The Importance of Participating in Tea
My morning tea meditation with the bowl of purple red tea. Somehow recently this is the tea I drink most in my morning tea sessions. It brings me into presence straight away and opens my heart. When I give this tea to other people I always ask them to drink it totally and dedicate a few moments just for drinking it. For if you drink casually in between talking and watching tv, or even thinking and planning what food you need to get to cook you dinner tonight, it's effect will not be felt, or will be, but not as strongly.
My friend and a yoga teacher Liuda Yogini who I have a pleasure to live with for two months, sometimes joins me for these morning sessions. And every time she asks me: "What tea is this? It makes me so present, so alive! The healing effect of it can be felt so strongly too!"
It is because if we are present with tea, tea brings us its gift of presence and peace. My tea teacher Wu De from Global Tea Hut community always says that "tea requires participation", in other words if we don't make space for it, there will be no space in us to receive the gifts of The Leaf, the numerous gifts it has to offer. And I am forever grateful for this daily practice, for what Global Tea Hut does. Because after each morning tea session my being shines through and gets in the flow.
A little piece from Wu De's Book "Tea Medicine":
"If you open your heart to Tea and seek love from Her, she will teach you. If you treat Her as an object of sensual pleasure, then your return on investment will be just that: sensual pleasure. Like with all things in life, the more you invest, the more your return will be. Have you made your Tea Space sacred? Have you treated your Tea time with reverence? Adopt an attitude of respect for Tea as a Medicine, for teaware as an instrument, and for your guests who came to share this magical experience , and you will quickly notice how much change this plant medicine brings in your life"
Full Moon Women Tea Gathering
On Tuesday, 22 March 2016, 8pm, we will have our first Full Moon Women Tea Gathering. Not only it's the full moon, which signifies completion and is an ideal time for letting go of things that you no longer need. It is also going to be a Full Lunar Eclipse too, in the sign of Libra. A Powerful Combination, the one that brings with it the potential for great illumination.
On such night there is a strong connection with night sky and the ability to prophecy. This Lunar eclipse brings an aura of peace and tranquility, and carries a very potent balancing energy.
At every full moon, the whole world is illuminated by the essence of the Great Feminine. This is an great time to come together as sisters in authentic heart, to celebrate our gratitude and abundance, and to share the blessings of the sacred herbs and flowers of the Earth.
So let us share a taste of enchanted tea in ceremony, come open your heart, and let the Moon inspire you... We will be boiling water in a clay kettle on live fire, having all five elements in place. We will chant mantras. We will set intentions, and then we will let them go into the universe, relaxing into knowing that it is all we need to do. Set the intention and soften into non action, knowing it will be done.
We will be brewing Puerh Tea. Firstly, large leaves from ancient puerh trees right in the teapot on fire. And then a 2002 Puerh Tea from 1,200 year old trees. It will create a powerful connection to the sky, to the nature, to the earth, and most importantly to ourselves, and into the flow of life.
Please note, that because this is a private residence places are limited.
It is donation based, minimum suggested donation £20, and there is an RSVP/wait list in place, so you are encouraged to receive your space by making a suggested contribution. The seating is done on the floor and we have plenty of cushions. Comfortable clothing is recommended. After tea we will share some healthy snacks. And you will take a Tea bag with tea samples and gifts with you home!
I am looking forward to sharing a bowl of tea with you all!
If you would like to join please send me an e-mail on withtlovers@gmail.com
Sun Moon Lake Red Tea and Uluntu Flowers
Red living tea from Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan (which I got from Living Tea UK) is the perfect elevating start of the day! And with these beautiful flowers from @uluntubermondsey , which I get every time I do a tea meditation there this really is connecting me to myself and to nature... Both are wild. Wild Tea and wild flowers. Be wild. Be nature. Be you. Every Tuesday - Tea Meditations in my home at 8pm in London. Every Thursday - Tea Ceremony and Meditation at 1pm Uluntu Bermondsey (63 Tower Bridge Road, SE1 4TL)
Today I wanted to tell you a little bit more about Uluntu Space, where Thursday's Tea Meditations take place. Everyone always comments that it is amazing to have a Tea Ceremony, a Tea meditation not to so many beautiful and unusual flowers, because in this way it is much easier to connect to yourself and nature. Each time I use flowers from the shop for our Chaxi - the setting of the tea table. It works almost like a magic, transforming the whole energy of the tea space.
And every time after the Tea Meditation the guys tell me: choose some flowers to take home with you! And I stand there each time, not being able to choose from this variety, from these works of art, so simple and so complicated at the same time. I am always late to pick up my son from school as I it simply takes me a long time to choose! But as a result these flowers are in my home for the whole week before the next meditation! :)
Uluntu is translated as Community in one of the South African languages, and this is how this space feels! You come in, and you feel like you came to a friend's house, the guys meet you and greet you, and you will be able to have some tea there soon (from March) - a good quality tea, that gives you a state of joy, happiness and inspiration. This is going to be a collaboration of T-Lovers tea and Uluntu Bermondsey. So please follow us for more news on this!
Every Thursday there are Thursday Social events with music (Stan is also a DJ with the record collection of 5,000 vinyls in the basement), wine and socialising. Last night I went there to check it out at around 10pm for 15 minutes, there was no party, but people were sitting around the table sipping wine, talking, coming and leaving, and it did really feel like a living room of your best friends. I came for 15 minutes and barely left after 2.5 hours! And I was drinking water, not wine! :)))
Before I left Den gave me an Eucaliptus branch to take home. So my house looks as beautiful as ever with the magic touch of Uluntu Flowers. I am in LOVE. And this place is going to be perfect for tea. Amazing, living, quality tea. The opening os a tea house is planned for the 6 March. It's Sunday, and I hope I will see many of you who have been to my Tea Tours and Meditations!!!!
Uluntu Bermondsey is at 63 Tower Bridge Road, SE1 4TL.