Pick up a teacup. Any teacup.
Feel its weight. The warmth if it's full. The smoothness of the glaze. The slight ridge where the handle meets the body.
This is it. This is the whole teaching.
The Vessel
A teacup is defined by emptiness. Its function — to hold tea — depends entirely on the space inside. The clay walls are just the boundary. The useful part is the void.
Laozi said: "We shape clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that holds whatever we want." Chan says the same about the mind.
Before and After
The famous saying goes: "Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water." The actions don't change. What changes is the relationship to them.
Before: you pour tea while thinking about something else. After: you pour tea.
A Practice
Make tea. Not with a tea bag ripped open while checking email — make tea. Heat the water. Warm the pot. Measure the leaves. Pour. Wait. Pour again.
Each step is a complete universe. The sound of water filling the cup. The color deepening. The steam rising.
You don't need to "be mindful." Just pour. The cup will do the rest.