DDM Sydney 2025 CNY Feb 2 Tea Meditation Personal Reflection by Joel Goh

As the hot water poured into the cup, I watched as the tea leaves swirled gracefully, emitting steam and releasing warmth into my cupped hands along with a delicate hint of tea fragrance. In the background, the facilitator's gentle voice guided us, but I was lost in thoughts and simply stared blankly at the cup in front of me. 

It wasn't until when I suddenly realised that the tea leaves had changed shape and colour that I realised I had been daydreaming. What surprised me the most was that I had failed to notice these subtle changes happening right in front of me when I had been staring at it the whole time. How was that possible??

A feeling of disappointment arose, but I quickly promised myself: to return to the present moment immediately and to observe and experience fully whatever was unfolding before me. 



This tea meditation experience reminded me that without mindfulness and concentration, we are not truly present in any given moment, even when we believe we are. It is a timely reminder to be steadfast in my practice so that I can extend the mindful awareness from sitting meditation to everyday life and activities. 

Thank you Dharma Drum Mountain Sydney for organising and running this activity!



Text: Joel Goh
Photos: Dharma Drum Mountain Sydney Chapter