2007 | Samovarlife

Words of Wisdom from Samovar Ambassador Gabri Malinverno, In Italy

San Francisco Tea

Though I haven’t been able to keep in touch with pretty much anyone in SF, I am now free from school duties and about to move back home in a month, which allows me to catch up.

I periodically check out the website, when I get nostalgic about the times at Samovar, my “tea time”. I was reading about the Ambassadors…and thought I’d share the story between me and tea.

Tea has always been a tradition in my family. As far as I know, my mother does not drink water- black tea in the morning, more in the afternoon, and some herbal infusion in the evening. Over the last few years, it’s strictly been organic and fair-trade also.

When I was a young teenager, I really got into herbal teas- and began going to herbalist stores to buy different herbs with different properties, then mixing my own blends, either acording to taste, or to healing properties. I made infusions nightly for a few years, and cured (or tried to) family and friends with my concoctions. Yet, I was a coffee guy. My people’s affair with coffee dates centuries back, and coffee culture there is omnipresent.

When Samovar’s idea was introduced to me, it made me curious, yet skeptical. As I wanted to learn about tea, and was intrigued by all these new concepts and stories introduced to me, I also was not sure tea could have such a big place in our society. Of course, that changed as I witnessed Samovar grow into what it was when I left, and the profound influence tea culture has had on myself and the many people around me. And I started understanding, and sharing, the values the store embraces- those of community, relaxation, slowing down, environmental and human responsibility, and health.

I left San Francisco with James, a few belongings, and a big bag of tea samples. One of the first things we did when we moved in together, was brew some tea in a koryo cup, to celebrate.

I have since used black tea to power my brain during the long course of studies I chose. A good cup of strong Assam was always by my side during those long nights on midterms’ or finals’ weeks. There was no way I could have studied well with the jittery, confused, edgy buzz coffee or energy drinks give you. Tea helped me keep a clear, focused mind, while sustaining my body, aching from sitting down for long hours, while my classmates studying with me and drinking their Rockstar or triple lattes, were constantly scratching, tapping their feet, needing a break, worrying about failing.

Yet, having to wake up at 6am every day for class, getting out at 3, then going to work until 11pm every day, I never felt I could give up coffee. My fogged morning eyes demanded a punch in order to stay open, drive to school, and sit through a dark radiology class. My evenings of running around carrying plates to impatient, snappy, over-worked, Starbucks-fueled Americans, felt like an unsurmountable mountain without the kick of a coffee cup.

Yet, this has certainly not added life to my years nor years to my life..and the more I drank coffee, the more I depended on it daily, the more I needed a powerful herbal infusion to slow down enough to go to sleep at night. What a concept. Amp yourself up, then slow yourself down. Repeat daily. How retarded.

I kept with this coffee-and-tea-and herbals routine until my last two trimesters. As I entered my last few months of school, I started my internship in the college clinic. So here I am, still a student, dealing with real people, real sick people, trying to diagnose and treat and apply all that I have studied, struggling to keep calm and have a good vibe, yet being attent to every word or movement which can provide a clue to diagnosing a condition….and as I do this, I am full of coffee. Trying to calm down patients in severe pain, with my heart racing. Trying to listen and be sympathetic, with my head spinning.

It worked out for the patients, but it was such a struggle.

Then two things happened.

Number one, I was assigned to a different clinician, who ensured me of how good I was and how confident I looked, and how knowledgeable he knew I was.

Second, I pulled out a bag from my cabinet. I opened it and took out two old, dried-up friends from their meticulously sealed bag. Their names? Jinxuan and Baozhong.They were old and a little beaten up, but still full of that chestnutty aroma that made me fall in love with them. I thought, why not sip these to start my day?

So the next day, while I was chopping my breakfast fruits, the Baozhong was in the koryo cup. I take the lid off and the aroma of orchids blesses the new day, brings back memories of tea-lecturing strangers on Sanchez street, mingles with the scent of the nearby raspberries. I sip, and my day starts in second gear. It has been a necessary habit since.

