What Does It Mean When We Say That Tea Is Not A Drink?
Still, modern humans regard Tea as a beverage, passive and inanimate, something to be consumed and reduced to a nutritional summary of polyphenols, that limits our ability to relate with her (and other plants), and the natural elements with consequences. These consequences of reducing Tea is a form of objectification, a fetishizing, a symptom of domination where we claim we “know” Tea, based on her list of beneficial compounds. Substituting "Tea" with "friend" challenges our anthropocentric view, highlighting our tendency to prioritize self-interest as humans, where we believe we are the main character of the narrative. It prompts reflection on genuine friendship and our role as participants.
DO PLANTS FEEL THE SAME?
No matter how often we are told we are loved, it’s still possible to forget it. I wonder if plants ever feel the same. I confess my love for them, again, as sweetly as the first time. I think the Tea in my cup today blushes. The Ferns, too.
Following the plants,
WAYS WE BLOCK OUR CREATIVITY (AND WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT)
I wanted to highlight the importance of how this relates to our bodies, emotions, and psyche this time of the year, when you or those around you are going through the Earth energy of this Water Rabbit Year.
YOU ARE THE ENERGETIC COMPANY THAT YOU KEEP
To the wu shamans, and later Daoists and Ch'an Buddhists (whose sentiments can still be found in present day Chinese culture, such as in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chinese Astrology), the separation between consciousness and landscape did not exist.
Two Of The Greatest Lies
Perhaps two of the greatest lies are these: That you are born alone and you die alone.