The Way of Tea

Amidst the disarray of modern life, I often seek a quiet, simple corner of my life where a timeless ritual of connection and mindfulness exists.

At first glance, brewing tea appears to be a simple process. I boil water, place leaves in a pot, wait, and finally, sip the brew. But these seemingly mundane acts are a sacred ceremony, a sanctuary, a moment of conn ection to the present that resists the forces attempting to divert my precious energy elsewhere. Feeling the warmth of the teaware in my hands, I marvel how such a simple act could unearth such profound tranquility. 

As an avid tea drinker, its connection to Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism did not surprise me. The act of brewing tea mirrors the principles of all three philosophies – universal balance, presence, mindfulness, and hospitality. I lose myself in the ritualistic motions. The mental debris of my mind is gently swept away as I feel the rhythmic pouring of water, observe the unfurling of leaves, and patiently wait for the tea to release its essence.

This ancient tradition is a golden thread that weaves through cultures, continents, and centuries, fostering a connection that transcends divisions constructed by man. From the intricate tea ceremonies of Japan, to the lively tea houses in India, to the time-honored gongfu cha rituals of China, to the communal sharing in the Middle East, and the genial afternoon tea parlors of Europe – each culture's approach to tea is a reflection of its relational essence, embodying our deep-seeded, human desire for connection. 

During a gongfu cha session one morning, I was struck by a thought. How much of my life was influenced by tea? It knitted countless friendships, stitched together laughter and memories, and provided peace in melancholic silences.

Driven by curiosity, I decided to explore this bond deeper. I reached out to my friends, kindred tea lovers spread across the globe as we revisited our shared tea times, unraveling the essence of our relationship with tea. The result was a mosaic of thoughts, memories, and experiences connecting us through the leaf even more deeply than I realized.

Life’s Companion

Tea serves as a catalyst for introspection for many, accompanying life's most intimate moments. Take Adil, an introspective tea enthusiast from Kerala, India whom I met during my year studying at UNISG. Certainly we boned over food, but we connected on a deeper level over tea. He recounted poignant stories laced with meaning – the kind one might ponder over a cup of tea. 

Adil's love for tea revolved around its intimacy, evident in his daily routine. "Every evening is the most exciting part of my day," he said. "I find solace on my couch, rewinding my day and there’s always a cup of tea." He took a sip of his Kanan Devan tea with his usual add-ins of ginger, lemon, and honey before admitting, "Tea is a subtle art piece in the background of life. It is very intimate for me."

But Adil also found community in tea, particularly in South India where he is from. He recalled his uncle's death and how tea provided solace amidst mourning relatives. As it was being served, he recalls the uplifting feeling that washed over him when he realized, “The tea is going to come to me.” The tea eventually made its way down the line of family members but by the time it reached him, there was only one glass left. He found himself sitting next to his cousin, was grieving the passing of his father, and they exchanged a meaningful glance as they shared the last cup."We call it katta," he said, explaining the word's meaning as ‘half’ or ‘pieces’ in the local language, symbolizing the intimate consolation he shared with his cousin.

Adil's relationship with tea extended even further when recounting his harrowing motorcycle journey through Spiti, the Tibetan Plateau, or as it’s known in India, the rooftop of the world. Along with his best friend, they found themselves stranded in a snowstorm at 18,000 feet. Exhausted and freezing, they sought refuge at a nearby monastery and found solace in a cup of green tea offered to him by monks as he sat by the fire. "Tea is comfort," Adil concluded, a smile lighting his face.

A Whisk In Time

I’ve always known my Uncle Ricky as the open-minded, adventurous uncle who studied tea in Japan. Recently, tea has brought us closer together. We connected over a shared passion when he invited me to partake in a Japanese tea ceremony hosted by the local chapter of the Urasenke School of Tea Ceremony.

One Sunday morning, I find myself tucked away at the local temple quietly following my Uncle Ricky around the room, completing tasks in preparation for the ceremony. With his guidance, I learned how to execute each step with the utmost intention.