My last few months, I was the intern I wanted to be. I got to the clinic still sleepy, but relaxed and uplifted by the gorgous smells, and confident that the oolong will soon help me wake up. I was always relaxed, yet well aware and awake. With my mind clear, I listened carefully to every patient, made contact with them, felt their spines not only for lack of motion but also for blocks in the subtle fields around their nerves, feeling where the problem was, knowing exactly how to fix it. After a physical exam, the list of differential diagnoses I presented to my clinician was always on target. I would always back up and justify, calmly, my findings and my treatment plan. I connected with patients on a different level- and they felt it, and told me about it. Oolong helped me achieve this.

Now, when I recommend a nutritional plan, which I custom-make for each patient, there are always three staples: daily omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin E, and a cup of green tea. Everybody has heard about the benefits of tea, but it is when they are told by someone in a white coat, that they do start drinking it- following the recommendation to not just chug it, but to sit down, calm down one’s thoughts, and sip. Believe me, it does wonders, together with regular adjustments. I also switched to black iced tea before and during work, which proved to be the best choice- strong enough to power me through a busy night, yet without the stress and impatience and feeling of impending doom of my coffee-fueled nights.

As I write this, Kwan Yin’s elixir is next to me. It’s my nice afternoon treat before I go out with friends.

Baozhong has, to me, the character and versatility no other tea has. The scent of orchids and chestnuts and tropical foliage always pleases the senses; it is a friend in the morning, who slowly holds up your eyelids, and assists your body in unfurling as the day begins. It is light enough to be a night companion- when the mellowness of its taste overpowers the caffeine and promotes a good night sleep. It is a great entertainer of guests during hot Los Angeles evenings- everybody loves some Oolong on the rocks, and some even enjoy it with a splash of vodka.

Tea has been a friend, a helping companion, and a source of interest and inspiration to me throughout the years.

Thank you for having given me the opportunity to explore the world of tea. I miss you all and will do my best to come to San Francisco soon, before I leave.

In health,
Gabriele Malinverno, DC

Listen to Samovar Tea Lounge Music…

samovar cd Tea Lounge Groove is the perfect accompaniment to your tea drinking experience. Listen to our custom blended music, made with local musicians, to elevate your tea drinking to a higher level…

One is the beginning.
The sum of many parts, one is whole and united. One full circle, one beginning is one ending. We live in one world. We have one life. There is one human race. One man and one woman, one sperm and one egg, one spark and one…

Sound
The sound of a beating heart confirms life. Relish your own sound, your own life, because you have only one. Love life and dance to its rhythm. Let our music inside you, guide you, inspire you, illuminate you. Let it sway you as it reflects the voices and rhythms of the world. Dance and rejoice to this music of…

Tea
Tea is the sum of the earth and the sun and the gentle touch of humankind. Sun and rain, wind and fog, mountains and lowlands, heat and cold, and gently crafted, tea is everything, and tea is for you. In one slight sip, tea becomes you for an instant, and then leaves you forever changed; relaxed and enlivened, warmed and refreshed. Sip again.

Tea is like life. It can be bitter and it can be sweet. It can be strong and it can be weak. Like you, it is mostly water. It can be young or old, smooth or wrinkled, black, white, yellow, brown, green, red. It is there on a hill-side, then here in your cup, then steeped then sipped then gone. It can be soothing or invigorating, stolid or sensual, enrapturing or enlightening. It is alluring and ephemeral. It is the union of the earth and humankind and we offer it to you.

Welcome to the sound of Samovar Tea Lounge, One. One sound, one tea, one world, one life, this is the beginning. Sip, dance, enjoy.

Media Contact:
Jesse Cutler, Samovar: (415) 655-3431 / publicity@jpcutlermedia.com

Trade Secrets of Samovar Tea Lounge

The Secret of the Samovar

At Samovar, we treat the business of the tea experience, our work, as our art. And, we’re really proud of the art we are making for this world. The way we see it, the secret to being a successful artist is to really be able to listen. To listen to the customers, to our vendors, to the city, to the weather, to our farmers, our employees, and to listen to the world around us with all of our senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, and energy.

If we can listen, and really see our surroundings then we can do whatever is necessary to make our work a beautiful piece of art that improves the world around us.

And, we’ve figured out the secret to listening successfully. Ask questions. Any kind of question, big, small, smart, stupid, obvious, obscure, immediate, timeless, personal, professional, happy, sad, or indifferent. Because if we’re always asking questions, then we’re always looking, thinking, caring, and acting.

