Poetry month, April, a burst of freshness. All month I’ll be sharing cherished poets of Substack with you:
, , .For this first week, allow me to introduce Baelyn Neff of All Matters of Spirit, whom I consider to be my elder sister (although she’s significantly younger than I).
Walking into her tea space as a gift from dear friends for my fortieth birthday, I’ve no idea what to expect. The silence with which I’m met feels deafening—few words are spoken apart from introductions. We all take our seats, and we Just. Sit.
She chooses the tea, places it into the scoop ceremoniously. Water is boiling, bowls are set out slowly, music is winding through our consciousness, breathing slows. Tea is poured, bowl after bowl—no idea how much time is passing—intermittent tears fall. Sitting here I realize that I’ll be drinking tea in this way for the rest of my days.
A decade passes—I collect tea ware, and experiences sitting with her in various locations. The feeling of being subtly opened each time I sit, or pour tea for myself, continues. When our family moves to northern New Mexico and i realize she’s here, I enroll in an in-person training with her, and drink in every detail. Including below, a page from my notebook from that training, and the poem i’ve written for her, which appears in Softening Time, my first collection of poems.
Photo, Nenah Eve
Baelyn’s upcoming Virtual Tea Mentorship begins in May, and for readers here, your code is THEWAYOFTEA at checkout for 10% off. No matter where you find yourself on your journey with Tea, this immersive time with intimate community will be valuable for you. Because whether you’re just beginning your tea practice, or find yourself in service to the tea, there’s always an opportunity to learn, refine, and begin again. Here’s a page from my notes from studying with her.
From Baelyn:
There are so many ways to approach tea, life and the pursuit of self cultivation.
The only requisite to step onto this path is a sincere intention to open your heart and mind.
To have a community help you remember that intention along the way is a gift.
As the saying goes, “All roads lead to One.” Tea is just one way, and in the world of tea there are infinite ways to explore; no one way to prepare tea is the right way. The practice is really just a foundation for creating greater self-awareness in how we move through the world.
The spirit of tea itself is open and free, and finds itself flowing gracefully through humanity's innate desire to be more compassionate in the world.
Baelyn’s newsletter is a beautiful glimpse into her offerings.
And here’s the poem I’ve written for her.
elder sister
At a handful of inflection points across my life,
your hands appear in front of me,
traveling, serving.
Your deepening reverence sparks mine.
A canopy of respect hovers over us: taste of tea, taste of time.
The leaves speak volumes in your silence.
Careful piles of bowls and humble wooden utensils are a sumptuous
extravagance.
Meticulously laid textiles carry the barely perceptible blots of past
ceremonies.
And each small, aging blossom placed across my purview transmits
a detailed story of relationship and resurrection.
Every movement of your fingers is a bow from a distant generation.
You are flawlessly precise, patient. I feel your studentship first.
In time, your humble, ancient mastery stealthily emerges.
Photo, Alyssa Keys
Dear reader.
Perhaps you’d like to share a short piece or a few words on someone who’s impacted your understanding of yourself, of the world in which you live.
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Baelyn’s upcoming Virtual Tea Mentorship will enrich and uplift your days. Your code is THEWAYOFTEA at checkout means 10% off.
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