August Moon Tea

Even if you’ve only been following my Blog or Instagram for a short time you will have probably worked out that I like tea, a lot! But whilst us Brits are quite partial to a casual cuppa, or ten, do you think we ever really give our tea our entire attention?  Do we ever just sit and observe our life, our time in that peaceful moment?  I can honestly answer this question for myself with a big fat no….. I love my tea, and whilst I associate it with warmth and comfort I’m often just too damn busy to properly sit and appreciate it for what it is.

Until now right….. I was very lucky to be invited to August Moon in Nottingham city centre to experience an authentic Chinese Tea Ceremony.  Now I had seen a tea ceremony on television many years ago and found it fascinating, but actually being there in person was a truly incredible experience.

The studio is basically smack bang in the city centre.  My first impressions were mixed, in that it kinda just looked like an old, slightly unloved building and as I climbed the stairs I really wasn’t sure what I was going to find; but on entering the third floor studio you basically could’ve been stepping in to another country, another world.  The lighting is soft, there are meditation cushions in a circle on the floor, the colours are rich and homely.  It instantly just invokes a feeling of warmth and calm, and everyone was so friendly and welcoming.  Being such a huge fan of details I was a little bit mesmerised by all of the intricate little tea cups and tea sets that were out on display.  In true Beth style I pretty much just wanted all of them.  I can’t help it, it’s not that I’m spoilt, I just want to appreciate absolutely everything and keep a part of it with me 🙂

So the actual ceremony; a tea ceremony is an ancient practice,  (the first ceremonies on record date as far back as 1200 years ago) which focuses on connecting you with your inner self.  Initially the ceremonies were born as a result of the respect for nature and religious practices were involved.  It’s fascinating to know that as time has passed and these ceremonies have evolved to become more of a social and cultural experience that their roots lie in the fusion of Buddhism and Taoism.  The teas you will be enjoying are loose artisan teas carefully selected from small farms in the mountains.  In fact, the ceremony I was at involved a tea from the hostess Estelle’s home town which I thought was a really special touch.  The tea is served in an authentic Chinese way with all customs being respected.  It’s an opportunity to meditate and to be present as the tea is served silently, awakening all your senses because there are no every-day distractions. Being quite new to mindfulness practice I found this to be such an interesting process, and I think in time, it would become easier and even more in depth.

The tea itself is not your average PG tips with a splash of milk.  It’s genuine Chinese tea, full of taste and aroma, it’s brewed in front of you and each cup is different as the tea infuses.  I wasn’t really sure how much I would enjoy it but both of the teas I sampled were lovely (I particularly liked the addition of rose petals) and I think it opened my mind to trying and enjoying new tastes.

So I think it’s safe to say I had a wonderful time… August Moon really is a breath of fresh air away from the City, away from the responsibilities of every day life, from our mobile phones and our social media addictions; even just this couple of hours of peace…. I believe it’s something we should prioritise.  For more information on what ceremonies are available and when please check out either www.augustmoontea.com or visit the facebook page www.facebook.com/augustmoontea. There are ceremonies all throughout the week, themed ceremonies and even private ceremonies, so there is most definitely something to suit every one and every schedule.  Also hop on over to my Instagram today www.instagram.com/bethannestagram to win your very own free tea ceremony session! You’re welcome 😉

Beth Anne xoxo