That’s one reason that as a company we don’t have thick booklets of training materials and checklists for managers and employees to follow. We want our people to ask questions, to think, and to be creative. Certainly we have “our” way that we brew tea, our way of processing payroll, or completing mail order for a customer. But, we don’t want robotic drones working here.

We want people who care, think, and are creative. And, if our people are always asking questions, then they are always thinking about what they’re doing. And if they’re thinking about what they’re doing, then, they’re thinking about creative solutions for whatever it is they are doing and how it might be done better.

It’s all about creativity. And with thoughtful, mindful, creativity, comes beautiful art, beautiful business, and beautiful life.

(Part III) Teresa in India: More than San Francisco Tea Culture

Teresa and the Gang In India

This time, I will try to take a closer look at the specifics of culture and life in India. I don’t mean to plunge into any elaborate analysis, but rather draw a couple of examples which might strike a
foreigner, make him think, laugh and wonder.

In India, you can experience uniquely diverse, colorful and spiritual culture – women of all castes gracefully wearing sari, Hindu gods smiling from the temples, markets full of scents, spices, people,
animals and shouting…

Of course, the holy cows have unlimited access everywhere and so do the numerous stray dogs. There are billions of people living in India,and at least the same number of animals on the streets. No wonder that my friend who was coming to pick me up just recently, used a curious but a very credible excuse for running late – he hit the buffalo on the way, since it was dark and the black buffalo certainly didn’t have any night lights.

Westerners, especially girls, might be scared of mice, cockroaches or spiders. I haven’t seen yet any of these species here. Instead, there is an army of lizards creeping on the walls, in the bathrooms and windows. The girls at our home are all scared of them to death, while I think they are rather cute and harmless.

The local shopping center looks as a nearly abandoned market with exclusively over-the-counter type of shops. No vast parking lots, no shelves of goods, no trolleys…but a kind “uncle” who speaks broken English and is extremely helpful. I can also sing odes to the mango shake I’ve had once at the juice stand. After some doubts as for hygienic reasons, I have consented to try the famous potion which was positively the best mango shake I have ever had. With raisins, cashew nuts, dried fruit and ice-cream. Yum!

Every country has its own ways, America has its Jamba Juice, India has, for instance, Pappu Juice Corner – find 10 differences.

Talking about the services, what an unexpected surprise it is to realize that Pizza Hut over here is not a fast food place, but one of the most popular restaurants at the Connaught Place in New Delhi.
People are waiting in crowds outside to be seated (imagine a good sushi place in SF) and then ushered to a restaurant with booths, waiters, porcelain plates and menus. Yes, that’s Pizza Hut in India.

In my opinion, what makes any culture specific and different is the people. And let me tell you – the Indian people definitely let you feel that you are in a different place. Their generosity, boundless curiosity and constant smile never wear out. It is so natural for the Indian people to engage in a conversation with any foreigner (who is always easy to be spotted). I have been attacked by questions ranging from the education and economic system of my country to my private life (in a detailed cross check). Indian people are curious and at the same time let you know their pride over being Indian. They eagerly explain about their traditions, food (which is a crucial part of their culture), religions, movies, languages (they are sometimes very fierce to teach you Hindi)…etc.

It is amazing how most people here know English and there is hardly any need for the foreigners to step out of the language safety zone. However, their English is the “Queen’s English” as they proclaim, which means that some words are almost obsolete and hardly even used in today’s England. For instance, my little girls have never heard the word “dress” but daily operate with the term “frock”. To describe a teacher, one of the girls told me “she is a learned woman”. It has been some time since I’ve heard teenagers speaking like this.

As a part of cultural pattern, I never stop wondering at the emphasis Indian people, especially women, place on good looks. They are extremely outspoken when it comes to appearance. It is normal to comment on weight and overall looks to the point when one woman says to another “You look so beautiful!” whether they know each other or not. Good looking people seem to have naturally gained an authority and respect.

The Beautiful Girls of Uttar Pradesh

The general idea of beauty is ruled by the fairness of your skin – the fairer, the better. In amazement, I watched a TV commercial advertising a product for men called “Fair and Handsome” – some kind of a skin lightener. You could see a guy in the commercial being surrounded by sexy females, after he used the product mentioned (which makes a good idea for a crazy souvenir).

