Presenting tea as a philosophy for living life is not new, and yet, it is not outdated. It’s merely a reincarnation, a return to the simplistic mode of life, the small pleasures that are derived from mundane but invaluable things
IF happiness and content were to come in tangible form, then surely they would have come into the form of a steaming and tantalizing cup of tea. A cup of tea is a familiar and yet a peculiar thing. It’s a curious blend of leaves strained in boiling water, diluted with milk and sugar. For most of us, it is just a cup of tea, a gulp of caffeine to start off the day. But for some people, it is serenity in a cup, the soul’s karma! It’s one of those ‘smaller’ yet poignant things in the grander scheme of life that appeal to one’s aesthetics, bringing warmth, familiarity, peace and comfort.
For the multitude of this nation, tea is a matter of addiction rather than taste; a matter of routine, rather than ritual; a trail of cups that continue from morning to night. It’s hard to think of tea in terms of reverence and philosophical overtones in a country where tea’s consumption is as high as a per capita of 1.05 kg per annum, i.e. 135 million people consuming some 140 million kg of tea. Our bodies have become caffeine dependent in order to function properly. A majority of us have been weaned onto tea because drinking tea is customary. There isn’t any reverence left in anything that becomes a habit, a mindless ritual or an addiction. In this world of strict schedules, tight deadlines and insatiable appetites, we don’t have time to philosophize and to search for reverence, specially not in the mundane objects round us. We have made acts of eating and drinking as functionary. We don’t look forward to anything, that’s why we are consumed by the malaise of boredom. Yet there are some of us who are still determined to enjoy what little comfort life has to offer, even if it is vested in enjoying a cup of tea.
The philosophy of tea certainly stands for no new order. Presenting tea as a philosophy for living life is not new, and yet, it is not outdated. It’s merely a reincarnation, a return to the simplistic mode of life, the small pleasures that you derive from mundane but invaluable things.
According to Okakura Kakuzo from The Book of Tea: “Philosophy of tea is not mere aestheticism in the ordinary acceptance of the term, for it expresses conjointly with ethics and religion; our whole point of view about man and nature.” In today’s society, we have evolved as enlightened beings and our appetites have become insatiable. We have become victims of time that is never enough and of an appetite that is never satiated.
To understand the philosophy of tea is to go for happiness within reach, as opposed to the one that forever defies the human reach. Even the simple pleasure and experience of sipping tea can be multi-hued. A cup of tea stands for different sensations: a heady brew-of nostalgia, inspiration, serenity and serendipity. A cup of tea nurtures the soul. It represents the pleasure of company and also the bliss of solitude. It is all of this and more.
SUNSHINE IN A CUP: A cup of tea has presence and character. It comes in various shapes, sizes and colours. It speaks of your individuality, taste and preferences. Interestingly, the teacups of a particular household reflect the values and habits of the family. The dainty tea set with saucers and intricate floral motifs reveal the presence of adherence to tradition and decorum.
Floral porcelain mugs are reflective of hospitality tempered with convenience. Singular mugs, decorated with statements logos and characters, speak of individuality and a preference for largeness. They represent a desire to be identified singularly and not in pairs and sets. It’s indulgence, but worth it. Speaking of teacups, many tea drinkers are not comfortable with the idea of drinking tea from paper or plastic cups with plastic spoons and sugar cubes. They miss the sensation and familiar warmth that the teacup provides.
SERENITY: “Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the earth revolves — slowly, evenly, without rushing towards future. Live the actual moment. Only this moment is life!”
The life we have evolved for ourselves is too fast, moving at break-neck speed. We go through the day to day rituals at menacing speed, afraid that if we dare slow down, the menacing silence of our lives would catch up. By allowing yourself to sit back and have a sip of tea is to have the luxury to slow down, to turn away the hands of time, to steal a few moments for yourself from time’s clinched and unrelenting fist, even if it means putting down the morning newspapers that seem to be filled with news of chaos, wars, death and worries. Ours is the kind of life where deadlines are tough — heartaches and headaches, compounded and all too frequent. A steaming, tantalizing cup of tea allows one to take a break, to sit back and enjoy the few unspoiled moments of serenity. It allows one to slow down, liberate oneself from the frenzied pace of the man-made world and to become tuned to the broader scheme of the universe. A cup of tea lets them follow the sense of their own reality, rather than follow someone else’s imposed and forced perception of reality. It’s the unique opportunity of holding and savouring the beauty of the present as gently as you hold a fluttering butterfly in your palms. And yet, it’s the point from where you transgress through the time zone, without having the fear of missing upon the present.
