Tea today, in my communities#

The idea for Stillness in Motion (SIM) was seeded through my time spent in nature, my meditation practice and most fundamentally from my explorations with photography. However another key influence which is also currently taking root is my study of Chá Dào, the Way of Tea. This has become a core and parallel influence within this new work, offering a complementary mode of inquiry grounded in stillness, restraint, and relational presence.

My engagement with Chá Dào is rooted in study with Wu De through the Global Tea Hut, a contemporary and accessible lineage drawing from ancient Chinese Taoist traditions. Chá Dào is distinct from Chadō (or Sadō), the formalised Japanese Way of Tea, yet for me it functions as an essential preparatory ground. Through its emphasis on attentiveness, humility, and listening, it cultivates qualities that resonate across both photographic practice and future engagement with Japanese tea traditions.

In recent months, this tea practice has begun to be shared quietly within small community contexts, not as an accompaniment to other work, but as a practice in its own right. These invitation-based sharings form part of an ongoing process of research and refinement, supporting attentional clarity, nervous system regulation, and sensitivity to pacing and form.

Together, photography and tea constitute the central pillars of Stillness in Motion. While photography remains the originating medium, tea provides a grounding and orienting influence, shaping how stillness, movement, and relational presence are understood across the project. This dual foundation also supports preparation for potential future immersion in Japan, allowing the work to unfold with coherence, depth, and care.