Relax with tea.

A cup of morning tea and the author enjoying the tea in peace.

Drinking tea helps you stay awake. Because tea contains caffeine. But from a spiritual perspective, drinking tea is an excuse to practice mindfulness. Life out there is still full of troubles, because people harbor and nurture greed, anger, and delusion, treating each other with rivalry, envy, and gossip.

Returning to tea and breathing, I find I can cleanse my mind of worries. Breathing and smiling with a morning cup of tea is a way for both body and mind to pause, calm down, and give me a chance to observe my thoughts. Putting aside the anxieties, looking deeply, being grateful, and letting go of whatever suffering I can is beneficial to me.

Life is a hustle and bustle, filled with gossip and competition, but when one finds peace and tranquility with tea, it seems that contentment is key, and one finds joy in what one has. Tea reminds us to be at ease; life is too short, and striving to achieve many things means that when we close our eyes for the last time, we can't take anything with us. Tea, like a Zen master, has "taught" this philosophy, ringing a bell in our hearts and saying, "Drink some tea."

Drink your tea, and don't let your mind wander in pursuit. Don't let yourself be enslaved by external things like fame, beauty, and wealth—things that have tormented and bound countless people throughout history, and even yourself in moments of infatuation.

Tea, with its bitter taste followed by a sweet aftertaste, is like the process of letting go of old (bad) habits and worldly passions (which are often alluring). It's difficult, but if you succeed, you'll find peace.

(Entry for the "Impressions on Vietnamese Coffee and Tea" contest, part of the "Celebrating Vietnamese Coffee and Tea" program, 2nd edition, 2024, organized by Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper).

Graphics: CHI PHAN

Source: https://nld.com.vn/thanh-thoi-voi-tra-196240321124044307.htm