Virtual #BYOT Buddha's Birthday Tea Ceremony

"There are not a hundred steps to Buddhahood - Only one: right here, right now I am free!"

Buddha means The Awakened One, and we all have a Buddha within us.

In ancient lore and Buddhist teachings, the birthday of Buddha, also known as Wesak/Vesak Day, is a day when the Lord Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, went through the cycle of birth, enlightenment, and death all in one day. Today we sit in honour of the Buddha's many revered teachings, and bear in mind that there is no doctrine and indeed, this day's ceremony is not religious. After all, there is the saying that "Zen and tea are all one flavour", for Zen is the meditative mind and tea facilitates that mind-to-mind, wordless transmission between student and teacher for many centuries. Tea trees have proliferated on the face of earth long before the Buddha raised that single lotus flower in his hands instead of philosophising on Vulture Peak. They have lived long before the first human voice shattered the silence of this very earth on which we currently live. When we are being present to the moment, we are living with the Buddha mind (Zen Mind, a beginner's mind). As Osho once said, "Do it with the hands of Buddha". With this in mind, you don't have to be a Buddhist or be religiously set in any way, to sit in meditation for Tea. 

Social Distancing Update: 

Now, as we adjust to these winds of change, we look at serving Tea virtually, instilling stillness and presence of mind across the digital waves. You can still participate by simply finding a quiet corner and sitting in silence with me during the tea ceremony. What you need: 

1. Go on Instagram account @Liyinglimmm (or RSVP for Zoom link)

2. A bowl or cup is fine too. Prepare a flask or kettle of hot water.  If you have no loose leaf teas around, simply pour this steaming hot water into the bowl/cup and drink in tandem with me. 

3. As you sit in silence you begin to become conscious of the Qi the heat is catalysing within you. Continue to sip on the water/tea, and begin to sink into this meditative silence. The more often we partake in ceremony, the easier we find it to sink into meditation and slowly, this meditative pace and appreciation for the simplest things in life will seep into your daily lives. 

After the live session, I will be opening the floor to reflections, questions, and of course, a chat. The bowls, as they come and go during the tea ceremony, is a symbolic mandala of our connection - as we sit together we drop all egos and identities are simply being ourselves, with the conscious awareness that we are also all individuals who will eventually leave this ceremony to go on with our lives. In this moment, it is my honour to sit and connect us all. In this moment that is all that matters - this very moment.  

This ceremony is free for all, and will also be Live on my Facebook page as well as Instagram account.