I am an innocent tea learner, more than 5 decades I learned tea based on the actural tasting experience from each brewing and tastes from authentic flavors and tastes, but not relying on reading or pre-conceived knowledge or preassumed creative ideas.
My learning is still on going today with innocent attitude and a opened mind.
oznorMB
How many visual attractions from tea ceremony performance are really about tea and for tea?
Many tea competitions actually have nothing to do with tea but are more like competitions of personal egoism.
Tea judging is an indepth and yet pragmatic learning process of being able to identify the balance in flavors and tastes, that requires genuine objective attitude, know-how and experience from listening to tea, meeting tea, tasting tea and knowing tea. When we judge tea, we will be, too, judged by tea.
Life can be simple and yet it is much more complex than what we could imaging when we were young and confident. At the first, we thought we knew everything and we were ready for all challenges, then the life gave us priceless lessons, some are good and some are painful, that we probably only knew some dots that we thought we know but without the full picture.
The clock is clicking, soon we realize we can not stop the time in life, but we can decide how to live by accepting and tolerating。
We can not redo what have already passed just like we can not rewarm he flavors and tastes of tea when the tea gets old. Fine quality tea offers fine natueal and complex flavours and tastes, it is better to enjoy it in time when still is warm。Because you can never have the same flavours and tastes after it gets old。
In life, we want plenty but actually what we really need are few. We probably have many acquaintances but only few friends.
Understanding from others are not something you can expect without efforts from self。
Respect is not what you can demand without showing respect to others and self first。 Respect is not something you can demand but have to think how to win without impulsiveness.
Inner peace is a process that one must learns how to manage him/herself from within。
The life journey is as brewing a cup of tea, there are many possibilities that each has to learn how to manage through life-time learning.
I was so inspired by this photo and statement which I read the introduction of Grand Master Kuo Chen-Xiang who founded the “ErMei Median Healing Method” which he emerges the Chinese ancient philosophies in ErMei Wushu, TCM and Chinese Buddhism in the daily healing exercise :
One loses its solidity if roots are not growing firmly deep.
One may not reach enlightenment if the mind is not straight.
No method can work effectively without refined medical advancement and accumulation of practices and wisdom
The brief summary above basically can be applied not only in the natural healing exercise to improve the physical conditions and health, most importantly to enlighten the living philosophies to improve the health in body, mind and spirit.
Simple message with complex wisdom, for health and life.
When first received this Autumn picked GaoShan Oolong （not being refined process）from ShanLinXi in 2016, even though the high flavor notes were attractive, but the bitter astringency from the presence of Chlorophyll was too strong.
Two years later, the flavor is no longer young and sexy but the matured gentleness has different charm. Most delightful discovery is the taste which is much sweeter and pleasant, it gains more points with better after taste.
The tasting tonight confirms one simple learning: Sometimes waiting is better than rushing to the taste of refreshing but with green bitterness. Of course, the fundamental factor is to store it in appropriate conditions.
I was stunning when reading the report from WHO today that revealed the latest research about the suicide rate in the world:
An interview of Romelu Lukaku, a famous Belgian football player, last night was very heart touch, “Ik ga niemand zijn gat kussen”, Lukaku concluded “I am not going to kiss any body’s ass”in the interview when he talked about racism lack of respect experience because of his Congo origin and skin color that he has been through from upbringing. Apparently those unpleasant experience did not make him a bitter man, on the contrary have enhanced his wisdom and fighting will that he’s able to build his successful story in life.
Both of my sons experienced racism in the first day in kindergarten because they have Chinese appearance. Starting from the day one, I told them they are unique because of the combination of Chinese and Belgian culture inherits. No matter how hard they try, they can never change their face; they can’t change others but they can change themselves. Instead of hoping others to accept them, it is better for them to accept themselves and others.
The chaotic drama brought a lot of unavoidable psychological stress to two boys during 2002-2005 when they also faced the growing pain as teenagers. I knew it’s not easy for them to talk with me without holding back their feeling, so I encouraged them to speak with professional children psychologist. And it helped; now both kids are able to manage their study and living by knowing who they are and what they would like to be.
When I was teenager, I thought I knew all about life, but actually I didn’t. At the age of 16 just before I was over buster by hormone , the discover of truth that I was adopted actually eased my uncontrollable fire down. Of course, I could speak about my feeling with my good friends, but I chose simply to accept without making noise. Instead of creating chaos to two families, I decided to accept it with gratitude for unselfish love, teaching and care from my parents; and also not blaming or disturbing the living of my biological parents.
I had my nearly burn-out at the age of 29-30, when stood on the work-life imbalance weight scale, I did not know who to talk since I did not even clearly understand the cause. Until I entered the path of tea, I was able to relocate my calm assertive energy in mind; the learning of Daoyin Qigong started from the same year enhanced my consciousness and abilities of listening to my body. These two look as ‘skills learning’ have actually gone much deeper for change in me. Even though I chose not to talk, again I simply decided to accept the situation and started to sort out my rationality to solve problems that bothered my mind and body with actions.
When my ex- was hoping that I could disappear from this world, even though it was hard but still I chose to accept the situation, and decided to stay and live by putting feet on the ground and learning to walk again without regret and resentful energy. Because I have tried and will keep on trying. The unspeakable stressful time has actually strengthened my energy and made me a better person.
It does not matter what kind of upbringing we might have, we all dream and hope for a perfect world, but the reality proves it is not what we have dreamed, there is nothing we can but learn to accept, to adapt and to manage as best we can.
Indeed in life, we either have or will again face more challenges. The good experiences and successes really can cheer us up, but bad experiences and failures would make us stronger and better. If you have sufficient strength to dissolve the stressful thinking and energy through inner dialogues, of course, is the best. Otherwise can try to talk with objective 3rd party who can help you to sort out your emotion and negative energy won’t make you weak, on the contrary, it means you are in the process of demonstrating your inner strength and would like to take control back.
Young or old, woman or man, are all like a beautiful sun flower. Keep your back straight and head high, enjoy the warmth from sun and melody from wind, then every day is a good day and every year is a good year.
Consistent and non stop circle of practices “ I read, I hear, I think, I understand , I act”, repeat, repeat and repeat until it becomes a habit without thinking for self-cultivation that leads to enlightenment in 三眛 （SanMei)。
Think, think and think without actions then it remains as thinking that nothing will happen。
Three major and basic steps are crucial for further refine advance by examining self everyday on asking: What did I do? What have I do bad or well? What can I improve further? This critical learning attitude is not only for the quality of professional and life learning, but also is the fundamental learning attitude to tea。
Like to learn about tea? Want to become a better qualified tea sommelier? Then should first know what and how to learn and love more on pure authentic quality tea, know more about tea with health and how can yo identify pure authentic vs. aromatic quality…….these are the fundamental learning points。 Tthe most critical learning is “submissive learning attitude”。
Being able to identify flavors and tastes are important but should’t just either jump or limit to aromatic flavors。