“I consider myself a practitioner of life through the art of Japanese tea ceremony,” he shares as he teaches me the complex steps of folding pristine sheets of white cloth. He began his tea journey as an undergraduate student at the University of Hawaii in 1987, driven by the allure of Japanese culture and, as he humorously admits, "Japanese girls." 

“After two years of participating in The Way of Tea course, I earned a scholarship to study chado (Japanese tea ceremony) at Midorikai,” a school for international students to learn Japanese tea. “This was my entry into adulthood; in a way, tea taught me that an island boy like me could do something big, like live in a foreign country on my own.” We’ve moved on to soaking the bamboo whisks in an eclectic collection of tea bowls as he recounts the lasting core friendships he made at Midorikai and their tradition of reuniting every five years.

“It’s been years since I discovered chado, but it remains at the center of my life. It’s a bridge linking my past to the present that invites me to reflect on my journey.” He pauses to show me how to carry the tea kettle with special utensils before expounding. 

“I see the past and present as a series of juxtaposed rooms accessible and vivid as I engage in the present moment of the tea ritual. I think about what I did in the past to inform what I am doing in the present.” The skill of juxtaposing time doesn’t just apply to chado and his own life, but extends to the people he cares about. This practice is something he believes in passing on to loved ones, creating a continuum of lessons in navigating life. “Because whether you know it or not, you have a baton to pass on too.” He steps back to observe our preparations coming together. “We all do.” 

I was invited to partake in the Japanese tea ceremony on the heels of my Uncle Ricky returning from Japan where he attended the 50th anniversary of Midorikai with his wife and son. An event that united five generations of tea practitioners and highlighted the timeless essence of the tea ceremony. 

At the casual end of our ceremony, we sat in our line of chairs, listening to my Uncle Ricky reflect on his experience reuniting with his past. From proudly helping his son dress in a formal kimono to a poignant turn of events, “Upon entering the event hall, I met my teacher who passed the baton to me nearly 40 years ago.” 

The serendipitous reunion embodies a full-circle moment, where the past seamlessly intertwines with the present, underscoring the cyclical nature of life and the deep connections forged through the shared journey of tea. “Tea holds lessons through ceremony and I simply see myself here to pass the baton to the next generation,” crafting a legacy that exists beyond the confines of time.

Brewing A Life of One’s Own

As the autumn breeze swept through the tea fields surrounding the office in the countryside of Kyoto, Moe and I strolled amidst the meticulously trimmed tea bushes that were just beginning to blossom with tea flowers. 

Recalling my first encounter with Moe, her passion for Japanese tea and cultural exploration seamlessly intertwined with the memories of our time together. Moe's role as a cultural practitioner and her contagious enthusiasm left an unmistakable mark, weaving a parallel narrative to my own. Little did I anticipate the divergence from societal norms that defined her journey, similar to my own. Our paths converged amidst the tea bushes, captivating me with the unfolding chapters of Moe's exploration, paving the way for a shared journey into the world of tea and its profound impact on personal narratives.

Amidst the tea field, our conversations delved into Moe's childhood memories of sipping mugicha with her parents and sharing sencha with her grandmother. Moe revealed, "Tea took a back seat during my early college years when I was exploring the world as a young adult. It wasn't until I started researching soil science and tea plants that I decided to rekindle my passion for tea. I realized there's a profound connection between tea and the earth. It made me question, 'Why don't I drink tea anymore?'" This revelation led her to a transformative year leaving university to intern on a Japanese tea farm, aligning her with a new sense of self.

Moe's choice to pursue tea wasn't merely a career decision; it was a bold declaration of independence. She shared, "Once I entered the world of tea, life just seemed better. Things fell into place, bringing more happiness to me."

A pivotal moment in Moe's tea journey unfolded during her arrival at the Japanese tea internship, challenging the predetermined path she had followed until then. Recollecting that day, she mused, "I arrived in February on a cloudy day, took the mountain road from my home, and found myself completely in the countryside. Doubts about my decision lingered, but a cup of hojicha brewed by a co-intern offered comfort and a sense of welcome, affirming my choice to forge my own path."

