"Simple Living" - Chapters 7 and 8

[Ryudo]

The tea ceremony always appealed to me.
So, “good morning” coffee ceremony. Today I will brew my coffee with a traditional expresso can (the one you put on the stove, not the electrical one).

And I will write a postcard in my best possible handwriting on a card that I will carefully choose.
Maybe a poem.
To someone I did not see for a longer period.

Gassho/SatToday

[Tai Do]

I loved this week’s habits. I’m more of a tea person than a coffee one. But I decided to go a little further than just my usual tea ceremony (not the Japanese one, but a personal one inspired in Japanese sencha ceremony).

So I bought a fresh organic lemon balm and dried the leaves myself. Since last week I’ve been making my herbal tea every morning after the sky looking and morning air breathing. Another habit that will probably continue in the future.

I also started to be more mindful and slow while making the coffee with milk for breakfast (still using the electric machine tough, as we don’t have other coffee making devices).

For the writing, I’m already doing my daily ensō and calligraphy, so I decided to give it a little more mindful attention.

Gassho,
Mateus
Sat today/LAH

[Jakuden]

7. After zazen tonight I went to make a cup of tea before settling down (and now I am here). My wife and youngest fell asleep watching TV, and my older daughter fell asleep while using a laptop in her bed. I turned off all the electronics before zazen and the house was still quiet when I went to the kitchen. I turned on the stove and slowly filled up my small pot with just enough water to fill a small mug. I chose a clean mug from the shelf, and opened a single serve bag of decaf chai and sniffed the wonderful herbs in it. I really love chai for its aroma. I stood over the pot until it boiled and then poured it over the tea bag in the mug and then went to the living room to wait as it steeped. After it was finished I removed the tea bag and took the cup of tea to the living room to sit cross-legged on the loveseat to slowly enjoy the tea. I thought back to one of my favorite quotes by Thich Nhat Hanh, and I've looked it up to copy here verbatim for everyone:

“Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves - slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.”

― Thich Nhat Hanh

For the first half of the cup all was peaceful and well. It's been a hectic week for me this week. A lot of unpaid overtime from home for work after hours, a lot of bickering going on with my family at home, and lots of near sleepless nights (due to the overtime mostly), and many big projects ahead this week. The second half of the cup took me by surprise when a mild panic arose. I was really taking my time with the tea. Taking one's time is most often met with harsh criticism in our society and my usual day-to-day is no exception. I started hearing the loop of criticism I imagined those around me would be saying: "why are you taking so long to do that?" "that isn't very productive, is it?" "are you almost done with that?" "shouldn't you be doing something else right now?"... I remembered the tea, and how nice it smelled, and tasted. I remembered that this IS what I was doing right now, and that I am present here, right now, for that - the rest can wait, especially since I likely would have been asleep if I hadn't been drinking the tea. It made me think about how often that dialog runs through my head any time I slow down and do something for myself or it's own sake. I have to fight the urge to rush, and that fight might be leaving me feeling drained much of the time. Everyone needs a break. Everyone needs time to do more nothing-in-particular. To just live a moment, breathe, and not be thinking about the next move. I really need to work on cultivating this ability to silence the impatient voices and stop the rush more often. Some things may occasionally need expedited action but definitely not everything, and likely most things can wait a little longer. While continuing to drink the the tea I realized: I have time to drink the tea.

Gassho /\
Kendrick
Sat

I love all the posts in this thread, Kendrick yours really resonated though. No matter how much I practice, I still sometimes really fight that “oh gosh that’s enough dawdling, I have to rush off and be productive now” voice. Thank you for the TNH reminder [emoji846]

Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH




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[Seibu]

This morning I made coffee the way Jundo suggested. It made me feel grateful that I have access to electricity, that there are farmers who work hard so I can enjoy my cup of coffee, that I have access to clean water, and that I can drink coffee in peace each morning. I will do the writing bit later today.

Gassho,
Jack
sattoday/lah

[Kendrick]

I love all the posts in this thread, Kendrick yours really resonated though. No matter how much I practice, I still sometimes really fight that “oh gosh that’s enough dawdling, I have to rush off and be productive now” voice. Thank you for the TNH reminder [emoji846]

Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH


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Thank you, Jakuden. I'm really happy it was beneficial!

Gassho /\
Kendrick
Sat

[Ishin]

Just reading these suggestions and all your comments is already slowing me down!

Thanks

Gassho

Sat today/lah