March, June, Sept. Tea ’25

March 15, 2025 Online Lama Tea Offerings

 
From Kim:

A precious living natsume
contains a mountain of green tea.
Mist arises from this treasured gift.
Drinking in the tea space that connects all.

 

June 21, 2025 Online Lama Tea Offerings

 
From Chad:

**All moments lead here/nothing to do but make tea/ it is everything.

**Can I fold into this moment like a fukusa and open like a bowl of tea

 
From Tracy:

Lukewarm, I am unfolding like this fukusa. Cozy sweaty, a closet Hermit, I am abundance. Grateful for my home in times of chaos.\

 
From Lesley:

just being here…writing a poem…doesn’t have to rhyme… maybe something about tea…everything else moving around as it does behind the words…it’s all here..don’t have to write about it…just being here

 
From Kathy:

Sitting quietly, listening to the kettle come to boil, smelling the sandalwood incense, feeling the cool breeze coming through the new reed screens, I hear a green apricot plum plop on the ground. Time to make umeshu (plum wine)!

 
From Karen:

Not a poem – just thoughts. Just BEING (Siddiq reminds us about being with meditation); Just being HERE; Where is HERE? Thanks to Zoom, HERE is everywhere!

 
From Siddiq:

Desperation helps / to motivate the discipline / for repose in Tea. // That repose, sharing / with others in beauty / a healing balm.

 

September 20, 2025 Online Lama Tea Offerings

 
From Lesley:

Rowing together… with variations … Spring and Autumn … faster and slower

 
From Deborah:

Fast or slow, high or low, open the heart and feel the flow

 
From Tracy:

Oars dip quickly in
memories of my mother
water catches light

 
From Kathy:

“What a fine autumn day! With only a half sail she makes a smooth passage.” by Sasaki Sanmi

 
From Gracybelle:

Row row. Go go. Slow slow stop
See spot run. See spot row
Let’s get there then pause
Before entering the room
Or the storm

 

From Kay:

My boat into life, you carried me so faithfully, did I ever give you pause?

 

From Chad:

Row row row our boat all together down the stream, flowing between the streams

 

From Siddiq:

The rhythm of Tea and daily life pause for waking from somnambulance

 

From Sakina:

Autumn sunlight \ glitters in the water \ dripping from our oars \ I pause and my heart breaks \ with amazement

December Tea ’24

Siddiq Is beginner’s mind / a big thing or a small thing? / No mind is theanswer Tracy Why respond with “no”? / Give freely beyond request / Hindered bynothing Sakina I judge, therefore I am / shoddy foam, perfect foam / can I loveevery bubble? Tracy Three and a half...

August Tea ’24

Kim Tea Space is the perfect host / as the sky hosts clouds / and GreatMind 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...

May Tea ’24

From Randy W. "Prayer for Our World" In the midst of thisHorrifying imageThe only solaceFour survivorsPerhaps a familyHolding togetherThe grace of lifeAs if our worldMight be whole againAdorned with treesAnd lemons. From Deborah MN: I'm getting my first lily of the...

April Tea ’24

From Jean K: Thank you for welcoming Chloe to our practice today. I think she will enjoy learningmore about how to fold the fukusa when she and I practice together. We are leaving you allnow to work on the garden. Many spring blessings to all!! From Lesley M: we are...

March Tea ’24

From Susan R: Quiet here this moment, but like returning salmon, the flow was powerful From Lesley M: Stopping the battle … Letting the foam have bubbles … Spring and Autumn mix From Dean O: In the middle of tea / the great-tailed grackles / returned to my yard today...

February Tea ’24

“Luck is the Guest that turned up.” Lesley   From Willi S: I am borrowing the words of Gary Snyder, which I think are uniquely applicable today.  We can all individually decide what he means by WILD.  "People often think of art as the most highly cultured, the most...

January Tea ’24

​From Jean K: Our lives / shirts on the ironing board / tears of grief and gratitude / with water and whisk we blend them all / and sip From Kate S: Hurrying to a place where I yearn to slow down, to listen to the sounds of making tea and the jumbled thoughts in my...

December Tea ’23

From Kathy:Running Teachers!! Shiwasu! From Jean:running teachers know the value of mistakes From Lesley:making tea to a single point … a knock at the door … a tap at the window … points in flowing motion From Jean:Phone call, I’m at the door, interruptions happen,...

November Tea ’23

  From VictoriaThe 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 whiteAnd do not see the daisies;For blessings common in our sightWe rarely...

October Tea ’23

  From Kathy:   10 Virtues of Tea by Rikyu:  Blessed by gods / shakes off sleepiness / discharges filial duties / wards off disease/ makes one love and respect people / frees one from earthly desires / keeps one healthy / has contact withnobility / prolongs life...