Down To A Tea

Tea curator Resham Daswani explains how this ancient drink can help us reconnect with the elements

- Coco Marett

The crackling of the flame as it touches the bottom of the pot—fire. The gentle stream flowing into the cup—water. The mist of steam that rises, carrying the scent of tea as you inhale—air. And the raw clay of the cup—earth.

“Tea is the sunlight, moonlight and starlight, the rain, mountains and soil—and we are of the same,” says Resham Daswani, tea curator at Fivelements Habitat wellness centre in Hong Kong. “Instead of trying to get the world to fit our view, tea ceremonies help us see that we are part of an infinite expanding whole. This shift from ‘ego’ to ‘eco’ is the antidote to finding our way back to our health, harmony and balance with the planet.”