Reflecting on her transformative journey, Moe expressed, "Tea taught me appreciation for myself and who I am. Since the moment I decided to dive into tea and do something different, I have learned to appreciate myself. Tea taught me it's okay to be who you are." In these words, Moe encapsulated the essence of her journey, where tea became a guiding philosophy—a reminder that embracing one's true self is a journey as rich and rewarding as a thoughtfully brewed cup of tea.

Crafting Precious Moments

The lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic plunged us into a surreal existence marked by profound isolation. The stark reality of no physical contact and severed connections left me grappling with an unprecedented sense of solitude when my friends were scattered around the world. As we all retreated to the confines of our homes, an unexpected silver lining emerged—the luxury of time for hobbies. Amid the quietude, tea became my solace and kept me tethered to friends across the globe. The acceptance and innovation of virtual engagements breathed life into our solitary world, where tea sessions metamorphosed into virtual gatherings. 

Karen, a dear friend and tea farm co-intern, won a free tea tasting and through her invitation, I found myself virtually seated at the tea table alongside the owners of Teakan, Claudia and Jan —two extraordinarily curious souls whose paths intertwined with mine in the expansive world of tea. 

With each of our own tea set ups prepared in front of our screens, we all brewed the first tea, a rare yellow tea from Sichuan, China. As I focused on the tea leaves unfurling in my gaiwan I grew fascinated listening to Claudia and Jan share how they found their way to tea and the origin story of their business, Teakan. 

Their tea journey began separately. “I had, what I like to call, a tea-epiphany in Xiamen, China, when I decided to embrace the local culture and opted for tea over coffee,” Claudia recollects. Jan remembers the awe and wonder she experienced when “I just stumbled upon Cultivate Tea, a tea shop in Vancouver that eventually became one of my favorite places to hangout.” Both experiences unexpectedly unveiled the realm of gongfu cha, the Chinese style of preparing tea. 

Despite a six-year age gap in their childhoods, the cousins’ bond strengthened at Cultivate Tea, eventually becoming their preferred tea spot and the birthplace of Teakan. “Everytime we met at Cultivate, we always wondered why people didn’t get to know tea in this [in-depth] way,” Jan recalled as we all began sipping the first few brews of our tea. 

 Claudia, Jan, and Karen, seasoned connoisseurs, especially of Chinese teas, shared their insights, detecting nuances like bamboo shoots and lotus leaves. Their ability to unravel layers of flavor left me in awe, bridging the gap in my tea knowledge. But my inferiority quickly dissipated as we continued to brew and connect over what makes Teakan unique. Claudia enthusiastically shared how “Teakan’s vision goes beyond the tea itself. We aim to cultivate an immersive experience that sparks interest and curiosity in tea through storytelling and shared moments together. From the very beginning, we focused on experience. We didn't just want people to buy our tea. The magic of tea lies in the interaction and discovery.”

We’ve moved on to the second tea, Moonlight White from Yunnan. My brewing station quickly looked like a messy lab experiment with pitchers and teaware scattered about. Throughout the tasting, I realize the magic lies in the communal nature of tea, sparking connections and conversations – about tea or otherwise. Through this curious lens, Claudia and Jan recount beautiful moments shared over tea. 

Jan recalls a poignant encounter, “A woman was moved to uncontrollable tears at one of our events because the aroma and taste of the tea reminded her of her grandmother in Taiwan…and then everyone else started crying!” “I hosted a tea ceremony for a man who brought his  blind wife to the experience. I had her sit next to me so she could smell, feel, and taste the tea – that’s when I realized tea as a multi-sensory experience accessible to anyone. I’ll never forget that day,” Claudia reminisced. 

This past summer, I reunited with Karen, who introduced me to Claudia and Jan, in Vancouver. Per usual, we made our trip about tea and ventured out to Vancouver Island to discover Canada’s only tea farm. During the ferry ride, we seized the opportunity to brew while aboard. 

