One Time, One Meeting

On Sunday, November the 13th, many of us gathered together at the Chan Meditation Center for tea meditation. The space was set up serenely. Sally lent us beautiful pottery that she collected during her travels around the world. They were all wonderful pieces that were placed on decorated tables ready for us to use for brewing and sharing our tea. The tables and cushions were set up in a way that brought a sense of peace as soon as you entered the Chan Center.

Before we began, Venerable led us through a short sitting meditation. Many newcomers were with us and some possibly did not have much or if any meditation experience at all. Venerable guided us for about ten minutes or so to calm our minds and bodies in order for us to be ready to truly experience the tea meditation that was to come.

As the tea meditation began, we experienced the sound of the hot water flowing into our teapots followed by the warmth of the teacup in our hands, preparing us for the aroma and taste of the freshly brewed tea. Venetable guided us in slowly sipping our tea with mindfulness so that we can truly experience everything that the tea has to offer.

Whenever I sit for tea meditation, I spend a bit of time contemplating all of the causes and conditions that brought this warm cup of tea into my hands. I begin with the natural causes-- the sun, the rain, the soil-- the elements of nature that magically goes into the growth of the tea leaves. I then think of the farmer and those that expertly picked and rolled the leaves. I feel a sense of gratitude for all of the hard work they had put into my tiny cup of tea. I think of the merchants that use their knowledge to choose and buy the best leaves available to sell to us so that we can share it with one another. I think of the rain that fell from the clouds above to become the water that we boil in our kettle to infuse the tea leaves. I begin to feel so much gratitude that I am able to enjoy such a simple pleasure as the liquid warms the inside of my belly with each sip.

I drink a lot of tea throughout the day. It has become somewhat of a hobby of mine for about twenty years now. I purchase quality tea and collect pottery and tea tools as often as I can. This is a love that I have begun to share with my daughter as she has recently started to take an interest in tea and tea ceremony. She came with me to experience the tea meditation and we were blessed to experience such a wonderful moment with everyone. Even though I experience tea meditation by myself daily and sometimes now with Chloe, it is so delightful when I get to share the pleasure with many others. Like Peter shared after the tea meditation, it is one moment that is different from all other moments. Every experience is new; we can all meet together and do it again but it would not be the same moment. It can be just as lovely but it would be a different time. I was very grateful for the moment.

 

By Samuel Edison

Photo by Yin Ting