August Tea ’24

Kim

Tea Space is the perfect host / as the sky hosts clouds / and Great
Mind hosts all thoughts

Siddiq

The imperfection / how shall I learn to treasure / just the way it is?

Ulrich

No student far or near – you are the task

Tracy

Aging into tea / No more kneeling, I soften / my mind is water.

Lesley

folding fukusa…unfolding cherry blossoms…unfolding asha

Deb

Good to go into the calm together

Kate

Long ago, here now, too / I have shared this tea with you / More
precious, these memories.

Sakina

bubbles silently bursting in the green foam— when will my desire
to be perfect burst?

Lesley

our cosy tea together…cherry blossoms meet a field of
sunflowers…where else can we do this?

Kim

Stillness amidst the turbulence / the whisk outlines a perfect ensoe /
and continues

Kay & Anne

I bow in great thanks. The gift of your company, brings joy to
the day.

Sita

Making sense or no sense / life swings between sunflowers and
blossoms while we drink a bowl /
of tea / making no sense at all / just Now.

Siddiq

there are no mistakes / shall my failures be virtues? / friend, you
miss the point.

Jean

It is all yellow again, as I knew it would be. The chamisa crowns, the abundant sunflowers, the fields, the light on everything. This season, more
than any other, reminds us that time is fleeting, and now is the time to lay down the seeds for new life, which is not so distant after all.

September Tea ’23

  From Gerow Drinking tea/The shifting of the season’s light/ Illumines this double autumn. From Siddiq Approaching the gate / What can I look forward to? /  Never mind those thoughts!   From Deborah Summer to Autumn in 24 hours here; joining friends for...

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,...