There is plenty to learn and explore every day. The children uncover hidden Indian secrets for me and teach me how to live, be happy and fight life’s hardships. If I could teach them half as much as they teach me, I would be able to leave content and satisfied.

With this I leave you for today. Be well and make others feel good.
Yours, Teresa

(Part II) Teresa in India: Uttar Pradesh

The Girls of Uttar Pradesh

From the Faraway state of Uttar Pradesh, all the way to Samovar Tea Lounge in San Francisco, this is Tea Ambassador Teresa reporting from afar…

In another words, a place where time seems to stand still and therefore it comes as a surprise to me that it has been almost 3 weeks already since I arrived here.

This red brick 4 storey house, full of all those joyful faces of girls running around, really feels like home to me now. That is where I wake up every morning and before going down for breakfast, take an Indian bath. The whole intricate system of taking a shower in an Indian way lies in one bigger bucket full of water and a small pitcher with which a person splashes the water over himself/herself. So instead of “taking a shower”, it is more like “taking a bucket”. However, it serves the purpose fairly well.
The daily routine starts with a breakfast (invariably toasts and hot milk or mildly spiced chai) and follows with my workshops with the older girls. There is some time to exhale and wipe off the sweat before lunch is served. (The secret word is: 215) Lunch as well as dinner consists of chapatis (“pancakes” made out of flour and water, rosted on open fire), rice, raita (yoghurt-like sour concoction) and cooked vegetables of different sorts but bigger amounts, so that all the 50 hungry throats in the house would get fed.

The Girls' Bed Room

After lunch, I’m having English classes with the little ones for a few hours that naturally flow into an art workshop (yes, the girls love to draw) and sometimes basketball or a game of cards. There are also moments I steal away a little time for making tea from my own collection.

Dinner comes as late as 8pm and then there is just a little time left for the weenies to brush their teeth and play in their roomsbefore they get too tired and often crush at any random place in a house (from where the older girls carry them to their beds). Seeing a little girl sleeping on a concrete floor is a common phenomena, which quickly stops being a matter of concern. The older girls (and I) stay up till about midnight and talk, study or iron their school uniforms (the older ones still go to school in the mornings). Night is the time I get to know the older ones as they become more open and eager to share their personal stories, their passions but also fears and worries about their pasts and their futures. It is at night when you get to hear the most touching, most frightening and most sincere stories of their lives which you wish they never had to live through.

The Older Girls

English classes with the little ones would rather deserve a title “Teresa’s preschool play group”, since we are mostly drawing, playing, crying, screaming, laughing, sleeping (and all that the 6 year olds love to do) and, of course, we try to do all that in English. The personality development workshop with the older girls has revealed many areas that should be worked on – the ability to listen, express oneself, work in a team, not to give up easily, take challenges, think in abstract terms, be creative, trust and understand. Generally all that everyone of us needs to get better at, right?

Well, these girls need special attention and care since their reactions are sometimes not adequate to the situation. The management of their own feelings might be one of the tricky parts. So it happens a girl can start crying during the class for seemingly no reason at all and stays inert until the end of the workshop, one 6 years old princess threatens another 6 y/o by shooting her dead (obvious knowledge of handing guns), and I even witnessed an ostensibly symbolic gesture of suicide. That all and more. The light tone of my voice serves merely to make the tragic reality digestable for general public.

It is not an easy work at times, but then, don’t get the impression it is all just dealing with difficult deep-tissue problems. Thegirls are adorable and after all, they are just kids who want the same like any of us in their age. They need to play, to hug, to have a cry sometimes, they are smiling most of the time, running and calling at each other from the inner porches of the house, they help aunties in the kitchen and although none of them has or knows her parents, each has 40 other sisters living in the same house. It feels like a big loving family.

Teresa’s Preschool Play Group

My time here has recently had two other highlights – a very positive one, when a Danish girl Camilla joined me here as a volunteer and became my friend and a work colleague for 2 weeks; and a not-so-great one, when I was shot down by a typical Indian sickness (which means 3 days of strong headaches, fever, diarrhea and being sick). This is apparently a common “tax” that every foreigner has to pay if he/she intends to spend more than 2 weeks over here. The local people are completely chilled about it and always have the remedy that gets you up to your feet again within 3 days. Just another typical Indian experience (usual for other hot-climate countries as well).

Alright, today it was mostly about “the daily life in one orphanage in India”. There are much more impressions and observations which I will keep for later. Anyone who should have any specific questions from social/cultural/touristic or any related areas, feel free to drop me a line. Next time, I will try to focus on confrontation of cultures (get ready for some surprising and funny bits). Hope a few pictures get through for you to get a better idea what I am writing about.

Many greetings and best wishes! Keep making small differences in the world and drinking good tea!
Teresa — mail2t@centrum.cz

(Part I) Notes from Teresa in India: I Arrive!

Since every journey has its beginning, this one starts in the cozy shelter of Samovar Tea Lounge in San Francisco, and ends on the streets of India.

Teresa

Having loved tea with its different varieties since my teenage years in the Czech Rebpulic, it has always been a necessity for me to find a good tea spot wherever I live. So when I moved to San Francisco last August and started my desperate tea search, Samovar was one of the names that came up. I soon realized it was my favorite place to visit, and, yet that if I kept up my student life, I would go broke drinking up my savings!

And so, knowing well that I loved the environment there, I decided it would be a perfect place to work (and, I could drink all the tea I wanted!) It was always wonderful to cross the Yerba Buena Gardens when going to work, which never really felt like work but rather like a community of people sharing similar values and love for tea. Doing matcha services, smelling the opening leaves of dong ding, hearing the church bells from across the Mission street, joking with my colleagues (who I miss and send my love to)…that all was part of my job which I very much enjoyed.

When the idea of my leaving to India came up, I was, of course, sad to say goodbye to all the tea-lounging of Samovarites and to all the friends I made there within the few months I was part of the TEAm. At the same time, I knew the India experience would bring a lot of joy to my life and to the life of others as well.
My mission in India is to make a difference, to help other people live their life in a rich and satisfying manner—and I decided to put my educational training (in education) into play by starting a program targeted at helping homeless Indian girls.

Mi Xiang Oolong and Our Purchasing Philosophy

Moz Moz

The Awe-Inspiring Mi Xiang Oolong

Jill, a regular customer of ours recently inquired how we, a “socially responsible company” could be so insensitive as to purchase the entire existing lot of Mi Xiang oolong tea–and that our doing so was an indication of Samovar turning into a big, careless corporation. I disagreed, and responded to her with the letter below. I have posted it to our blog because I feel it provides some good insight into who we really are. Enjoy!

Hi Jill–
Thank you for writing, and, for your concern about the purchasing stance of Samovar Tea Lounge. I thought I would write to let you how and when and why we buy tea, to hopefully ease your concern about Samovar.

My friend Josh is married to a Taiwanese woman, and he travels regularly to Taiwan to visit her family. Her family’s neighbors grow this tea for themselves, and, when he tasted it with them over dinner and realized how amazing it was, he asked if they were interested in selling it to an American customer base. They did not believe there was a market in America for a tea like this–so unusual, so premium an oolong, and, so rare. They had all the tea they needed, so, they sold him 20 lbs to take to America. Josh is a one-man-shop, and, just starting out in the US to make inroads to the burgeoning tea market. He knows of Samovar’s national presence with online sales, and of our strong Bay Area presence among locals coming to our store, and, he wanted to jump start his business, and introduce a really unusual, artisanal, and delicious tea, but didn’t know how–so I offered to sell it for him, to try it out with our customers.

Mi Xiang was an immediate hit, and we sold out 3 lbs (600 servings!) in less than two weeks. I told him that the risk was well taken, and, that if he didn’t have any other interested buyers, that I would happily take the rest of it because we had so many customers asking for more Mi Xiang. And so, he sold me the remaining 17.5 lbs (now down to about 10 lbs actually)–because of customer requests.

I understand your sensitivity to “corporate America,” and I couldn’t agree with you more about greed. I hope you do see the difference in this situation, especially because Samovar is the furthest thing possible from corporate America.

To give you some examples:
We’re not a corporation. Samovar is owned by me, and my two friends Paul and Robert–and it is run by an amazing staff.

Also, I don’t think corporate America provides massage, acupuncture, and free yoga to their employees! I believe strongly that if we do our best to take care of the people who make Samovar special, they will take care of Samovar, making it special–ie, the polar opposite of corporate America.

I hope I did not bore you with the length of this email, and that the information has been useful in clarifying Samovar’s stance. Feel free to email me directly if you have any other questions or concerns–or do say “hi” if you’re ever in either location!

Thanks again,

Sincerely,

Jesse

Below is the customer’s email:

Dear Samovar,
Thank you for the Newsletter. I was, however, sorry to read that you had
bought all of this tea “in existence.” How greedy of you! Reading
that fact did not sit well with me. You could have left some for others perhaps? I guess that’s corporate America–for you-all or nothing. Living like there’s no tomorrow-is that what
global warming is about? Thank you for listening. No need to reply to this letter.
Jill

(Part II) Business is Nothing …But Community

People Unite at Samovar Yerba Buena

One of the funniest ironies about technology and improvement is that as we make giant technological leaps ever day, and get ever more “connected,” we are at the same time we are also getting more disconnected from each other and the world. Author Bill McKibbons wrote recently in Mother Jones Magazine that ever since 1956, the “Happiness Index” of Americans has been going down. How can this be, amidst an ever improving “standard of living,” that we are getting progressively unhappy?

It’s because we are flesh and blood and that until that changes, like attracts like, and we need to be amongst flesh and blood, ie. other humans. We’ve become lonely and isolated, constantly digitally connected, and yet physically remote from each other.

Tea is the perfect social lubricant for greasing the pathways of a beautiful community. Ask any good psychologist and they’ll tell you that perhaps the strongest need of a human is the need to belong to a community. We need community to survive. That’s what makes Samovar Tea Lounge so special. Tea is about making a delicious, warm, satisfying pot of something special for someone special. It is about taking time out of your daily routine to breathe, see, touch, talk, and rejoice the simple pleasures of being human, among other humans.

What ever happened to the simple act of conversing in person? Nowadays most conversations take place over instant chat, email, phone messages, or cell phone. But while we’re still made of atoms, we still innately crave to be touched, hugged, and caressed. Have a pot of tea with someone you care about, and touch them. Talk to them. Savor their human-ness, and connect.

After all, what’s the point of it all? I think few people, when on their deathbeds, ask how much money they are leaving in their bank accounts. Instead, I’d reason the more common question is, “What did I do that mattered?” And what matters is what kind of influence you exerted in life. And that often comes down to the bonds you’ve fostered. The community of human bonds. And it just so turns out that business is a phenomenal means for creating and fostering our human bonds.

Business is nothing but the forging of human bonds.
And as business philosopher Peter Koestenbaum wrote in Leadership: The Inner Side of Greatness : “Business is above all a vehicle for achieving personal and organization greatness. It is for accomplishing something worthy and noble. Business is an institution that can enable you to make a significant contribution to society.”

(Part I) Business is Nothing … But Stories of People

Every One has a Story. Where Does Tea Fit Into Your's?

We are born and we do a bunch of stuff and then we die. The stuff we do between birth and death is actually just a whole bunch of stories, and business is one outlet of those stories. How we interact with each other and our environment is the story of business.

At the end of the day at Samovar our business is not how much money we made or lost, not what teas were bought or sold, not which employees showed up for work. No, at the end of the day at Samovar, when the last scones have been sold, and the last pot of tea brewed, the floor cleaned, and the lights turned off, at the end of that day all that is left is just a bunch of stories. And the stories are absolutely fascinating. That is business.

The mother and daughter who connect over the grilled portabella sandwich and a pot of Magnolia Snowbud. The writer who finishes the last chapter of their novel fueled by a mug of chai. The single woman who meets the blind date of her dreams over Phoenix Bliss oolong. The retired real estate agent who muses the next chapter of life with a pot of Maiden’s Ecstasy pu-erh. These stories of customers, employees, and suppliers is actually what makes business, business. The tea families who ship us fresh tea monthly are directly sustained by the husband and wife who have a chance to finally catch up over a pot of Dragonwell Green tea at our Yerba Buena Gardens location. And what about those customers who literally live on our Japanese organic green teas, and visit us every single day, rain or shine, alone or with friends?

