Consider a bowl of tea. Observe the shape and colour of the bowl. Take pleasure in the fragrance and hue of the tea. Watch as the heat curls upward in tendrils of soft vapour. Now think about how we have arrived at this moment. The table is laden with tea utensils, flowers, sweets, napkins, incense, and tea bowls, all carefully poised in a manner befit for the guest. Yet, it is not so much these objects or the consumption of tea but the ritualistic undertaking of the Japanese tea ceremony that is of significance. The ceremony must be carried out with practiced and precise actions: from the cleaning and arrangement of the scene, the delivery of the tea, all the way to the closure of the ceremony. Chadō (茶道), or the Way of Tea, embraces the values of harmony, respect, purity and tranquility—principles underlying the minutiae of the practice. Likewise, study of the ceremony will nurture within us a mindfulness towards the minutiae of every day life. Join a local tea club and practice the Way of Tea: a microcosm for a way of life.
Share
Related
Choosing Tableware with Character
by Grace Hong
Fresh perspectives: practices to enliven routine and re-energise the soul.
Regenerated Fabrics
by Tang Jialei
Fresh perspectives: practices to further refine your body and psyche.