The completion of one Earth revolution naturally offers the opportunity to reflect on one’s accomplishments and nourishments that flourished over the course of its several moons.
The beginning of the year marked my return to Malaysia after a 3 years hiatus due to the pandemic situation experienced worldwide. Interwoven with the joy of meeting with old friends while engaging in meaningful, community-driven projects and other activities, my tea practice found a new home to take root in, and more specifically in Penang.
While space was given for things to naturally express themselves organically, I was drawn to cultivate and further develop my tea practice through a strong focus on sharing it with others in various shapes and forms. By fully embracing the course of things, I was offered an extensive canvas of expression and creation to convey, articulate, and tend my journey with tea and the teachings that color its multifaceted traditions.
Walking the path that was laid before me, public and private tea sessions were crafted and conducted, with the aim of offering to others – through a safe space of tolerance, gratitude, and compassion – the opportunity to reconnect with their inner self, experience the slow silences and the introspective quality of the present moment that thread their life, as well as make Taiwanese tea culture more accessible, engaging, and educational.
To further nurture this humble endeavor, a tea hut was built, born from the collective generosity and hard work of several fellow human beings, standing as a healing refuge for those looking for the perfume of solace, tranquility, and slowness, where daily problems from the world of dust are put aside the time of a few heartbeats and cups.
While focusing on that specific area of my tea practice would be inherently conductive to the frequent exploration and appreciation of new teas, I was not necessarily enticed nor urged to do so, favoring instead the consolidation of some of the foundations on which this practice breathes. Pondering over this welcomed, dynamic, and alive ‘stagnation’ led to the emergence of precious insights, serving as an invitation and a guide to further explore the creative, healing, and practical potential of the future of my musings with tea.
Currently however, the materialization of some of the new projects and initiatives planned for the upcoming year remain uncertain and unclear, as recent and unexpected, personal challenges have arisen, which might (or might not) compromise their respective development to a certain extent. Ultimately, all experiences are learning experiences, as teachings dwell in all the nooks and crannies of Life.
Despite these hurdles, I am colored with a deep feeling of gratitude, appreciation, and fulfillment, alive thanks to the fire of your invaluable support. I am about to make my way to Taiwan, with the hope to return to Malaysia in the next coming months, where I will resume all my tea-related events and offerings, while treading new exciting paths.
‘Art is never finished, only abandoned’
With heartfelt sentiments,
Raphaël
———
If you appreciate this piece of writing, please consider contributing to Le cerf-volant’s endeavor through a donation. Thank you for your unwavering and precious support.
