Relax with tea

Thảnh thơi với trà- Ảnh 1. — Morning cup of tea and the author leisurely with tea

Drinking tea helps us stay awake. Because tea contains caffeine. But spiritually, drinking tea is an excuse to practice mindfulness. Life out there is still full of troubles, because people accumulate and nurture greed, anger, and delusion, and treat each other with competition, jealousy, and gossip of all kinds.

Returning to tea and breathing, I find that I can wash away some of the worries in my mind. Breathing and smiling over a cup of morning tea is a way to stop and calm my body and mind, giving me the opportunity to observe my thoughts. Putting aside the distractions, looking deeply, being grateful and letting go of any suffering is good for me.

Life is full of hustle and bustle, with gossip and competition, but when we are calm enough and leisurely with tea, it seems that people know enough to be peaceful and happy with what they have. Tea reminds us to be leisurely, life is too short, we fight to achieve many things and when we close our eyes, we cannot take anything with us. Tea has "preached" that principle like a Zen master, ringing a bell in our hearts and saying "drink tea".

Drink your tea, don't let your mind wander and seek. Don't let yourself become a slave to external things like fame, beauty, and wealth - which have caused suffering and bound so many people since ancient times, and bound you in moments of delusion.

Tea, bitter in taste but sweet aftertaste, just like when we practice letting go of old (bad) habits and worldly passions (often attractive), it is a bit difficult, but if we do it, we will be at peace.

(Entry to the contest "Impressions of Vietnamese coffee and tea" under the program "Honoring Vietnamese coffee and tea" for the 2nd time, 2024 organized by Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper).