The Way of Tea
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n

Ichi-go Ichi-e: Life Lessons<\/h2>\n

Let the tea be simple and your hospitality heartfelt.\u2014<\/em>Sen no Rikyu*<\/p>\n

When I entered the tea house, I suddenly felt reverential\u2014a guest of some greater spirit.<\/p>\n

The simple wooden walls, tatami floor, and perfect Ikebana arrangement created a sanctuary so serene that the only sounds were that of the birds in the garden and the simmering water for the tea.<\/p>\n

I met Kozue, a student who was dressed in a silk kimono of muted tones of lilac and plum that had been passed through generations of her family. I asked her how long she has been studying the Japanese tea ceremony.<\/p>\n

She bowed her head slightly and said, \u201cOnly 27 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

A lifetime of study
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n

I knew then that there was a more profound layer to the seeming simplicity of the tea ceremony.<\/p>\n

Some art forms take a lifetime to master. The tea ceremony is one of those arts\u2014part of a rich heritage of Japanese cultural traditions.<\/p>\n

The simple elegance of the Japanese tea house
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n

From Mozart to Chad\u014d<\/em><\/h4>\n

In the interest of full disclosure, I must admit to my tea inspiration. I was reminded of the elegance of the Japanese tea ceremony recently in an episode of \u201cMozart in the Jungle\u201d (Season 4\/Episode 8) directed by Roman Coppola. (Yes, television\u00a0can\u00a0<\/em>be enlightening.) After watching this mesmerizing segment, I went in search of more knowledge.<\/p>\n

I was fortunate to find a local class in the art of Japanese tea taught by Mrs. Matsui, who has been studying the tea ceremony for most of her life.<\/p>\n

She has built a tea house in the Japanese garden behind her modern California home and teaches those who wish to learn more about the graceful and meticulously choreographed steps in chad\u014d<\/em>, or the \u201cWay of Tea.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mrs. Matsui guides her student in the graceful choreography of the ceremony.
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n

The Heart of the Ceremony<\/h4>\n

In Japanese, the tea ceremony is called chanoyu, <\/em>sad\u014d, <\/em>or\u00a0chad\u014d, <\/em>and is noted as one of the classical Japanese arts.<\/p>\n

The ceremony is not just about serving tea. It is a study of philosophy, art, aesthetics, calligraphy, and literature.<\/p>\n

More importantly, the ceremony is a traditional way of strengthening the bonds of those participating. It also inspires a commitment of time to the contemplation of beauty.<\/p>\n

The host enters the tea room through a sliding door.
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n

Ichi-go Ichi-e <\/strong><\/p>\n

Every tea gathering is a special experience. Each occasion calls for unique preparations, depending on the season, the time of day, the guests, and the theme of the ceremony.<\/p>\n

The flowers and the hanging scroll in the alcove of the tea house (tokonoma)<\/em> represent the season and the theme. The tea bowls are selected to match the character of the guests.<\/p>\n

The host decides whether to offer a meal or just the traditional sweets, which are served to complement the mild bitterness of the green matcha tea.<\/p>\n

Traditional sweets are served to complement the slight bitterness of the matcha tea.
(Mrs. Matsui diplomatically reminded me to unwrap the one in paper, as the paper is not edible.)
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n

The host also decides whether to serve thick tea (for more formal occasions, served in one bowl to be shared by all guests) or thin tea (for more informal occasions, with individual tea bowls, chosen for each guest). If the host wishes, both thin tea and thick tea can be served in the same ceremony.<\/p>\n

Thin matcha tea in a carefully selected bowl for the occasion, the guest, and the season
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n

All of these preparations ensure that the experience will be completely unique. And that sharing a cup of tea in this moment can never be replicated and, thus, should be treasured.<\/p>\n

The Japanese saying Ichi-go Ichi-e means \u201cOne time. One Meeting.\u201d Savor the moment, as if it were a once-in-a-lifetime experience . . . because it is.<\/p>\n

Wa Kei Sei Jaku: Harmony, Respect, Purity, Tranquility<\/p><\/div>\n

Wa Kei Sei Jaku<\/h4>\n

Although each ceremony is different, the four principles of Wa Kei Sei Jaku are always the foundation.<\/p>\n

Wa: harmony
\nKei: respect
\nSei: purity
\nJaku: tranquility<\/p>\n

These principles ensure that the host and guests show respect for one another, that everyone leaves behind the thoughts and burdens of outside life, that the ceremony is performed from a pure heart, and that, hopefully, everyone finds some inner peace during the ceremony.<\/p>\n

The sharing of a unique moment . . . from the heart.
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n

The Poetry of Silence<\/h4>\n

The ceremony is filled with the sensory pleasures. Not only the graceful movements of the host, as the tools are carefully placed and cleaned and as the tea is prepared, but the heightened sounds, since most of the ceremony is performed in silence.<\/p>\n

The tea scoop, carved from a single piece of bamboo or ivory, is cleaned
with an intricately folded silk cloth.
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n

The pouring of the tea water from the ladle brings to mind the sound of nature\u2019s flowing water.<\/p>\n

During the silent preparation, sounds are a sensory pleasure.
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n

The whisking of the powdered tea and hot water, even though the most frenetic part of the gentle ceremony, is so rhythmic it seems to soothe the soul.<\/p>\n

The powdered matcha tea is rapidly whisked together with the hot water.
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n

The rustling silk of kimonos is a reminder of the depth of tradition.<\/p>\n

This is not a chatty social gathering. The conversation is limited to guests asking about the provenance of the utensils, remarking on their beauty, and, perhaps, discussing the theme of the ceremony.<\/p>\n

The host often displays the utensils for the guests to examine more closely.
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n

“Oh, I See” Moments from “The Way of Tea”<\/h4>\n

I was mesmerized by the tea ceremony\u2014hypnotic and elegant. It reaches into the depths of Japanese heritage and cultural traditions.<\/p>\n

It reminded me of the beauty you can see when you take the time to appreciate the small details of the world and when you spend moments of quiet time being in the present.<\/p>\n

Every element adds to the harmony and beauty and the experience.
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n

What impressed me the most are lessons that could be applied outside of the tea ceremony.<\/p>\n

\n
• Being present in the moment to appreciate the beauty of simplicity and tradition.<\/li>\n
• Thinking only of others\u2014your guests\u2014and doing everything for their benefit.<\/li>\n
• Showing ultimate respect for one another.<\/li>\n
• Sharing something from the heart to strengthen bonds of friendship.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

  There are many profound elements to the Japanese tea ceremony. For me, the philosophies that could be applied to the rest of life will be the lasting treasures.<\/p>\n

  *Sen no Rikyu was the Japanese Tea Master who raised the tea ceremony to the level of art in the 16^{th<\/sup>century.<\/em><\/p>\n}

  Thank you to Mrs. Matsui and Kozue Knowles for their guidance in understanding the depth of the tea ceremony and to Cha-Ya<\/a> tea shop.<\/em><\/p>\n

  Comment<\/a><\/i>\u00a0on this post below, or inspire insight with your own\u00a0OIC Moment\u00a0<\/em>here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":null,"protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":32334,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[99,217,202],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32309","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-heritage-culture","category-japan-mappoints","category-lessons-life"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32309","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32309"}],"version-history":[{"count":41,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32309\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32388,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32309\/revisions\/32388"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32334"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32309"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32309"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32309"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}