We tea people often find ourselves dancing on the head of the pin in discussions about professional qualifications.

Tea Pro?

What is a tea professional? Which school? How much travel? Required texts? What’s your niche? How many years have you been in the business? With whom have you studied? How much has it cost? Can you tell a Darjeeling from a Da Hong Pao? How many countries of origin can you list without a cheat sheet? And, just how much tea do you have to drink to become a Tea Master?

What the heck is a Tea Master, anyhow?

There’s a new book, “The Meaning of Tea” (based on the documentary film) by  Scott Chamberlin Hoyt and Phil Cousineau with several inspiring conversations and the following dedication.

“This book is dedicated to the great tea masters

who made possible today’s cup of tea.”

But there is no convenient list of approved tea saints.

It is a collection of conversations with people from around the world for whom tea is an important aspect. Tea has meaning in their daily lives. Each of the selections is inspiring. Some of them I have met. All of them are people who share a passion for tea. Through the luxury of the film and now this text, we almost feel as if we are sharing a warm, soothing cup and a lazy afternoon with friends around the world.

I believe the un-named tea masters to whom this book is dedicated would be pleased.

So I ask in the Spirit of Tea . . .

What are our shared beliefs about Tea Masters? Tea professionalism? Tea education? Spreading the passion and joy of tea?

•   There are masters of particular tea gardens who direct the growing and processing of their own products.

•   There are masters of the different cultural ceremonies.

•   There are teachers who are so knowledgeable in a particular niche that they have earned the respect of the industry.

•   There are people who study and teach, import and distribute, and in other ways work a broader aspect of the world of tea who are probably due the respect the bestow upon the ancients.

More . . . ? 

Yes, of course there is.

My intention is to incite more discussion. We should be scrutinizing the leaders and educators of the tea industry? Those who speak for tea & market tea & teach tea should have some basic credentials. Tea Master? There are so few true masters that the opportunity to study in their company would be rare. We are left with the comparing notes on tea experiences with the most available teachers. But even then, the opportunities are so limited.

Beyond the World Tea Expo that brings together some of the most recognizable names with proven authority, and, in addition to the Specialty Tea Institute which has developed a series of courses with graded levels from Intro to Somewhat More Informed, many of us are seeking something deeper. Someone who lives in tea and cradles the heart and soul of it. A Master. But the realty of the World of Tea is that it is much too vast for any one person to be master of it all.

We find a niche in which we are comfortable. We align ourselves with others who have carved out a bit of the path. We travel to countries of origin. We drink a lot of tea. We drink as much tea as possible with tea people who want to talk and teach tea. We find people who share the calling and ignore the sneers of those who would jeer, “You did WHAT for tea? You paid HOW MUCH for that 2 oz. package? You hiked HOW FAR and THROUGH WHAT JUNGLE to visit some old tea tree” Are we searching for a Tea Master? Tasting teas created at the hands of a true Tea Master?

So . . . ?

As I read through The Meaning of Tea, I find myself coming to come rather abstract conclusions. There are about fifty interviews with people around the world whose lives are enriched by tea. Each one of them has given me another nugget of tea wisdom to add to my own experience. And I hope that I, in my writing, will pass this along. A mastery of tea exists in something shared as deeply and broadly as possible. We all sense the Spirit of Tea when the shared experience has a resonance of truth that infuses with what we already hold dear.

I opened the book expecting to feel intimidated by the esotericism of artisan teas. But there were also interviews with young boys in France, hipsters in Japan, grandmothers in Tea, South Dakota (the town with a great name and a tea festival) and kids who prefer bubble tea. I was charmed and intrigued at how the peaceful sense of bringing the world together with tea came alive on the pages.

As much as I would like to sit at the feet of the masters, there is great pleasure to be reminded that everyone who finds themselves called to live and work in Tea Land has a place. We’re carving out those places for ourselves and defining what it takes to be considered a reputable pro in the biz. But there is a risk. As in industry we leave ourselves open to frauds looking to make a fast buck. And the worst thing we can do is to overstate our expertise and mislead a vulnerable public, just now becoming interested in tea.

Are there living Tea Masters? Or, is it a league of old Tea Masters who call us all to the Spirit of Tea? Maybe we’re all seeking this kind of umbrella organization but do we really want to put someone in charge? I like the idea of sharing tea wisdom with people from around the world.

And I join Scott Chamberlin Hoyt and Phil Cousineau and the others working on the Meaning Of Tea Project in appreciation for the centuries of mastery keeping the artistry and integrity of tea intact for our time. And may we each find our right place here.

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