the pool of tears

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/The_Scream.jpg
Edward Munch - The Scream, 1893

 



now after the realization that tea is more than just a drink, and now that the second chapter of our obsession has begun - fundamental issues and conflicts of identity arise. not only the identity of what is in front of us (the tea) but also how it interacts with ourselves and our ego. i want to pick up the last post's question: so if tea is more than just a drink - what else is there to it?

i have already written about how one would have to try to understand tea at a more fundamental level than just the simple dimension of taste. but what else is there to it? why even bother? what's all the fuss about?

i should say in the beginning that i don't think that i have figured it all out yet. it's a process, a trip, a journey and there is no hurry - it will unfold itself.

on a superficial level tea can be many things for people. it can be an investment, just a drink, a social lubricant, tradition, or just something their ego feels great about having.

it is much harder to describe the deeper level. it is not easy to explain this to someone that does not have experienced it. it is hard to describe color to a blind person. so there is really only one way to answer that question - drink some tea.

well ... of course it is not quite that easy and i would also like to be less vague about it. rather than describing color to a blind person i'd give you some tools that might help you experience the tea:

the first and most important tool is attention. use it. if you don't pay attention you might miss the point entirely. try to pay attention not only to the dimension of taste but to what else is going on on your tounge, in your mouth, in your throat, in your whole body, in your mind, ... if you pay attention the things will start opening up to you. but also pay attention to yourself. pay attention to how you are changing and evolving over time, how your brewing and state of minds effect the outcome.

the second tool i find important is intuition. at the beginning (myself included) there is a tendency to overthink and over-analyze the tea. trying to find the perfect brewing parameters, searching for puzzle pieces that are not to be found, trying to figure out why exactly the tea tastes a little bit different today than it did last time - are all symptoms of overthinking. on such a complex matter with an almost infinite amount of variables - most likely you will not find what you are searching for. it will frustrate you and the hobby will stop being fun. this does not mean that you should not form the intention to be better at brewing and tasting and figuring out per se but find a middle ground. don't be too tight, don't be too loose. let your intuition guide you. things will take time but close your eyes and enjoy the journey.

of course - sometimes intuition can lead us down the wrong path. if all input you have is yourself - chances are you might run in circles. thank god to the modern age there are resources easily available. check out good tea-blogs, search out for online and real life communities while being aware of bubbles and be open to different kinds of thinking.*

however even if you have the best resources out there, if all you put in your teapot is bad tea - you probably will not learn a lot. your water should be good as well. quality is an important "tool". good tea will show you the way.

so with the right "potions" you should be able to fit through the door into the world of wonders.








* the most helpful resources have been teadb and marshaln.com; most helpful communties have been the tea discord and teaforum

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