Prepping for Gongfu/Gaiwan session
I still don’t get the pleasure out of gongfu that others do – it’s just extra work. If hubby would do it, I might feel differently but I spend the entire time timing the steep, pouring and heating the water, pouring the tea, convincing him to finish it so we can do another one. It’s frigging stressful. (Not really, just not my favourite).
I either keep the kettle nearby and reheat, or use the slightly cooler water. This means my first steep might be boiling, my second around 95, my third around 90, then I reboil. I just cannot get into a good flow. I also don’t have a tea table with drainage so I have a really annoying setup – a small round cookie rack inside a larger dish. And I balance my gaiwan, tiny cups and tea pet on the rack. It’s a pain.
I like to see how the tea changes through the steeps and I love the ritual. Grounds and centers me. I feel like it makes me slow down and appreciate the tea more than when I do western brewing – which don’t get me wrong – I western steep a LOT. But I prefer gong fu and I have developed many lazy ways of doing it. For example – I frequently don’t use a tray. i just go for it on my marble topped table and have a waste bowl for water and clean it all up after.
I’d love that feeling, but I just don’t get it. I think I enjoy tea the best when I don’t make it. :)
Uniquity, I don’t have a tea table either and find it annoying to keep reheating the water. So most of the time I combine the steeps together and take a pitcher full back with me to drink. Much faster than steeping western style.
Uniquity, I have done 4 gong fu sessions now. I ordered a bamboo tray with my gaiwan set and I have to say it is nice to just dump the water or spill and not worry about it. Takes a lot of the stress and annoyance out of it. I understand about spouses not getting into it. My wife tries and she is sweet so she plays along but she doesn’t get into or understand all the nuances. I’ve had to just tell myself that the tea sessions are for me and my relaxation and if anyone wants to join, then great!
Thanks for the ideas, all. I do a session once in a while and some are more enjoyable than others.
@mtchyg – I’m actually lucky in that hubby loves tea as well, but he always forgets to pour or drink it. Usually he’s playing a video game, haha.
Perhaps what I need to try is a tea session during a technology free time. We did one downstairs once while listening to the radio that was more peaceful. We just aren’t good at ‘doing nothing’ – I often knit or do crosswords while we watch tv, and he reddits. I try to remind myself that boredom is okay but I have so many hobbies and it feels like there is no time to enjoy myself around work.
I know the point of gongfu is to take that step back and just focus on the tea though, so maybe post Christmas I’ll make a concerted effort. I refuse to do anything for Christmas until December 1 as 1/12th of the year is enough, but it makes for a busy December.
My husband likes tea but not the ceremony of it. He usually gets his in a travel mug and goes off and does his thing.
My best gong fu sessions are with a tea-loving friend (who has since sadly moved away), where we shared the notes we were finding in the tea, different experiences with similar teas, and, of course, chatted about all sorts of things (sometimes oversteeping in the process!). It is a really social thing.
Often, I feel like I drink too much too fast when I gong fu alone, even when I take a break each steep to write down notes. I usually do it in front of the TV (because that’s where my set up is, and also my knitting, and my cat’s window seat, and the best view of the bird feeder.. Basically I would never have to move again and I would be happy in that corner!).
Maybe I should try and treat it as a meditation, but I always want to talk about my experiences with someone, or have five activities going at once (see above about my happy corner). I’m just not good at the ceremony by myself either. I still gong fu 90% of my teas at home anyway, just to get the maximum value out of them.
Also, I resolved to get a smaller gaiwan, because there is no way to drink more than one tea in a sitting with my current set up unless I’m drinking with someone, and my fiance can only last 1-2 steeps :(.
Your happy corner sounds like my couch. All my fave things used to live on one end but I’ve slowly spread out so that I can reach a crossword, knitting, colouring book, or book from anywhere on our couch. Plus the tv remote and playstation controllers!
Oh, it is one corner of the couch! And the remotes, xbox controllers, and computer/ipad are usually within reach!
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