As the ferry glided out of the harbor and through the misty waters of the sound, Karen and I, with our tea cups in hand, enjoyed the first steep of the same Moonlight White we tasted with Teakan four years ago. The rhythmic hum of the ferry set the stage for Karen's stories, transforming our impromptu tea session into a voyage of shared stories and cherished moments.

Her stories unraveled unexpected connections in a faraway land. “Get this,” Karen chuckled, “Our guide in Wuyi turned out to be from a village near my hometown in Macau, and believe it or not, we discovered we have mutual friends!” The mist outside seemed to echo the mystique of these chance encounters. In another tea-fueled rendezvous on Wuyi's slopes, Karen encountered a Chinese transplant to Vancouver, hungry for companionship in his love for tea. Karen grew excited to introduce him to Teakan and the vibrant community awaiting him back home.

Leaning closer, Karen reminisced, “My favorite tea memories are uncomplicated—whether it's the camaraderie with fellow interns on the tea farm, the nightly ritual of tea sessions in China after dinner, or Teakan pop-ups with complete strangers. To me, brewing tea is a practice of slowing down, savoring the precious moments that unfold in each sip.”

During the final brew, Karen shared her philosophy on tea, “For me, drinking tea is about the communal experience and drinking tea alone is a little unexciting,” she admitted. “The act of physically sitting down and coming together for a slow process – no matter where you are – that’s what it’s about.” Her sentiment resonated with our unconventional surroundings, making our ferry tea session the perfect reflection of her sentiment.

A Global Homecoming

In the enchanting realm of virtual tea time, I found myself immersed in the vivid tales of George and Marjolein. Though our meetings were confined to Zoom screens, their narratives transported me to distant lands, where the aroma of tea mingled with their stories. As George spoke from the heart of Nepal and Marjolein shared her experiences in Jordan, I envisioned sitting down with them, cups in hand, amidst landscapes I had never tread.

In the embrace of digital connectivity, George and Marjolein unfolded their lives, revealing how tea had become the focal point of their existence. Marjolein, the perpetual tea student, described her journey, saying, "I was in the midst of it before I knew it. Tea eventually became the coat rack upon which all my other interests hung." Her nomadic upbringing had bestowed upon her a sense of global citizenship, and it was through tea that she discovered a profound connection on a worldwide scale.

As if exploring a temple in Petra alongside Marjolein, I imagined the scene she recalls vividly - the ancient stones beneath her feet, the goat's persistent clattering. "There was this young man and his donkey," Marjolein recalled with a laugh. "They followed me all the way up. I was slightly annoyed, but once we reached the top, he took out a kettle, made a fire, and began brewing tea. He invited me to join him, and in that instant, my annoyance melted away." 

I could almost feel the multicultural tapestry of her childhood as she continued to recount tales of Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, where diverse tea cultures intertwined with hospitality, shaping her into a cultural connoisseur.

On the other side of the virtual table, George, a product of the English tradition of "builder's tea," embarked on an exploration of his heritage that led him to the tea gardens of Sri Lanka and beyond. Just as George sipped tea in the fields of Sri Lanka, I imagined the rows of tea bushes stretching endlessly before him. "Life on these beautiful plantations isn't always what people think it to be," he mused. "It's a stark reality that sparked my desire to dive into the world of tea, to better the lives of those growing it."

His professional journey through the tea cultures of India and Nepal on a serendipitous adventure, culminating in a transformative stint at Obubu Tea Farms in Japan. It was here, amidst the rich traditions of Japanese tea, that he felt an undeniable sense of belonging, a realization that beckoned him back across continents. "I just knew where I was meant to be," George reflected.

As both George and Marjolein shared their narratives, a common refrain resonated — Of all the places he’d been in the world, "I knew this was the community I had to be a part of. These were my people," George affirmed. Their professional journeys intertwined with countless tea enthusiasts and artisans, forming a global tapestry that Marjolein aptly dubbed "this happy tea bubble." George mused on this phenomenon, articulating, "If tea didn't bring people together, it wouldn't have carried on for as long as it has."

