Simplicity

There is a simplicity in making a pot of tea, there is ritual in the process of cleaning the pot, rinsing and washing the cups and heating the water. There is a ritual that spans thousands of years in the serving and drinking of tea. It is in this simplicity that finds room for contemplation, for thought or for choosing to be in the present and to be an aware witness to this simply beautiful process.

I spent a beautiful September day in a tea house in Beijing with my lovely wife searching for gifts for friends. It was like no other experience I have ever had. The delicate beauty of the tea pots and cups, the aroma of the teas and flowers filled the rooms and sparked my emotion and imagination.

We were offered to sit at a small table by a Chinese woman wearing a traditional dress, embroidered on deep red silk. She asked which tea we wanted to sample, we chose a red flower tea first. The woman in the red silk dress deftly poured a small amount of tea into a clear pot and added a small amount of water. She emptied the hot water into the three cups before us and then filled the pot with water which turned a radiant red color. perfume of flowers filled the room. She then emptied the cups and poured tea into each cup, just a small amount. We then sampled several teas, with the same ritual each time. Walking out of that tea house I realized that for the time we were in there I was in the moment, I was focused on her process of making and serving the tea. In her simple and delicate movements and her undeniable charm she kept my attention.

Like making tea, life is indeed simple, sometimes too simple for our often complicated minds. We have this one day, each day and all the opportunities filled in it. Yet, we spend our lives one day at a time either ruminating about our past of worrying about what hasn’t happened yet. all we have is the moment we are in, all we have is each breath. And within that breath we hold all the potential to change the world, either within ourselves or with others.

Make a pot of tea, take your time, witness the aroma and the warmth of the cup when you pour the tea. Be in this delicious moment when you take your first sip. The clarity of thought afterward will be equally delicious…