do not consult the cabinet. open it only after the kettle is on. take down the first jar reached for. the leaves chosen by the hand are the leaves wanted by the body; the mind is not in this transaction. brew at the temperature the leaves prefer, not the one the body prefers. drink alone, near a window, and watch the steam, not the cup.
ingredients
- one jar, taken without reading
- water just off the boil
- three minutes by no clock
- a small honey, optional
- the same cup as yesterday
when the hand reaches twice and changes, take both. there is no rule against two teas.
see the kitchen, the small ritual, the ticking of the kettle, and the later hour when the tea is finally cold.