Sunday, December 01, 2013

Tea Alone


"When we cannot bear to be alone, it means we do not properly value the only companion we will have from birth to death - ourselves."  ~Eda LeShan (1922-2002)


Sharing tea with others is a primary source of happiness in my life.  I love it!  Equally important, I am learning that I need quiet time to myself to truly thrive (and this is coming from an extrovert!)  I've written before on this topic here and here, and yet it continues to come up as a subject for me to discuss in this blog.  It must be an important message to myself.

Do you make space in your life for alone time?  Does tea play a role?  Do you sometimes meditate or read an inspiring book?  Do you sit quietly?  Do you daydream or doodle?  Do you listen to music or the sounds of nature? 

I crave/need a resting place for my brain, a time to allow it to settle and relax and not be so busy, busy.  I'm learning how meditation works for me, and like any new skill it takes patience and practice.  A sip of tea can be my encourager and my place of rest.

6 comments:

Angela McRae said...

I am an introvert, bigtime, so I require *vast* amounts of alone time, and yes, tea plays an integral role!

Teafan said...

I used to think people who needed to be alone were strange. Now I see how important it is!

Marilyn Miller said...

Tea is definitely an important part of time alone for me. My time is usually early in the morning and almost a ritual as I prepare the tea in the quiet of the morning and sit and often watch the hummingbird outside my window. I miss this little bird in the winter months, but still the tea remains.

cha sen said...

Tea in solitude is a daily ritual I look forward to, an opportunity to be mindful. The contrast between this experience and having tea with a friend makes the latter doubly pleasurable.

Karen said...

Hi Steph, I love to sit and meditate with my tea often. As I live alone now, I have a lot of opportunity to do that, and it provides a wonderful balance to my busy work life, which is all about sharing tea with others. I love your photo!

Anonymous said...

Along a river a man spread newspaper on the ground. He sat on the newspaper in a half-louts position with his eyes closed. In a Buddhist culture public meditation is not limited to a wat or a temple.