A Passion for Tea | Petr Novák | Episode 801

Petr Novák | Episode 801

Petr Novák has over two decades of experience as a seasoned teaware artist. Deeply immersed in tea culture, Petr’s work is inspired by his personal connection to tea. His work is internationally recognized and used by tea lovers from all around the world. Petr creates highly functional teaware for multiple settings including casual tea drinking as well as for special occasions and celebrations. With a focus mainly on ceremonial pieces, his aim is to create teaware to support tea enthusiasts in their meditation practice with tea also known as Cha Dao, The Way of Tea. His designs are created to bring ease and joy to their tea tables.

Always studying and passionately searching for new inspirations, Petr regularly visits tearooms, tea gardens, and potter’s studios from the far East such as Korea, China, and Taiwan. Although he is an experienced traveler, Petr finds his main source of growth from his personal Tea practice and in the experiences of those who use teaware during their daily rituals. He highly encourages thoughts and feedback anytime, it is always welcome and appreciated.

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Why tea and not coffee?

Let me put it this way, I have this experience that every herb on this planet have different effects on the body, on the mind and some can be very close and some can be very different. Many herbs were secrets during the history of humankind and different countries have different herbs that were secret for them and it can be maybe Matcha in South America, it could be coffee, it could be tobacco. The same with the tea. So each herb kind of affects our mind and body in a different way and I believe that tea is quite special in that way. And it suits me and it makes sense and makes my life richer and kind of makes sense for me to focus on that.

Which do you prefer, a tea bowl or a tea cup? And why?

There is not what I would say prefer. I drink from a bowl maybe more often than a tea cup but the bowl has its place on the tea table and some settings make more sense to use a cup as a smaller vessel, drinking vessel and for some purpose the bowl is better.

Is a tea ceremony best to be experienced with friends or alone?

Again, there is probably just slightly different energy. For me tea ceremony often means somebody showing the tea ceremony. Somebody is preparing tea and you look at that or something like that. What I am talking about is that we are a part of it. So you are part of the ceremony, you are part of the place, and when you are alone it is slightly different then when there is more people and different energy. So what is better? Yeah, I like both actually. I have to say I like both but I can more often do it myself and it’s like meditation. When you are alone you can sit down before the starting day with myself and bowl of tea or a cup of tea for sometime and that is great. And from time to time with people who feel the same and have a special connection it is very nice and I wouldn’t say it is something I would like to escape to be alone. I like the social part a lot.

Does a tea ceremony calm the noises inside of us and it brings a certain amount of peace?

Definitely and that’s one of the reasons to calm down and see more clearly. So sometimes you see that there is a lot of noise and it feels like it’s noisier than before because you actually see it but what is valuable for me is how simple it is. There is not special method. You just sit with bowl of tea, put your leaves in the water and you can repeat it daily. When you have this ritual daily then you kind of have this grounding point in the day so you can sit for a bit and recharge, calm down, and see more clearly.

Do you ever take milk and sugar in your tea?

Not really. I am thinking, usually if I want to make a sugary, milky drink I would probably do some cacao thing with a different herb and plant than coffee. But if the tea is very strong and milk can help that, if I overdo it a bit of milk can help but usually not. If I was with friends and they prepared tea like that I would enjoy it. I am not snobbish about my tea. I am quite relaxed.