2. Donnie Yen drinks tea

☵ Donnie Yen drinks tea 甄子丹喝茶. Yup, that's right. He drinks tea... He also drinks coffee, beer, wine and boiled warm water. But for tea drinkers he drinks tea. ☰ As a martial artist and actor he does a wonderful job in balancing the two polarities rife in the martial arts world: the physical and the spiritual. And this can be seen in his movies. One group is all action and stunts. And the other group goes deeper into things, like when he did the Ip Man trilogy. ☶ So what does tea have to do with all of this, and or him? ☴ In Chinese wuxia novels and movies, tea symbolises the spiritual aspects of martial arts. More than just visual props, they are the two hexagrams of Well 井卦, and Cauldron 鼎卦, of the I-Ching 易經 combined and manifested in key events in the story as one idea or thing. It is a way of expressing those higher concepts that are sometimes difficult to explain like our belief in Tea Time equals Me Time. ☱ The phrase Tea Time equals Me Time, seems obvious to us because we practice it every day, but you would be surprised how many martial artists don't "get it" and hence reject it. Until their master sits them down and serves them some tea. ☳ They must take a sip or their master will not speak. This is the part of their training referred to as the Inner Door Schooling. This is the part where Bruce Lee says, "I cannot fill your cup until your cup is empty". Or as Avatar Aang said to Avatar Korra, "When you are at your lowest point, then you are open to the greatest change". ☷ In space and time I am also on this journey with you. I practice Tea Time equals Me Time everyday alongside my Baguazhang, I-Ching and Qigong. All different aspects of the same thing. For some it could be Chado 茶道, but for most it is just about stopping the manic headlong rush to somewhere and nowhere, and sipping that beautifully brewed cup of tea! ☲ There are other ways to find one's spiritual side in martial arts. This just happens to be easier than meditating for those that love to move about. It is quick and slow at the same time and can be done with others. Liked what you heard & want to connect with me? Join me at… linkedin.com/in/peterhainzl/