Inner balance 無極 wu2 ji2

So I've learnt, that each time I come to the tea table, I leave all extreme 極 emotions of ecstasy or disappointment behind and brew with a calm and composed mind. I've found this partial switching off of the mind to have helped reduce the shakiness in my hands. It is largely psychosomatic and is one reason why I started attending lessons in calligraphy some 2 years ago. This practice of writing demands that you hold the brush with your hand and not rest your arms on the tabletop. The stabilising force comes from yourself without reliance on any other hard surfaces.

One time after sipping tea that I prepared, teaparker advised me that perhaps I should invest more love, time and attention into the tea that I brew. On hindsight, he was spot on as I more and more am able to see the influence that my state of mind has on the quality of infusions as well as the look and feel of my brush strokes!