Gongfu: An Artful Cup of Tea
The Gongfu tea service is an ancient Chinese tea ceremony designed to help you leave your cares behind, and celebrate the present moment. There are many steps involving both the tea master and tea drinker that are performed to sharpen the senses and cultivate awareness.
Chaozhou, a city in the Guangdong Province of China is the home of the Gong Fu tea ceremony. The Gongfu tea ceremony like the martial art Tai Chi share the same intent; both involve art, skill and effort. While both disciplines are highly ritualized and physical, they are each ultimately a spiritual practice.
The Gongfu tea ritual provides an opportunity for the tea master to develop artfulness and grace, while performing a relatively simple and seemingly mundane activity. The tea guest is invited to do the same. While slowing down and focusing our attention, we attune to our senses and to ourselves. As we enjoy the present moment, we become aware of life’s subtleties and the richness that is always available to us.
Gongfu means “making tea with skill.” The intention is to produce a brew that tastes good and is satisfying to the soul.
The tea master prepares the tea tray with a gaiwan (tea bowl), lid, teacups (one ounce), friendship (small pitcher), tea holder, tongs and tea cloth. A kettle with hot water is kept near by. The tea master determines the optimal temperature for the water depending on the type of tea. The tea tray has wooden slats that allow discarded water to drain and collect underneath in a hidden container. The ritual involves multiple infusions of the same tea within a small teapot.
Once the tea tray has been prepared, the tea is measured. Most often, oolong tea is served although pu erh and some black teas are sometimes used in Gongfu ceremony. Each guest is given the opportunity to check the fragrance and appearance of the tea leaves. The tea set is heated by spilling hot water over each vessel, and allowing the water to overflow into the tray.
Each infusion is a bit longer than the previous one and has a slightly different fragrance, flavor and color. Multiple infusions stimulate the senses differently in appearance and intensity.
Some notable aspects about Gongfu is that the tea master uses tongs to serve the cups of tea. Also, Gongfu tea is unusually strong! Each serving is less than one ounce. A little goes a long way.
The Chinese speak of “cha qi” meaning “tea energy.” Cultivating awareness in movement and the practice of making the best tea is believed to endow a person with a good moral character.
During February 2019 the Chinese New Year, the year of the Pig is celebrated. It is believed to be a year of fortune and luck. Let’s drink to that!
Teas vary as much in appearance as the different faces of men – Hui Tsung
When you enter the building, walk to the back of the lobby to security. Ask the officer for “William Kaye Associates.” They will request a photo ID, such as a drivers license or passport and will issue you an ID card. Walk halfway towards the front entrance to the elevators on the right side. Take the elevator down to level B (not B-1 or B-2).
For your comfort, there are chairs in the hallway by the door, as the office itself has no waiting area. Please enter the office at the time of your scheduled appointment.
Maintaining Respiratory Health
It should not come as a surprise that one of the keys to maintaining pulmonary health is in the breath. How do we maintain respiratory and aerobic capacity? What role does the flexibility of the spine, rib cage and shoulders play in our ability to take a deep breath and fill our lungs? How do you cultivate the ability to take a deep breath and hold it?
Flexibility of the musculoskeletal system plays an important role in maintaining pulmonary health. The ability to inhale and exhale deeply is reliant upon the mobility of bones and joints that constitute the rib cage. It also relies upon the pliability of the soft tissues; the muscles, tendons and ligaments and their ability to expand and contract in response to breath and movement. Breathing produces movement within the ribcage as well as the rythmic pulsing of fluids and energy throughout the human body.
Breathing and stretching exercises can help you to improve your lung capacity and slow down your respiratory rate. Respiratory illness results in just the opposite, rapid shallow breaths. Perform these simple exercises daily and you will be on your way to cultivating a stronger, more resilient response to respiratory illness including asthma, COPD and infectious diseases including Covid-19. You are also likely to notice the calming effect that deep breathing has upon your nervous system.
1. Pursed lip breathing
This is an exercise that can help you to maintain healthy airways. Breathe in slowly through your nose. Hold your breath at the top of your inhalation for 10 seconds. The ability to hold your breath is critical for maintaining good lung health. Then, breathe out slowly through pursed lips, lengthening your expiration until you have expelled all the air possible. Imagine you are blowing out the candles on a birthday cake.
2. Three part breathing exercise
Lying supine, rest your hands on your belly below your navel. Inhale deeply, and direct your breath into the belly, then exhale. If you are doing this properly your hands will rise as you breathe, in and then fall as you breathe out. You can repeat this exercise and develop a slow methodical rhythm breathing into the belly followed by a long slow exhale.
Next, place your hands on each side of your lower ribs. Breathe into the belly and then continue to inhale as the breath flows up into the lower ribs. A long deep inspiration is followed by a slow full exhalation. Relaxing your belly and the ribs on the outbreath.
Finally, place your hands on your chest just below your collar bones. Breathe into your belly then ribs and then your upper chest. As you progressively breathe into your belly, ribs and upper chest your entire trunk will rise and expand. As you breathe out your belly, ribs and chest will relax and sink downwards.
Tip: Count to 4 on the breath in, count to 4 on the breath out. Keep your neck and shoulders relaxed. Avoid hunching them up to your ears. Avoid over efforting or tensing any part of your body in an effort to direct your breath. This exercise can be quite meditative as you envision your breath moving up through your trunk and then releasing back down and out.
3. Towel stretch with back bend
With arms extended in front of you wider than shoulder width, hold the ends of a long towel or sheet. Slowly breathe in, raise the towel toward the ceiling and extend your arms reaching over your head. Lean backward as far as you can, while gazing upward. Keep your neck relaxed while stretching the front of the chest and rib cage. Hold the breath for several seconds. Then, slowly lower the towel while breathing out on the way back down back down.
Tip: You can increase the difficulty of the exercise by begining with your hands closer to each other. Keep your neck soft and in line with your spinal column. Tilting your head backwards or forward which will invite neck strain.
4. Towel stretch with side bends
Repeat the first exercise until arms are raised up to the ceiling, then lean trunk and head sideways while pulling on the lower end of the towel as you stretch the opposite side of the rib cage. Bring your arms back up to the ceiling (neutral) and repeat to the other side.
Tip: Keep your weight evenly distributed between both legs while leaning sidewards.Your head rests upon the top of your spinal column. Be aware of your neck responding and following the sideward movement of the trunk.
Good posture supports healthy breathing. Sitting in collapsed rounded postures promotes shallow breathing. By maximizing your lung health before getting sick you are improving your ability to respond to and recover from illness. Typically we use only half of our lung capacity. Good posture, breathing exercises, stretching, aerobic activity and good indoor air quality are complementary components of pulmonary health.
By David Frome • Clinic, Good Posture, Physical Therapy • • Tags: asthma, breathing exercises, COPD, Covid-19, lung capacity, pulmonary health, Respiratory health