Tea practice has a way of bringing us back to beginner’s mind. Even when you think you “know” how to brew, each session surprises you: how the leaves open, the scent that rises, the difference between the first and second steep. These small details remind us that curiosity, attention, and relationship with the tea matter more than precision or strict instructions.
People often ask for exact brewing rules. While we provide guidance, the real learning comes from noticing, experimenting, and discovering how each tea wants to be brewed today. Brew guides are a starting point, not a final answer. Observing and responding to each tea develops a relationship over time—a conversation between the leaves, the water, and yourself. This attentive engagement cultivates patience, presence, and an embodied sense of rhythm, which carries beyond tea and into daily life.
This principle applies beyond tea as well. We are in a transitional, earth-oriented part of the year, a time for grounding, centering, and noticing how life moves between seasons. Slowing down, observing, and being present supports stability, helping you stay rooted while preparing for the next phase of creativity and growth. Each moment of mindfulness you bring to your tea practice reinforces the same qualities you can carry into work, relationships, and personal reflection.
This week, let curiosity, attentiveness, and grounding guide both your tea practice and your days. Notice what the tea asks of you, and notice what this season asks of you. Allow yourself to move slowly enough to fully perceive the subtleties of flavor, warmth, and aroma, and let each cup become a mirror for the shifts in your own energy.
This Week in Practice: Let Tea Teach You to Begin Again
We are often asked how to brew specific teas. People want the “right” way: the temperature, the steep time, the exact measurement. While we are happy to offer guidance, the reality is that every tea is different, even within the same type. Each session invites curiosity and experimentation.
Brew guides are a starting point, not a final answer. They give basic information, but the real learning happens when you pay attention and develop a relationship with the tea. Over time, you begin to notice the nuances of leaves, water, and vessel, and the act of brewing becomes a dialogue rather than a checklist.
A few reminders as you practice this week:
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Notice if your first steep is too weak.
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See what the leaves ask for in terms of water, rest, or vessel.
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Experiment with steep time, temperature, or multiple infusions.
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Treat “mistakes” as learning opportunities, not failures.
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Allow yourself to explore instead of seeking shortcuts or exact rules.
The beauty of tea practice is that you can always come back to beginner’s mind.
A real-world example: a Taiwanese tea practitioner we met spends seasons in Yunnan learning the harvests firsthand. She emphasizes that before you can even discuss the qi or spirit of tea, you have to spend time learning it deeply. This reflects a core idea Shanna highlighted: to truly connect with tea, it’s not about copying an expert or following instructions to the letter. It’s about listening, experimenting, and discovering the subtle conversation between you and the leaves.
This week, let your brew guide be a starting point, not an endpoint. Pay attention, experiment, and notice what each tea asks of you in the moment. Each cup is an invitation to slow down, notice, and reset your awareness.
Five Element Insights: Rooting in Earth Between Seasons
We are in a transitional stretch of the calendar. The earth element, which shows up between every seasonal change, supports grounding, centering, and integration, helping us stay balanced and steady rather than pushing toward forward motion or expansion. Earth is not about rushing—it’s about noticing the subtle shifts that occur as one season transitions into the next and creating a stable foundation for what comes after.
Key ways to work with earth this week:
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Slow down and anchor – Take time to notice your body, your breath, your surroundings, and your current state.
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Feel stability under movement – Especially important as we enter the Year of the Fire Horse, when energy is intense and fast.
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Ground to support all elements – Earth holds wood, fire, water, and metal. Consider it your foundation for balance.
Try this in your tea practice:
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Before beginning, pause for at least three slow breaths.
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Notice your hands and how they interact with the teaware, feeling the weight, texture, and warmth.
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Sit with your tea for a few extra moments before sipping, allowing yourself to fully absorb the aroma, heat, and rhythm of the session.
Earth practices help us honor the space between seasons rather than rush through it. This transitional time is for setting a stable foundation, for strengthening our internal balance before energy and momentum increase. As creative and fiery energy begins to rise, especially in a fast-moving year, grounding ensures that what grows has something steady to grow from. The small moments of presence and attention in tea, reflection, and daily life ripple outward, giving clarity, resilience, and balance that supports both work and play, rest and movement. By tending to earth now, we prepare ourselves to move forward with intention and steadiness.
Friends of Living Tea
This week we are excited to feature someone we’ve been loving for her insight: Berna Lee (@bernbernlee), a Chinese astrologer, researcher, and educator whose lineage stretches back generations of Chinese astrologers. Berna offers readings and guidance, blending her deep family lineage with modern research to make Chinese astrology accessible and practical. We appreciate featuring an actual Chinese astrologer as a way of honoring the roots of this tradition.
In a recent episode of the podcast, Embodied Astrology, she shares her perspective on the unfolding energies of the Year of the Fire Horse and how ancient traditions can illuminate contemporary life. Her conversation emphasizes reflection, timing, and presence over prediction, much like tea invites attentiveness and curiosity over following strict rules.