Practice drinking tea whilst being as mindful of everything as possible, smell, touch, taste and use all you senses to perceive the tea.
Meditation information
Time:
About 30 minutes.
Tip: The more time available to you the easier it can be to focus on the process of experiencing the tea. Avoid rushing it.
Guided:
This has some guided elements in the beginning, later no guidance is required.
Tip: It can sometimes be helpful to be reminded to focus on a particular sense or just reminded to be mindful, you can do this every few minutes.
Body position:
This meditation is best done whilst sitting down in a circle.
Tip: Place the tea in front of you so you can remain in a circle throughout.
Materials needed:
You will require tea and something to drink it out of.
Tip: You may like to bring a musical instrument or prepare something ahead of time. It is an opportunity for us to nurture happiness, joy, understanding and love in each one of us.
Being mindful with a cup of tea
The one who hosts may read the following:
Tea meditation is a time to be with the Sangha in a joyful and serene atmosphere. Just to enjoy our tea together is enough. It is like a “good news” occasion, when we share our joy and happiness in being together.
At times, when we are drinking tea with a friend, we are not aware of the tea or even of our friend sitting there. Practicing tea meditation is to be truly present with our tea and our friends. We recognize that we can dwell happily in the present moment despite all of our sorrows and worries. We sit there relaxed without having to say anything. If we like, we may also share a song, a story or a dance.
The following sentence can be repeated a few times:
This cup of tea in my two hands is mindfulness held perfectly. My mind and body dwell in the very here and now.
Then do the following:
Distribute the tea in your circle. The host starts with pouring the tea in a cup, presents it to the next person and then hands it over. The receiving person bows to the giving person, takes the cup, bows and presents the cup to the next person. The process is then repeated around the circle. Send the cups to the last person in the circle, then the next last, and so on, till everyone has their own cup.