Post VII: Learning from “Learning from Tea”

NOTE: This is a direct response to Rishi’s post, linked here.

I don’t consider any of those elements while brewing tea. In fact, this article was absolutely fascinating to me because I drink tea every morning (and I have for quite a long time), and clearly, I have never progressed past the first phase of Tea Awareness.

My tea routine is simple: choose my tea (teabag or loose leaf, doesn’t matter), put my (not clay) kettle on the stove, and pour right as it starts to whistle. I almost feel silly, describing this after reading such a poetic description of brewing tea, but I can say with certainty that I’ve never considered aeration or the orientation of tea plants while making my selections.

Reading Rishi’s post felt like reading poetry to me. Obviously, that’s high praise, but it created the same sense of awe within me that I get when I read a beautiful, appreciative description of something that I considered simple or straightforward.

At first, I was concerned that I was objectively handling tea incorrectly. That my affinity to it wasn’t nuanced enough. That I simply didn’t grasp the concept. Rishi’s article was lush with imagery that I just couldn’t relate to, no matter how hard I tried. I mean, I love tea, but it seemed pretty obvious to me (not in a self-deprecating way, but matter-of-factly) that I just didn’t love tea as much as I could.

But after a bit more consideration, thinking back to the work on individuality I’ve done over the course of the semester, I realized I was wrong. And as quickly as that, “Learning from Tea” began to shape itself into a new moral for me.

Tea doesn’t serve one function. While it’s universally recognized as a symbol of peace, tranquility, and refinement, it doesn’t manifest itself into one practice for every individual. Instead, tea shapeshifts with its consumer, and its appreciation is equally felt on all levels, from novice (me) to expert (Rishi).

Interestingly enough, while Rishi’s post taught me about the many layers of drinking tea that I have yet to explore or experience, it also reminded me of the beauty of simplicity. Just because I haven’t mastered an art doesn’t mean it should mean any less to me. And that’s not to say Rishi’s post suggested I should — just that I had to remind myself after reading it because his descriptions were so thorough and lush with imagery.

You can’t expect to be perfect at an art or skill you’re just beginning to learn about, and I think that’s something I don’t remind myself of enough. Beyond the scope of tea, it’s okay to appreciate something for its simplistic personal value to you. Appreciation takes a plethora of forms, and as far as I go, I guess I just like my hot leaf water. :)