In January 2025, I started the Chinese tea ceremony and my training as a tea master with my Chinese tea master. Since then, there have been many tea stories to tell. In this article, I would like to tell you a bit about tea and its origins. I'll chat a little about my spiritual experiences during the tea ceremony and why drinking tea as part of a ceremony is so much different to what we are used to.

Stories and legends about tea

The legend of the discovery of tea

One of the best-known legends about the discovery of tea is that the Emperor of China sat under a shady tree around 5000 years ago. Because he was thirsty, he gave instructions to boil water for drinking. While preparing the hot water, he saw that some leaves fell from the tree into the kettle and an enchanting fragrance rose up. He tasted the water with the leaves and was delighted with the drink and his discovery.

Another version of this story was told to me by one of my Chinese friends:
This very emperor had poisoned himself and was sitting under the tree, dying, when a leaf of the tree fell into his mouth, which tasted very bitter and astringent. He chewed it and recovered. He later found out that the tea could be boiled with water to make a tasty drink that was good for the body.

The legend of the origin of the famous Oolong tea

Der Legende nach stammt der Oolong-Tee aus der chinesischen Provinz Fujian. Es wird erzählt, dass ein Teebauer namens Wu Liang (oder auch „Oolong“) eines Tages beim Teepflücken von einer Schlange abgelenkt wurde. Als er die Schlange vertrieben hatte, war es bereits spät, und er hatte keine Zeit mehr, die gepflückten Teeblätter sofort zu verarbeiten.

The next day, he noticed that the leaves were oxidised at the edges and gave off a unique fragrance. Curious, he processed them further and discovered that the tea had a completely new, wonderful flavour - oolong tea was born!

In der chinesischen Lautschrift spricht man Oolong als „wu long“ aus. Long = 龙 und bedeutet Drache. Der Name „Oolong“ bedeutet „schwarzer Drache“ und könnte sich auf die dunkle Farbe der oxidierten Teeblätter oder auf die schlangenartige Form der gerollten Blätter beziehen. In einer weiteren Variante der Geschichte begegnet der Bauer nicht einer Schlange sondern einem schwarzen Drachen und der Name Oolong kommt somit nicht vom Namen des Bauern sondern vom schwarzen Drachen. Wie auch immer, Oolong Tee ist etwas ganz Feines.

This legend shows how often accidental discoveries can lead to something great. Today, oolong tea is known for its diverse flavours and its balance between green and black tea. Have you ever tried oolong tea? Come along to the Tea ceremony and we'll try it out together!

Woher kommt „Tee“?

With the discovery of the tea plant Camellia sinensis the development of tea and the conquest of our taste buds began.

China was the first country to start preparing tea. Tea was first produced in the Yunnan Province in south-west China, as the temperature conditions there are very special. Yunnan is home to the oldest tea trees in the world.

Tea's journey around the world began in Yunnan. Initially, tea and the tea plant spread within China. The tea plants adapted to the different climatic conditions in China (the climate in the north is harsher than in the south) and produced different flavours and qualities accordingly. The tea production processes also evolved. Depending on the climatic conditions, preservation and storage methods were developed.

The diversity of tea leaves in different regions of China shows how much the environment and history have influenced the development of tea. In the Yunnan Province, where the oldest tea trees are native, the oversized tea leaf is found, which is probably adapted to the special climatic and geographical conditions of this region.

In the north and east of China, on the other hand, medium-sized and small tea leaves dominate, which is due to different growing conditions and possibly also to different tea traditions. These regional differences are what make Chinese tea so diverse and interesting!

In the 9th century, tea spread from China to Japan, where a unique tea culture and the famous Japanese tea ceremony developed. Centuries later, in the 18th century, the British East India Company brought tea to the West - especially to Great Britain, where it became a worldwide phenomenon.

My tea stories

Every tea ceremony is different and depends on many factors such as the weather, water quality, water temperature, tea quality, my own state of mind and the state of mind of my guests.

Even if I always use the same tea, it tastes different every time and the number of infusions also varies. You can find out more about the tea ceremony process and the background in my blog article:

It is fascinating how a tea ceremony can touch not only the taste but also the soul. The connection to the tea plant and the mindfulness during the ceremony create a special atmosphere that allows participants to explore themselves and their issues on a deeper level.

Tea can be a kind of bridge between the spiritual and the personal, and my ability to open up this space opens up completely new dimensions and possibilities.

Tea to support internal processes

Every living being is animated and has a spirit - and so does the tea plant. When we drink high-quality tea, we can connect with this spirit and benefit even more from drinking tea.

At every ceremony, I connect with the tea plant and ask for the best for the tea drinkers.

My first intensive experience with a tea ceremony and the spirit of tea was with a client who had booked a one-day seminar with me. Following an impulse, I offered her a tea ceremony. At first she was reluctant, as she usually drank tea from oversized cups and couldn't do anything with the small cups. Eventually she agreed and so began a fascinating tea journey.

I had drunk the tea she had chosen several times before, but I noticed right from the first infusion that it was different this time. It seemed to tell my client a lot and guided her wonderfully through an old issue that she was finally able to resolve. With each infusion, she connected more deeply with herself and by the sixth infusion, she looked at me and said: ‘It's done now.’ I have already managed up to 14 infusions with this tea, but in this ceremony it had given so much from the start that it was ‘finished’ after six infusions.

This shows how intuitive and individual these processes are - it's not about rules, but about what is needed at the moment.

Frustration in a teacup

Bei einer anderen Teezeremonie kam mein Gast gestresst und aufgeregt an. Intuitiv wählte ich den wärmenden und herzöffnenden Pu’Erh-Tee aus Yunnan. Pu’Erh Tee benötigt kochendes Wasser, um seinen Geschmack und seine gesunden Inhaltsstoffe entfalten zu können, und er schafft bis zu 15 Aufgüsse.

Mein Gast redete sich ihre ganze Frustration von der Seele. Der normal sehr erdig schmeckende und eher schwere Pu’Erh-Tee verwandelte sich in ein zauberhaft liebliches Getränk, das uns mit einer zärtlichen Wärme und Liebe umhüllte. Nach 8 Aufgüssen war sie mit ihrer Erzählung am Ende, ihre Emotionen beruhigten sich und auch der Tee verlor gänzlich an Geschmack und Intensität. Mit einem letzten Schluck konnte sie all ihre Frustration im Tee „ertränken“.

This story shows how deep the connection between tea ceremony and emotional healing is.

Enchanted under the lime tree

I recently had a particularly nice encounter with my neighbours. I had packed my travel tea set and was drinking tea, which I had brought with me from Beijing, under one of our lime trees. I was reminiscing about my trip to China. Lost in thought, I suddenly noticed my neighbour in his little garden. I approached him and a wonderful conversation ensued. I spontaneously invited him and his friend to a tea ceremony under the lime tree the next day.

I chose an enchanting jasmine tea from Fujian, which I had also brought back from Beijing. It is a high quality tea that had managed up to 14 infusions in my previous ceremonies.

We spent a wonderful 3 hours chatting and philosophising about God, the world, nature and spirituality under the lime tree in the company of buzzing bees and coaxed 21 infusions from the tea. The taste was beguiling right to the end and came up with all kinds of flavours. It really did show its best side.

Have I aroused your interest in the Chinese tea ceremony?

You can find more information and what to expect here: