November Tea ’23

 

From Victoria
The comments on sprouting and awareness of the abundance of kindnesses reminds of the Thanksgiving poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, which starts:
We walk on starry fields of white
And do not see the daisies;
For blessings common in our sight
We rarely offer praises.
We sigh for some supreme delight
To crown our lives with splendor,
And quite ignore our daily store
Of pleasures sweet and tender.

From Karima:
Kindness changes world / World nurtured responds / Possibilities

From Sheila:
Heart so full.  Breath filling the whole. Love is all.

From Siddiq:
Kindness between us / Balm for our hearts of sorrow / Brings Peace among us.

From Lesley:
Tea Bowl warmly holds Tea…Tea hugs the bowl in foamy gratitude…Kind Silk slides around Natsume’s lonely form.  (to be continued…)

From Sakina:
Sometimes I’m not kind / I’m in a hurry / and kindness takes time / or my ”me” voice / drowns out my generosity. / Later I berate myself / unkindly / take a deep breath / and vow / yet again / to not be the center / of my universe.

From Victoria:
I selected my hat with
little thought other than
my own head in the cold – yet
it delighted a stranger enough to inquire
where she could find one for her own.
Brief chat on the path
blowing gently by with the leaves;
now to tea, and cats,
with spiritual family.

[I did actually receive a compliment on my hat today, so the opening poem with the kind encounters we have with others, and everyone’s comments in conversation, come together.]

From Kay:
the journey of tea. sharing a bowl of kindness. how welcome is hope.

From Deborah:
Early cold and snow, looking deeply for the kindnesses.  Thanks so much for sharing tea

August Tea ’23

  From Deborah MN First time at the library. Quite noisy and distracting. Fun though to join you even late.   From Karima Thank you soooo much for this beautiful tea time together! Must go.   From Kate I begin in uncertainty, slowly, my hands remember   From Jean...

REMEMBERING – The Old Lama Kitchen

Lama children on the steps of the Old Kitchen (1981).  Arielle, Asha (Bernard) and Jamil inside the kitchen (1981). Photos offered by Asha and Uwais Old Lama Kitchen - A few memories By Irit Umani, June 2023 When I think of Lama’s Old Kitchen, my mind almost...

June Tea ’23

  From Chad Being in NO tea/my body needing to rest/I become a guest. ( thank you) From Jean the glob, it sinks, it floats, it pulls us in, but like healing everywhere, just add a bit of hotwater, whisk and drink, and all of your cares will be gone. From Lesley...

May Tea ’23

From Gerow Purification... Meeting life as it is.... Acceptance orrecognition of the present moment... Respect.... Sense of freedom from "shoulds"   From Karen (who remembered this from another Lama Tea poet) Rains arrived... fire turns tosteam... renewal   From Deb...

April Tea ’23

    From Kathy While turning the compost pile at the retreat yesterday, I remembered this poemBy Sasaki Sanmi “Taking a break, resting my chin on the hoe, I sense the hoe’s strongattachment to this field” From Sakina holding each other gently / we share the...

March Tea ’23

From Ravi Austin through the universeeach space, each planet, each timeMatcha & me From Siddiq Hans von Briesen WE are found objectsWashed ashore in the sea of lifeGrateful to be alive. From Deborah MN Awe, the change of seasons, tea, remarkable and humbling32...

February Tea ’23

What courage, each year, has the treeto once again birth her leaves,her pink cherry blossoms or delicate dogwood petals,knowing in days, weeks or months,they will wither and fall to the ground.So, too, the crocus or tulip,who struggles through the frozen...

Preparation

Poems written by participants of Lama Tea, June 2, 2022 Prepare to face the moment, just how it happens. — Karen Higgins our attentive preparations join hands with the ringing clash of the unexpected past meets future two hands blessed and blessing — Lesley Maclean...

September Tea

Hopping bunny stops To sniff a morning glory Vining through lettuce — Tracy Cates Return to tea, Return to friends. Love and blessings everyone! — Kate Shane glowing jars of autumn bounty bunny madonnas crickets at my window it's autumn! — Kathy Lyons Hippity HOPPING,...

Reunion

Lama Tea, July 7, 2022 When we look up at the stars, what do we feel? Do we feel the awesome vastness of space? Do we stop breathing or thinking? Do we feel ever so teeny? Do we feel an inexplicable connection? Is there fear? joy? quiet? heart thumping brain...