Five Cups

Five Cups

Five cups wait
Like wise ones
Patient

They know their time
To be useful
Will come

And they may need
The strength to 
Serve it up hot

Or to allow
Things to cool off
Breathing

Maybe their touch
In your hand
Is enough

The delicate curve
The spiral
Into eternity

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I'm celebrating today! I am officially on sabbatical.  Like these five cups, the next five weeks are waiting for their time to be useful, to be touching, to heat and to cool.  I will be spending my hours in reflection, writing, visiting with family and friends, drinking tea and playing with the DH.  

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.

Temple of Heaven Park

Tai Chi in Temple of Heaven Park

One splendid day last September, I visited Temple of Heaven park in Beijing.  I was deeply moved by how people came together to "play Tai Chi", practice ballroom dancing, and to write beautiful Chinese calligraphy and poetry.  To move their bodies and experience nature in community.   

The man in the center above is a friend and former Tai Chi instructor of Dan, our tour organizer (black t-shirt, below).  Our group was encouraged to try Tai Chi, and the combination of cool breeze, warm sun, gently flowing body and energy, kind encouragement from new friends...well, truly it was like being in the temple of heaven!   

Practicing push hands, a technique that encourages attention, awareness and coordination

I met the DH (dear hubby) in a ballroom dance class 17 years ago.  Dancing holds a special place in my life, and I'm always interested in observing other dancers.  Much to my delight, people in China practice dancing in the parks!  I've thought many times in the past year about trying to get something like this going where I live.  My educator side also noticed how the instruction was being done.  Dance was being taught like a martial art - make the form, hold it, repeat, repeat, repeat.  It wasn't about constant movement but about body learning of the correct forms.   

Dancing in the Temple of Heaven Park

Below, a gentleman writes in  beautiful Chinese calligraphy.  Notice the large brush.  He is writing with water; this work of art is fleeting.  Joy in the doing.

Ephemeral art

My experience in Temple of Heaven park has returned to me often.  There are things to be learned here, and I am grateful for the opportunity.

The Story of My Japanese Tea Bowl

 Thank you, Mom!

Margie, my guide in learning more about Japanese culture and the tea ceremony, encourages her students to choose tea equipment carefully.  No rushing to buy an unknown piece on eBay.  The right tools will come to us in time, and they need to have a story.  I love this idea.

Here's the story for my first pieces.  The chawan, or tea bowl, is from Japan.  It's special to me because I found it after having learned about what makes a good tea bowl.  What an eye-opening experience!  I had no idea of the thought and detail put into a tea bowl.  Mine is classic in its shape, has the proper foot depth and the correct ridge where the cloth rests as you clean the bowl.  It has a definite front and back, which helps a newbie like me.  And it's a good example of understated beauty. 

I've named this tea bowl iki wo suru, which means "to breathe" in Japanese. It's meaningful because breathe is my word for the year.  Each time I use this bowl, I will think of of my breath.

Tea bowls often come in specially made boxes, and the box belonging to this bowl is a large part of why I chose it.  The box is beautiful in its own right.  

The crispness of the black natsume (tea caddy), I'm learning, presents a contrast to the more rustic elements often found among the other tea equipment.  What I like about the natsume is the sound made when the lid is placed back on after having scooped out the tea.  It's a simple click that reminds me of something ephemeral from my childhood.

The chasen (whisk) is of central importance.  This humble tool generates the right froth in a bowl of matcha. I have many, many, many more cups to whip to become proficient. This whisk and I will become good companions.

I picked this tea bowl and other equipment on a sunny Spring afternoon, in the company of Margie and another good friend. The items are a gift from my mother for my birthday. I'm sure this is the beginning of many happy memories associated with their use.

The box for my chawan

 This tool (chasen kusenaoshi) holds the whisk and helps keep it in shape

My Word for 2012: Breathe

"Breathing in, I calm my body.

Breathing out, I smile..."

- Thich Nhat Hanh

Last year, I chose the word JOY as a focus.  I learned so much, particularly how easy it is for me to find joy, but also how hard it can be to maintain that joy.  I want to deepen this effort, and I've learned that BREATHING helps me maintain my joyful state.  When I'm faced with a challenge, something not going my way, a fear, I want to take a moment - pause and breathe.  Breathe!

And this is my new calendar for the year!  :-)

* Thanks to my superwoman friend in AZ for the calendar photo!