A Tale of Two Tea Minds

In China and Japan there is more to tea than leaf and water. China’s Taoism and Japan’s Zen Buddhism infuse a meditative sensibility that quiets the mind and soothes the soul.

I vividly remember the moment I was introduced to the Eastern idea of “tea mind.” It was during a visit to the Urasenke Foundation in San Francisco where I had been invited to observe students studying the Japanese Way of Tea (Chanoyu). At any one time, I heard the pouring of water, the clink of the lid on the iron kettle, or the whisking of the powdered green tea in water as it turned into a light, frothy brew. Surrounded by Chanoyu’s timeless refinement, I realized that as much as it is an actual ceremony, it is also a consciousness, a “mentality of elegance,” an experiential adventure that unfolds along with the passing moments. Creating the alchemical brew with such a consciousness is also a path to “tea mind” and spiritual sustenance.

The Zen of Tea

While Taoism provided the aesthetic ideals inherent in the Way of Tea, it was a southern Zen Buddhist sect that integrated many Taoist doctrines into Japan’s Way of Tea as it is practiced today. Nowhere is this appreciation of aesthetics more evident than in the placement of flowers, the profound simplicity of the pottery, the architecture of the teahouse, and, of course, the tea powder itself.

Measuring Tea Mind?

Can the ephemeral, meditative meaning inherent in such “unseeable principles” of tea mind be measured? And if so, might measuring different meditative mental states provide insights into enhancing emotional well-being?

To answer these questions, researchers at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, conducted a groundbreaking study with Lama Oser, a Tibetan monk and Buddhist who trained in the Himalayas for more than 30 years. After wiring the monk to high-tech apparatus designed to measure changes in his mental activity, he went through five Tibetan meditations: compassion, devotion, fearlessness, “open state” and “single point.” As Lama Oser switched among the various meditations, different parts of his brain glowed, suggesting increased electrical activity in those centers.

Such research suggests that living with a “tea mind” sensibility is the opposite of thoughts filled with negative feelings and emotions. In this way, you create a “tea mind infusion” that allows the mystery, joy, and beauty within to spring forth.

Deborah Kesten, MPH is an international lifestyle and nutrition researcher and Certified Wellness and Cardiac coach. She is also are the award-winning author of Feeding the Body, Nourishing the Soul, The Healing Secrets of Food, and The Enlightened Diet. Visit her at www.Enlightened-Diet.com to take her FREE What’s Your Eating Style? Quiz, and to learn more about her Whole Person Nutrition Program for wellness and weight loss.