Tea and spirituality

[Flynn]

Hello all,

 

I am currently researching tea and its influences on spirituality and culture in China. Do any of you know any of its history, or have any knowledge of its significance in relation to Buddhism or Taoism? If you do, I'd love to hear it.

 

Flynn

[Pranaman]

Lam Kam Chuen the Yichuan teacher who has written many a books on zhan zhuang, has also written a book about the spiritual practice of drinking tea.

[thelerner]

I forget the book, but it had a story in it about a young man who wanted to study Buddhism at a Monastery in china (or was it Korea?) sometime in the 60's. After making arrangements he was stopped at customs by security and told he couldn't go through. "Don't you know there is a war on?"

 

The monk to be replied "Making a cup of tea, I stop the war"

 

The guard considered and let him through.

 

 

Michael

 

I consider myself Bi. I like coffee and tea. Recently I bought a mini file grater, it came w/ a bag of nutmeg, cinamon etc. I use it daily to grind both into my morning coffee. What nice is it slows me down, makes me feel and smell the herbs.

[Flynn]

Thanks guys!

 

I've got a copy of Lam Kam Chuen's book on the way, it seems very interesting.

[dragonfire]

Thanks guys!

 

I've got a copy of Lam Kam Chuen's book on the way, it seems very interesting.

 

Drink 10,000 cups of green tea and you'll obtain enlightenment.

[Martial Development]

Drink 10,000 cups of green tea and you'll obtain enlightenment.

 

Just don't drink 10,001 cups, or you'll have to start over again!

[DalTheJigsaw123]

Thanks guys!

 

I've got a copy of Lam Kam Chuen's book on the way, it seems very interesting.

 

I love it! How true...

[thelerner]

Drink 10,000 cups of green tea and you'll obtain enlightenment.

 

Drink 10,000 cups of green tea and you will live 5 years longer.

But the equivalent of 3 of them will be spent in the wash room peeing.

 

 

Just back from San Francisco's China town. I picked up some sweetened macha made genmai style w/ toasted rice from a tea shop called Blest tea. Very good, makes a sweet green frothy cup.

[steve]

My teacher is a Daoist and taught me the Gong Fu method of brewing tea. He orders really good quality Wulong tea from Taiwan each Spring and gets me some. That's about it - for him it's more of a social affair than a spiritual or religious matter. He likes very much to simply sit around and chat once in a while over tea. I've adopted the habit with some friends and enjoy it as well.