The Solitary Tea

(Photo courtesy of http://www.openphoto.net/).

Tea should be taken in solitude.

-C.S. Lewis

In my last post, I emphasized the power of tea in a social setting, and I have a great deal more to say on that subject later, as "social tea" relates to old English and Japanese culture, and also to the modern social benefits of tea. C. S. Lewis is one of my all-time favorite authors, and this quote of his surprised me at first. After all, he was English - didn't he realize the social importance of tea?

After doing a bit of research (I confess, I originally found the quote with a Google search) I found the context for the quote. And, of course, as an Englishman, Lewis was not referring to tea as a beverage but as a meal, as is common in England (and other countries!). Not only that, but he was telling about a specific instance, and not even claiming that meals should be eaten solitarily. So I tricked you a bit and gave you this quote that had nothing to do with the beverage at all! But I would like to talk about solitude today, because it's something I have been thinking about.

First, a few definitions (and forgive me, I hate quoting dictionaries verbatim because it sounds so official, but these came from http://www.dictionary.com/):

alone: isolated from others.

solitary: without companions.

"Alone" reminds me of the single man (or woman) who is unhappy with his current single state. "Alone" makes me think "abandoned". "Alone" is negative and sad, a state you want to avoid, and when others describe themselves as "alone" with sad eyes, you feel genuinely sorry for them.

"Solitary", however, reminds me of the man (or woman) who walks confidently, head held high. He enjoys social interaction, but he does not require the good opinion of others in order to remain confident. He makes his own decisions. He is happy with himself.

Now, I may be stretching things, but "alone" makes me think of using time by yourself to wish you were with people, and "solitary" to use time by yourself to the best advantage.

Of course, "the best advantage" will be different per person, per day, per priority. For one person, a period of 1 hour "solitary" time will best be spent on a work project (bettering a career). For another, cleaning the house might be the best option (bettering a living situation). For another, reading a classic novel (bettering the mind) or cooking a healthy meal (bettering the body) or praying (bettering the spirit) are the best options. And obviously, at some time, each of these should be a priority, and many others I haven't mentioned.

Think about it, now - if you pray with a friend, don't you end up talking and bonding with your friend? Don't you better your relationship? If you work on a project with a coworker, don't you share a meal or a drink? If you clean a house with a friend, don't you watch a movie with your friend and enjoy yourselves together?

Here's my point: You have to enjoy your own company if you are going to be able to use solitary time to its full advantage. It's okay to want to be really productive and get stuff done, but you have to have time in there for you to be with you. If you do this, you will be more productive in your "solitary work" times.

And, of course, that's the whole spirit of tea - it's something you do that's just for you. Imagine this:

You gently slip a tea bag into the steaming water and watch the color flow from the bag to the surrounding liquid. The aroma wafts up, and you close your eyes and breathe it in. You carry the mug to your favorite chair, and your hands are happy with the warmth of the mug. You sit there for a moment, with the beautiful tea in your hands, and contemplative thoughts come to you. Finally, you sip - and the flavor rolls over your tongue, and you feel the heat drop down your throat and warm your insides. And you say "ah..."

But this moment isn't about the tea. When you make a cup of tea, you won't be thinking these things. When you drink the cup of tea, you won't be mentally singing tea's praises as you sip and sip again. That's the beauty of tea. It creates the moment, but it doesn't steal the moment. It gives beauty to whatever topic is on your mind.

When you simply sit in a chair and think, your thoughts will wander to whatever topics have, lately, been on the forefront of your mind. Unless something spectacular has happened lately, you will most likely be thinking about a problem to solve and you will be worried, or angry (oh, excuse me - frustrated.) And I'm claiming that a cup of tea will at least bring a spirit of calm to these thoughts. At worst, you will feel more ready to tackle the day. At best, you will have an epiphany and come up with a solution.

This is the benefit of a solitary cup of tea. It is best to have one every day. In fact, right now I am Doctor Tea Snob with a prescription for you: Sometime today, make time to have a cup of tea alone. Lock yourself in the bathroom if you have to. It's okay if you want to read while you drink your tea or play a computer game, but you will enjoy the moment most if you just sit and think.

Do this, and if you have any interesting thoughts after completing this exercise, please send me an email and let me know about your experience! theteasnob at comcast.net.