SERENDIPITY: According to an old Italian saying: “Good food is like discovering happiness at the end of your fork.” Similarly, having the ability to enjoy your cup of tea and finding the time for it, is like discovering felicity and good fortune, right from the brim of the cup to its bottom. It’s like bringing your problems to a cup of tea and leaving them behind. Having a cup of tea is a practice in meditation. While having a cup of tea in a meditative state, you can experience any of the following: you might come across a revelation, reach a conclusion for a situation, discover a hidden angle or hit upon a solution to a puzzling problem, or you might discover pure and simple joy.
A cup of tea kindles your zest and vigour and lets you rediscover your sense of happiness. Also, share a cup of tea with friends, family, guests and even some one you have just met, and you are sure to invite good luck and fortune. Good karma has a way of yielding a return. So, remember to cultivate it through a gesture as simple as sharing a cup of tea.
SPIRITUALITY: lf chocolate is the food for soul then tea is the drink for the mind, body and soul. It pleases the palate and uplifts the senses.
A teacup resembles the human body, you must be empty in order to receive, and in receiving you must maintain the delicate balance and mustn’t brim over. The cup and body serve a purpose. The purpose of the cup is to hold the liquid. Therefore, the liquid allows the cup to be complete. Similarly, the body’s purpose is to provide home and hearth to the human soul. Without an abode, the soul is merely an apparition, perpetually adrift and suspended between heaven and hell. The philosophy of Chado emphasizes a way of training body and mind in awareness that has potential to become a rigorous spiritual discipline. It evolved from Zen Buddhism where tea and Zen emphasize a way of training body and mind in awareness that has potential to become a rigorous spiritual discipline. Urasenke founder, Sen Rikyu (1522-1591), summarized the principles of the discipline of tea into the four integral concepts of wa, kei, sei and jaku explained as under;
Wa (harmony): This word connotes a feeling of oneness with nature and people. At a tea gathering, harmony plays between the host and the guest, mood and season, the food served and the utensils used. Sensitivity to the changing rhythms of the seasons, and harmony with these changes are once source of ever deepening pleasure in the practice of tea.
Kei (respect): Respect results naturally from a feeling of gratitude. Respect is extended not only to the other people with whom one interacts, but also to one’s daily life and even to inanimate objects, such as utensils as a product of human effort or whatever has come into existence.
Sei (purity): Cleanliness and orderliness, in both the physical and spiritual sense, are a very important part of the study of tea. Rikyu must have learned the importance of simple acts of cleaning in his study of Zen. Sei also implies simplification, that is, the elimination of all unnecessary elements.
Jaku (tranquillity): It is often remarked in the practice of tea that, although a person can work towards attaining the first three principles, the last cannot be attained by direct effort. However through a constant practice of harmony, respect and purity, a person whose heart inclines towards tea is prepared to approach the utter stillness and silence of jaku, the ability of developing peace with our inner self.
Although the above-mentioned principles were founded on the ancient ‘tea ceremony’ which is still observed in Japan and China with much decorum, but its underlying significance is valid for at an individual level and for all times.
HOSPITALITY: Tea speaks of hospitality, tradition and ritual. Round the world, tea contributes much to the cultural milieu, except for areas where coffee is preferred over tea. In our part of the globe, serving tea instead of a cold drink is seen as a far greater and warmer sign of hospitality towards your guest. It’s because making tea takes time and effort in comparison to the quick dishing out of cold drinks.
It’s enigmatic how a cup of tea can simultaneously represent the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company. An excellent way to break ice when sitting amongst strangers is to share a cup of tea. While drinking, tea one isn’t compelled to carry on a polite conversation. Sharing a cup of tea is like sharing a moment. The Cold Tea Blues lyrics describe this vein of feeling all too perfectly:
If I pour your cup, that is friendship.
And if I add some milk, that’s manners.
But If I stop there, claiming ignorance of taste,
That is tea.
But if I measure the sugar
to satisfy the expectant tongue,
that is love.
Sitting untouched, and growing cold.
CREATIVITY: It is rightly said that the creative cadre just can’t do anything without tea or cigarettes, and it seems true. Elders bemoan the loss of literary cafes such as Frederick Cafeteria, Zeline Coffee House, Central Coffee House and Cafe George. Revolutionaries, scholarly figures and legends of yester years used to throng in these tea houses. These individuals literally raised storm in a teacup by creating literature that was alive by virtue of interaction, discussion and critique. Today, with the appalling rise of fast-food chains, these tea joints and coffee houses are merely chapters in the book of memory.
A TOAST TO NOSTALGIA: Life is in a constant process of change. It speaks of one simple truth: what is here now won’t be here tomorrow. All that remains and left behind is nostalgia. The delicate aroma of tea is in itself a liberator of memories, the starting point of nostalgia. Some read the future at the bottom of the cup, amidst uncurling tea leaves. One can recall the fond memories and precious moments shared with special friends over endless cups of tea.
