Green Tea and the Spiritual Side of Taekwondo

I love green tea and in teaching Taekwondo there are several occasions where I get to make and drink tea with my students. This is one of the best parts of teaching Taekwondo as it allows me to share and enhance the spiritual aspects of the Martial Arts.

When a student earns their Black Belt a Tea Ceremony is held in their honor. Drinking tea portrays the seriousness and importance of the event. As Master, I and the student share...

• the spirit of humility and respect for what the student has learned
• the knowledge that I have passed on to them
• dedication to their continued growth as a person and Black Belt
• knowledge that they now will share with other students of lesser rank within the school.

The green tea we drink is not like any tea you can get in a grocery store. I drink a wild green tea grown on the rocky slopes of Mount Jilee in Korea. It is said that the roots of this particular tea bush go far down into the earth and assimilate the best of the earth’s nutrients and natural energy.

All teas contain polyphenols, naturally occurring compounds, like catechins that are effective antioxidants.

“It’s the healthiest thing I can think of to drink…. Green tea is beyond a superfood.” - Christopher Ochner, PhD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Dah Do or “the way of tea” is another occasion to drink tea and meditate in a group setting. Dah Do is a beautiful ceremony which allows me to fully embrace the present moment and share something special with others.

The group sits quietly together, usually on the floor with our legs crossed as I prepare the tea. This is an elaborate and deliberate process to ensure the tea is prepared properly and poured so that each tea cup is filled so that the strength of the tea will be the same in each cup. I bow to the tea to show appreciation to the earth and to nature for providing the tea. The guests bow to the tea to show the same appreciation.

The cup is picked up and the tea should be swallowed in three sips. The first sip is swished through the mouth to embrace the flavor. The process is repeated and there are five servings per session. Each serving provides a slightly different taste as the tea leaves open up and release their energy with each steeping.

There is no greater gift than the gift of time that your give someone you care about. Dah Do is a gift, an opportunity to be present and in the moment, creating a meditative environment in a group setting. You will gain a greater appreciation for the important things in life and mental clarity to help you find the best solution in any situation.

I hope I have the opportunity to host a Tea Ceremony or Dah Do session for you.

Thank you for this opportunity to serve you.

Master Chris Berlow, 6th Dan

Professional Martial Artist, Owner, and Author

UMAC Briarcliff

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