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

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,...

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...

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...