Tea is loaded with antioxidants, boosts the immune system, lowers the risk of cancer, improves brain function, helps with fat loss – the list goes on. We so often hear about the health benefits of drinking tea, but we don’t usually think about the healing benefits of sharing tea with others. Consider the simple pleasure in making a cup of tea for someone or the comfort of talking and sharing with friends over tea.
Tea Master Sen Soshitsu XV has made it his life’s mission to spread the message of peace through Tea Ceremony. He says, “Peace can be spread by offering a bowl of tea to another.” The main purpose of a traditional Tea Ceremony is to forget your troubles for just a moment and appreciate each other in a relaxed and peaceful atmosphere. Master Soshitsu has written that the Tea Ceremony is not really a ceremony or ritual at all, but a way of life based on the simple act of serving tea with a pure heart.
We can all benefit from taking a break from our busy lives, disconnecting from our electronic devices, and enjoying the simple pleasure of basis human interaction – with or without the tea.