We support our suppliers giving them the means to survive and thrive. We support our customers by making them happy, healthy, and relaxed, and they support us by returning to us time and again for the experience we offer. We support our employees by giving them a good place to work, eat, drink, and make friends.

This is the story of Samovar Tea Lounge. And what makes it all happen is the interplay of all these stories. At the end of the day, week, month, quarter, and year, we get together and recount the stories that really stand out. The funny ones, the scary ones, the sad ones and the happy ones. Why? Because those stories are Samovar, and, if we understand the stories, we then understand what we’re doing. And if we know what we’re doing, then we can do what we want.

Meditation & Tea: Words of Wisdom from Samovar’s Paul T.

Wise Guy, Paul T.

Sure, some folks may have what constitutes as a religious commitment to that morning cup, but those snaky lines, noisy steam and the jolting nature of caffeine in coffee can make mindfulness a pretty tall order. Good ol’ coffee and conversation considered, we’ve come to associate the dark pick-me-up more with passion and productivity then we do with self-contemplation.

Tea, on the other hand, brimming with grace and femininity, was ennobled centuries ago into a religion of aestheticism – Teasim, if you will. According to Kakuro Okakura’s Book of Tea, “Teaism is a cult founded on the adoration of the beautiful among the sordid facts of everyday existence. It inculcates purity and harmony…worship of the imperfect…and is a tender attempt to accomplish something possible in the impossible thing we know as life.” Today, tea is hot, and its popularity symbolizes the shift in America’s values toward living a less stressed, more tranquil lifestyle.

The inspiration behind all these thoughts of coffee, tea and duality was my pursuit of the tranquil new American dream at a Buddhist meditation retreat over New Years. Steering the silent ride to the land inside of our minds was Shinzen Young, a western teacher of eastern Vipassana or Insight meditation. There, a student of Shinzen’s who was also an avid tea practitioner provided an opportunity for us to take part in the Cha-no-yu ritual (literally “hot water for tea”).

Transforming the lobby of the aged, Catholic retreat center into a tasteful teahouse, she demonstrated her agility with powdered green tea, known as Matcha, meticulously preparing servings to a small group of us in the tranquil setting. We were taught that the study and mastery of the tea ceremony takes many years, often lasting one’s lifetime. Just participating as a guest in the semi-formal Cha-no-yu required me to study and learn general tearoom deportment, prescribed gestures and phrases and the proper way one takes teas and sweets.

Given my affiliation with Samovar, I got to thinking… thinking… and thinking a bit more (a phenomena I now understand consists of body sensations, self-talk, and visual images emanating from my mind). Why, I wondered, is it that one doesn’t cross paths with more black-robed, Buddhist devotees sipping Soy lattes? Why the stronger link between enlightenment and coffee’s cuz, this slightly bitter beverage served hot? Scratching around a bit, I discovered that tea, like coffee, had been bound up through the ages with popular cultural values. The tea social experience, however, was more closely tied to ritual, often occupying the center of certain ceremonial practices. Established rites like the Japanese Tea Ceremony I experienced, strongly influenced by Zen Buddhism, sought to divide the world between the sacred and the profane (or everyday) in the effort to establish community or create a social experience.

The Simple Pleasure of Pouring Tea

Those fortunate enough to have taken a seat at one of Jesse’s Tea Tastings have sensed a similar energy of reverence and nobility. To the unenlightened eye, it may appear to be a creative marketing medium that helps move product. But look a little closer… and you just might catch a glimpse of Samovar’s skillful tea shaman upholding a living legacy of relaxation, pleasure, dignity, and delight.

Which brings it around full circle for me. Shinzen explained that we’d all soon be faced with “aftershock” and “afterglow,” his terms for the positive and negative feeling states experienced during turbulent, post-retreat reentry into a clattering modern world. He encouraged us to work at meditating daily, while seeking out places and people that supported our practice. Okakura’s charge to “know the stillness that makes the impossible possible,” echoed in his words. I can’t help but thinking… thinking… thinking… how Jesse’s efforts have made Samovar one of hose magical places that assists patrons and pilgrims in finding the harmony, the serenity and the sacred underlying our everyday world.

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