Serenity in a Cup

The trip to the tea ceremony was such a pleasant experience. I think out of all the trips we’ve been on so far, this has been my favorite. There was just such an overwhelming sense of peace that washed over me while sitting on the tatami mats in that empty room.  With the cool breeze of a gloomy garden blowing behind me, I couldn’t help but feel as though I was being carried away into a realm of calmness.

As for the tea itself, on first sip, I thought that it needed about ten more pounds of sugar. However, the more I drank, the more I felt subdued by its earthly bitterness. I somehow felt drawn back into a simpler reality, where my problems seemed meaningless, and my presence seemed more strongly embedded to the ground. And I guess, the fact that it was raining, only further encouraged this sense of a cleansed and replenished disposition on life.

I regret that I wasn’t able to see the flower arrangement from where I was sitting, as well as the fact that I came up with so many questions for the tea master, after we left. However, I can honestly say that I really liked the tea ceremony, and will always treasure this memory.