how fortunate I am in all aspects of more concentrated than the tea ses-
my life, before carefully pouring the sion that preceded it. By constantly
water to heat my teaware. I spent returning to the body, and my pres-
the following thirty minutes paying ent moment experience, I at least
close attention to each movement, found a few minutes of stillness!

43/ Daily Meditation and Tea

Day 14 What I learned
I’ve been studying a book on Whilst at times my descriptions riential joy and improved awareness
conditionality lately as part of a in this diary may appear to be a lit- during my tea session. Although not
dharma course at the Notting- tle lacking in what one might call ostensibly a part of this experiment,
ham Buddhist Centre. One thing progression (at times one could I also think it’s worth considering
in particular stood out to me this even argue there is some visible the activities I participated in on
morning, and it was something regression) I felt the need to write the night before certain tea sessions.
that a friend said last night. It was honestly about my experience so Those nights in which I participated
a quote by Heraclitus: “No man that anyone reading this could in acts of spiritual cultivation such
ever steps in the same river twice,” get a sense of the extent to which as ritual, meditation or study often
for it’s not the same river and he’s my, and presumably anyone else’s, laid the foundations for a produc-
not the same man. As I sat drink- experience varies from moment to tive experience the following morn-
ing a bowl of Old Man Camphor moment, day to day. Whilst I am ing. If I consider Wu De’s teaching,
brewed with the last of the leaves I an extremely novice practitioner by “How we do one thing is how we do
received with the magazine, I knew comparison, I’m sure that even the everything,” then I can see a direct
that this would be the last time I most seasoned of sages have days relationship between the activities
would probably ever get to drink like these, or at least I would like to I choose to devote my time to and
this particular tea. As I took another think so! the consequences I experience in
sip, it occurred to me that this very After two weeks of studying my my life. This short experiment has
bowl would be the last bowl of tea own practice, I have one firm con- encouraged me to devote more time
to ever taste just like this, and so I clusion: tea and meditation are pow- to analyzing my life both at and
attempted to savor every moment of erful allies, and of this I have no away from the tea table, as they too
it! I then tried to apply this concept doubt. Regardless of which order are ultimately the same. Tea and
to the rest of my time on my cush- you choose, really they are one and Zen have the same taste; they are
ion. Each breath was the first and the same thing if practiced correctly. not one and not two. I believe this
last to be just like that, as the next On days where I was grounded to be the right understanding.
breath was different; and so too was and focused during my tea session,
I. What I noticed was how much I found that my meditation was
more focused I was on every aspect deeper and more profound. Like-
of my experience—each element of wise, on days when my mind was
it felt special and worthy of being calm and peaceful during medita-
cherished. tion, I found deeper levels of expe-

茶
禪
一
味
 Teawayfarer
Each month, we introduce one of the Global Tea Hut members to you in these magazines in order to help you get
to know more people in this growing international community. It’s also to pay homage to the many manifestations
that all this wonderful spirit and Tea are becoming, as the Tea is drunk and becomes human. The energy of the Tea
fuels some great work in this world, and we are so honored to share glimpses of such beautiful people and their Tea.
This month we would like to introduce Kent Steedman:

