Tea Is A Good Friend of Mine - Suzette Hammond of Being Tea

I had the pleasure of finally meeting Suzette Hammond, creator of Being Tea, while at the 2019 World Tea Expo, as well as take part in her online classes. She is obviously a maven regarding Tea and I'm so glad she agreed to be a part of this series!

What’s your name and what part of the world do you live in?

Suzette Hammond - I go by Sooz to folks who know me. Currently, I live in the US, in Chicago.

How long have you been drinking tea? What’s the story, morning glory?

I started drinking tea sometime around 2001, 2002. I was working in a different field then, as a newscast producer. Before the broadcast, I started sitting out on the patio at work by myself, drinking a cup of tea. Back then, I had no idea why or what I was doing really, but I knew that I felt calmer from the tea than I did from coffee. 

Do you currently work in the Tea industry and if so, what do you do?

My role in the tea industry is in education and training. I’ve been working as a professional tea trainer for 16 years. For most of that time, I was working for various companies in training director type roles, where I taught, created, and managed educational programs for company staff and wholesale client needs. I’ve also been involved in numerous tea trade organizations. I travel a LOT for my work and have taught tea workshops and trained businesses all over the US, and sometimes overseas, too. In 2015, I transitioned to self-employment in tea, and thus, Being Tea (my company) was born. I wanted to bring accessibility to tea education and sensory-rich learning methods to a wider audience than I could accomplish only working as a company employee. There are large gaps in accessibility for learning about tea in a hands-on way, including financial, structure, and intended audience. I simply wanted more people to be able to learn about tea in the ways that I was granted, so that’s become my mission. 

Why do you enjoy drinking Tea? How does Tea make you feel?

Tea is my personal practice and my way of spiritual interaction with the world. Through tea, I’ve come to understand myself better and in doing so, increased my capacity to try to understand others, too. Tea helps me hold that space. It centers me, restores a connection of being grounded and in place. Tea has just become a constant, never questioned companion in my life - I travel with tea, too, even when working at other offices or studios. 

Any special practices or customs you adhere to while drinking your Tea?

I distinguish between tea for drinking (what’s in my hand all day long, at my desk, etc) and tea for meditation practice. For practice, I sit down and spend time very intentionally with the tea, as a means of self study, care, and mindfulness. This might be just 30 min or it could be several hours, depending on the time I have available. I also teach tea meditation workshops, too, so it has increasingly become an important part of the message I feel should be shared about tea. Tea is more than a beverage or a product - it is a way of life and a way of living. 

What’s your all time favourite kind/blend of Tea?

I don’t really have a favorite, actually, since in my work and study, I drink all forms of tea. I do tend to drink a lot of Japanese green teas, but in the autumn and winter, I’m also adding in more and more black teas, pu’er and oolongs. In the spring and summer, more white teas. It just really varies by season and need. I very rarely drink blends - honestly, if I’m going to have an herbal tea, I prefer to drink my herbs like I do my tea, just straight up. I think there’s more to be learned about them and how they affect us that way. That being said, I do quite enjoy working on blends for people and the creativity that is exercised in developing them. They are a lot of fun. But for my own drinking, 99% of the time, it’s straight tea. 

Finally, what book are you currently reading?

Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer

People can find me on Instagram, FB and Twitter @beingtea

Website is beingtea.com

Classes on patreon.com/beingtea