Belgium Chinese Tea Arts Centre

Lots of unexpected challenges, Up’s & Down’s and changes happened in life that oftenneed us to make a choice for decision that we can’t choose to want or not to want because  the only choice we have is how to face and manage it.

When facing unbearable stress and pain, we often have to bit our lips and the only choice is to try harder, harder and harder.

It does not matter how strong we think we are, there will be time when we feel tire and weary,  the most unbearable in life would be the emptiness in heart.

When facing strong fist, need to learn how to protect self by  keeping head down and yield whether we like it or not.

Regardless the weight on shoulders, the only thing we can do is to keep the back straight, head up and move further.

Have been through many speechless chaotic changes in life, one valuable lesson is what can’t knock me down but only make me stronger and keep me calm.

Finally I realize,  the most proactive way to handle unexpected problems starts from accepting but not avoiding.

I am who I am that not need to live my life by expecting other’s appraisal

Criticism behind my back can’t be avoided, the only choice I have is to accept without complaining

Before knowing others must first trying to understand self

Before criticizing others must first examining self through and through

Before putting blames on others must first questioning own innocence.

Instead of thinking how to settle conflicts with others, first trying to manage self

Whether others know or understand me, I don’t ask; because nothing can be kept for long by asking.

When the air is getting too heavy to bear, there is no better way than standing still and face the breeze with smile.

Even if the road is heard, still need to move forwards and path the way myself;

Even though often feel as if walking against the strong breeze and storm, but still it is the journey that I must manage myself.

Whether to taste a cup of tea when it’s warm or cold, that’s a simple choice that one must accept the taste without judging or complaining

Making a choice for a cup of tea can be so easy and simple, isn’t it we can also try to adapt the same to life?

After being through so many chaotic changes, warm and cold in life, the most valuable lesson is to accept, at the end can still stand straight with a smile.

Good days are fine but bad days provide more priceless lessons in life

To have is fine, not to have is also nothing no regret for because nothing is more important than peace in mind

Nuttiness, in one hand can be seen as a very generous attitude towards life, but on the other hand, it can also be translated as a selective passivism.

Passive but not withdrawing.

In this selective passivism requires proactive approach to confront and handling but not avoiding.

So what is the meaning in life and how to manage it? It is more or less a choice in life.

We all have different attitude towards life and there is no right or wrong

For me, life is but a simple choice of how to live with a peaceful mind.

Every time think of those questions I have came across, I can only laugh with tear and don’t know how to answer:

• How long will it take for me to become a Tea Master?
• How long and how much will it cost to learn Cha Dao?

Cha Dao, Cha Dao, The way of Tea, what tea? which Dao?

Only learning how to brew tea, nicely name it tea art, talking about tea culture with words;

No knowing the reason behind, not able to implement the essence of morals in actions;

Not able to commit without asking things in return, speaking without heart;

What come with teas? Where goes with the Dao?

Cha Yi, Cha Yi, the art of tea, which art? is it really for tea or for egoism?

Not have sufficient knowledge about tea, knowing the name without knowing its soul;

Dressing up with beautiful cloth and performing fine looking movements, emptiness under the appearance, like a dancing butterfly that does not last long if not knowing the essence behind each movement and meaning of Zen.

Which future good pure quality teas can have, if not enough people knowing the roots of tea, not showing how to show respect and to learn tea?

Calculating price when purchasing tea, chatting loudly when tasting tea, how do you management tea moment when you normally should listen to the value of “Harmony, Tranquility, Purity, Respect” in tea?

It’s sad to see how thousands of year Chinese tea culture end up with a simple show of Cha Yi (the art of tea); sometimes it worries me out and makes me sad, after all I am just a normal human being.

The more exhaution I have, the more it motivates me to clean my head up. No matter what, the teaching from parents forever live in me;

The pocket can be empty, but the heart may not;

muscles may feel tire and weak, but not with emptiness in heart;

regardless how many challenges lying ahead, must keep the back bone straight;

I am just a small Cha Ren (Tea Woman), devote my life to tea with joy.

Come on, let’s have a cup of tea !

In a exploration and documentation program of Simon Reeve on Canvas tonight, one  Irish organic farmer has drew the perfect definition for Organic Farming:

Organic farming is not just about environmental concerns, but most importantly are about commitments to ethics, integrity and morals

We can and certainly should extend this definition to what a good person means – it is not just about behaviors and manners, but most importantly are the underlined respects and practices of Ethics, Integrity and Morals in everyday’s life.

With the same principles, we should question ourselves the following questions:

• how can we introduce ourselves as Cha Ren (茶人, Tea Person) if we fail to emphasis the importance of Professionalism, Ethics, Honesty, Integrity and Morals?
• Often I received question about the Tea Art training program from tea sommeliers.  Perhaps it sounds hard but here I have question to tea sommeliers: How can we introduce ourselves as Tea Sommelier if we only focus on the presentation of tea (茶藝 Cha Yi) without solid knowledge, missing the continuous learning attitude and basic respect towards to pure and authentic quality in flavor and taste, and Nature; without the basic understanding and respect what Professionalism, Ethics, Honesty, Integrity and Morals?