In the midst of these virtual encounters, I found myself sipping tea at table with George in the tea gardens of Sri Lanka and Marjolein amid the ancient wonders of Jordan. Through the shared warmth of their stories, the global community of tea enthusiasts came alive, inviting me to partake in a cup of connection to places I’ve never been and with people I’ve never met.

The Texture of Tea

The crisp morning air embraced us as we sat on the ground in Chad's house perched on the slopes of Haleakala. The cold seeped through the crevices of the house, but the promise of warmth emanated from a glorious brewing station set up for a gongfu cha tea session. Chad, a connoisseur of Chinese tea since his youth and a dedicated explorer of its nuances, chose to prepare a delicate Almond Dan Cong, my favorite style of tea, a subtle, yet profound gesture of hospitality. 

"I want to help others have that 'ah, ha!' moment," he shared, recalling the tea as the light that pierced through a cloudy time in his life, a moment of revelation sparked by the nuanced world of tea. The tea, soft, creamy, buttery smooth with rounded edges, started to weave its magic, not just warming our bodies but enlivening our spirits.

Chad led me to his music-making room, a haven filled with synthesizers resembling a 1900s switchboard—knobs, switches, and cables, an intricately connected web of creativity. "From a young age, I was sipping tea and listening to music," he said, reflecting on the intertwining of his two passions. "It was a new tonal experience I was having with music. I came into tea from a very unrefined place, just a teenage American boy with a tough background, but when I found tea, it completely transformed my world.”

As we continued to enjoy the unique aroma of each brew of Dan Cong, Chad opened up about his journey. "Tea was the first thing that began to connect me to something else," he confessed. In the present day, his tea house, Silk Sky Tea, serves as a sanctuary for many tea lovers. At first glance, one might not realize his tea room as a connector of more passions than just tea – as an educator and appreciator of music and art. It’s here where Chad likes to experiment with removing the transactional component of gatherings all too common in modern society, fostering an inclusive community.

His eyes lit up as he spoke about the synergy between tea and his creative pursuits. "I often drink tea before making music of my own or writing. It opens up a creative space for me," he said, the connection between tea and his passions evident. "You get to a different psychosomatic state, and the words on the page or the music hits differently. The literal fluttering of caffeine and theanine just goes well with the physical vibrations of sound."

The solo ritual of sipping tea, immersing himself in music, became a catalyst for creativity. “Entering an altered state from the norm, experiencing the movement of energy within the body, and unlocking a fresh space for appreciation—each tea induces a distinct shift in state," he shared, the essence of his artistic process unfolding.

"Pu’er and oolong, especially, get my mind in a state of awe and wonder. Physically, the body feeling allows me to actually feel what’s going on. I’m searching for things that have a beautiful resonance with me, whether they are musical notes or words," Chad explained. "Being in that state allows me to channel into whatever it is I’m feeling, as the textures have more reverberation compared to my normal state. I’m experimenting with electronic music. In this hypnotic tea state, my focus centers on textures, recognizing that tea, much like music, goes beyond aroma and flavor, emphasizing the intricacies of tactile sensations,”he said, his eyes reflecting the fusion of art, tea, and music in his soul. 

As we wrapped ourselves in the warmth of the tea and the melodies that filled the room, Chad's final words lingered in the air. "There’s something about the way tea feels in my body; the movement feels musical in itself." And indeed, in that moment, I could sense, there was space for the creation and appreciation of art and music, and for the dynamic textures possessed in a single cup of tea.

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In so many corners of the world, the timeless way of tea continues to go beyond boundaries, fulfilling our natural instinct to connect. The leaves of a plant that invite us to savor not just a beverage but a beautiful narrative—one that continues to evolve, unfurling its delicate heart so that we may steep in the richness of a shared human experience.