Japanese Garden in November
Two cups of Gyokuro Tea
Two cups of Gyokuro Tea
This is my last Tea and TruthTM writing prompt for the month of November. I've been so buoyed by your response, feedback and participation. Thank you!
The DH and I recently spent a beautiful November afternoon in the Portland Japanese Garden. I think this time of year may be my favorite (among favorites) there. The garden is full of golden colors, and the crowds are thinned. We found our own little secluded bench for a cup of gyokuro tea. Each time I come to this garden, I am reminded - no, compelled - to go slowly. What reminds you to go slowly?
Preparing: I invite you to carve out time over the next week to go slowly. This can be incredibly difficult for me. I'm the gal who gets frustrated when people walk too slowly in the hallway at work. Tea is one of the ways I'm reminded that going slowly is as important as going quickly. As you make some tea, do it slowly. Don't multitask, enjoy the process of making the tea.
Sipping: Now sip the tea slowly. What does it taste like, what does it feel like in your mouth? When we go slowly, our attention to detail improves.
Writing: Write about going slowly, and take your slow sweet time. Unlike most writing prompts, in this one I ask you to dawdle and let the pen stop. Write a few phrases, then reflect. Doodle. Digress. What were you writing? Oh yes, how to go slowly.
- What invites you to go slowly? Is it the making of tea? A garden walk? Playing with a child? What else?
- What do you find difficult about going slowly?
- What gifts does going slowly bring to you?
We've got one more week to write together with these tea-themed prompts. To be entered for the prize drawing, please leave a comment in this post, telling me something that calls you to go slowly, or provide feedback on this writing prompt. Good luck!
10 comments:
I would add the question to this writing prompt: What does the experience of going slowly feel like, smell like, sound like, taste like, look like to you?
I bet the answers would be poetic.
Great new prompt ---- and THANK YOU --- how exciting to have won last week's drawing!
That's a great suggestion, CO Tea Lover! La Tea Dah, congrats again!
I think it is planting my seed for the next year's garden. Wondering that something so tiny and unditinguished produces such bounty. The watching for the little leaves and coaxing them onward until they are ready to be transplnted, again wondering at such beautiful green from a tiny speck, dreaming of the first taste of tomato and basil. Admiring the smell and feel of tomato leaves, the aroma of basil. I like to appreciate my garden from first to last and admire the differences in the plants and how they grow, the smell of good dirt, the feel of it. The whole experience just makes me feel connected and whole.
How exciting for LaTeaDah to win the drawing - Congratulations. Oh, oh - I am a week behind. I must find time soon to do my writing. Love, love, love your picture. Jim and I were at the Japanese Gardens on Monday. It is beautiful in the fall.
Growing old has not only invited me to go slowly—it often dictates it! But that brings the gift of joy in many ways as well.
I feel that “reflecting” on things invites me to go slowly. Reflecting on life itself. … family, friends, love, happy and sad times, highs and lows, career. travel and all the things life has brought my way. When I reflect on each one, I love to go slowly through my thoughts and cherish and relish every aspect.
“Making lists” invites me to think things through taking my time. I might write as many things that are dancing through my head fast before they whirl away….but then I really take my time to think about each item on the list. Then I put it aside and return to it several times to slowly consider each idea further. My best tea parties as well as many other successes have resulted from this method. And there is always a cup of tea nearby to be sipped slowly and enjoy while making that list or reflecting.
martha
Sat at Tea Chi Te today and did my writing for last week and this week. Thanks so much for this series. It has been quite insightful.
Oh, you're singing my tune, friend. I get frustrated when the electronic sliding doors at the grocery store don't open as quickly as I'm ready to exit them. Nearly burst through a few!
I've been thinking about your prompt and am taking time at the end of this week to sit down and reflect. Your writing prompt gives me good direction for thinking and writing. I can think of many places that the tea has been extra special and delicious --- for example, Lovejoy's Tea Room in Florence, Oregon served one of the best pots of tea that I've ever had. Another favorite is tea steeped perfectly by Marilyn with water heated in her beautiful copper tea kettle. But the most enjoyable 'flavor' of tea has come from my steel thermos --- with delicious Calli tea steeped for an hour or more as we travel someplace we enjoy: the mountains, a ski resort, our cabin, etc. Most teas I would never steep this long, but there is no bitterness in this yummy black & green tea blend --- just enhanced flavor and pure delight. Thank you for this prompt --- it is good to look back and enjoy.
This is quite late, but I did want you to know I just did this exercise in my daily writing notebook and greatly enoyed it! I was drinking some of my delicious Darjeeling from you at the time, too!
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