Throughout history and in our everyday life the act of drinking and offering tea can have great meaning. Tea is used to welcome guests, make new friends and to form lifelong pacts by creating a relaxing environment for which to converse and build understanding and relations. Tea as a drink quenches thirst offering nourishment to sustain life. Tea as medicine can cure and ward off sickness. Tea brings focus and alertness to the mind heightening concentration for meditation and prayers. Tea channels our thoughts towards finding inner peace and solutions to life's problems. The art of tea teaches us patience and awareness. It reminds us to use our senses and intuitions, to experiment with new ideas and to strive for progress and improvement. Tea is ingrained in many cultures and has become a part of festivities and ceremonies. It is used to pay tribute and in remembrance of historical events and persons that provided us with knowledge and direction, shining light in times of darkness. Drink tea!