A
fter being asked to be this month’s Teawayfarer,
I had to contemplate my time with Tea. Three
stages come to mind, three key moments that
changed everything. Like most Australians, I drank tea
with my grandparents from the pot with a tea cozy to
keep it warm—strong and loose leaf with milk and sugar.
Then, in my late teens, a friend suggested I try tea with-
out milk. I tried it and I could taste something other
than milk and sugar, the tea.
Many years later, I had my first tea moment. After
drinking herbal beverages for some time, I was taken to
a tea room in Sydney and experienced drinking a sec-
ond generation Da Hong Pao. It was amazing, to say the
least.
My second tea moment came after I became a reg-
ular at that tea room, and got to try many fine teas.
Circumstances changed for the owners, and I ended
up taking over care of the shop. Then the third amaz-
ing thing happened: Six years later, I got an email from
some joker named Sam, asking if another bloke named
Wu De could come prepare tea for a group here. I
thought, “Sure, why not?” I had tried some wild-har-
vested teas before, but not the old growth he’d brought
with him. I didn’t mind puerh, but preferred oolong. A
great puerh is special and can change your relationship
to tea.
So here I am at the Hut, learning more than I knew tion, tradition, brewing and love. Find your truth in Tea
was possible and contemplating Tea and me. In hind- and stand in that truth, remaining open to learn and
sight, it is no surprise I have aligned with Tea. help. Adapt as Nature does.
I have played music for decades, so sound, vibra- I tip my hat and offer my gratitude to the aboriginal
tion and tone have been the primary to my journey and peoples for sharing this herb long ago, to those support-
focus. There is a place in us that music touches that can ing them today, and to other traditional growers every-
only be known when you are in that space; and there is where; I bow to the Tea Hut crew for this lineage and
a knowing that Tea touches that only comes when you for helping those of us who heard the call of Tea, and to
are in the space as well. all of you reading this for participating.
All things are frequency, and Tea is a bridging tone If any of you find yourselves in Sydney and feel like
for me. The first time I stopped and resonated to the listening to records and sharing some fine tea, please
tone of Tea, I knew there was more than I could fathom come by.
in Her song—the sound that goes to all places and con-
tinues to grow, like a tree does. [email protected]
The healing potential of tea is not used to its full
extent yet by most in the East or West, I feel. We can
help this grow more as a global community, which sup-
ports those that maintain the integrity of tea produc-

45
 Inside the Hut
Because of the large number of tea sessions happening around the world, we are going to post about them on our
site from now on and use this section to discuss news happening around the world. If you have any news, like a
wedding, birth or tea happening, let us know and we’ll write about it here. Also, our new site, coming in the next
few months, will connect you to tea sessions around the world in a much better way than this page ever could!

If you haven’t yet, check out the “discussion” Our 2015 Light Meets Life teas are all going
section of our webpage. There is now a place for you fast, and one is already sold out, so if you want one you
to leave reviews of every month’s tea, as well as your should order soon!
experiences with the gongfu tea tips!

Rich Allum, a contributor to this month’s issue, Stay tuned for an announcement about this
and his beautiful wife Becky just gave birth to a healthy year’s Global Tea Hut Trip. You have to have been a
teawayfarer named Tobias Stanely Allum. Raise a bowl member all throughout 2015 to be eligible. This year,
in congratulations to them! we will be reserving half the spots for new guests!

Please make some comments under the new

videos and let us know what you think of the multi-me- Center News
dia Global Tea Hut.
Before you visit, check out the center’s
website (www.teasagehut.org) to read about the
schedule, food, what you should bring, etc. We’ve
had a big increase in our number of guests lately,
We are creating a survey for you all, which we
so if possible please contact us well in advance to
will email you about. It will help us to understand how
arrange a visit.
you use this magazine, which parts you enjoy and want
to see more of, and what we need to improve.
Our brother Denis Mikhaylov is taking
precepts in our tradition this month. He will
soon receive his tea name.

It is Shen Su’s birthday this month, on Feb-

ruary 9th, to be specific. Send him some light,
email him or raise a bowl. He is a bright soul,

February Affirmation without whom the center would not be able to

run!

How you do anything is how you do everything. The center will be closed from April 24th to
the end of May, like every year, to facilitate the
Much more of our life will be spent doing small third annual Global Tea Hut Trip. Wu De plans
things like walking up stairs than the things we think to do less traveling this year, so he will be here
define us. Do I put my heart, my respect and soul in teaching except for that time. Check our website
all that I do? Do I miss my own life? for more details.
www.globalteahut.org GL BAL TEA HUT
Tea & Tao Magazine

The best tea magazine in the world!

Sharing rare organic teas, a magazine full
of tea history, lore, translations, process-
ing techniques and heritage, as well as the
spiritual aspects of Cha Dao. And through
it all we make friends with fellow tea lov-
ers from around the world...