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THE WAY OF TEA:
Gion, Kyoto, Japan.
October 28th, 2013, 10:31pm.
Hello all! I just wanted to briefly talk about the Tea Ceremony we went to yesterday. I feel as though I didn't explain enough about it, considering it was such a memorable experience for Real and I.
We went to a small place called, "En." I think the name sort of represent the actual ceremony, since it is from Zen Buddhism. It was a small room, altered to look like a Japanese-style tea house. It wasn't a real tea house, though. The lady explained to me that real tea houses are far out in the country, surrounded by trees and nature. This way, the guests and host can achieve true calmness while they try to reach a meditative state. That's what the whole ceremony is about, it's about meditation!
The place we visited was located in the middle of Kyoto. So we could hear motorcycles, people, streetlights, etc. In a normal setting, the rustling leaves, running water, and clinks of the pottery all all greatly appreciated and used as calming effects.
The lady (May I think her name was...) gave us a brief explanation about the tea ceremony, or "Chado." She said that it is a traditional cultural practice that has been around for many many years. It originated in China, but when a Japanese monk brought seeds back to Japan and planted them, Japan was soon introduced to a world with tea.
If any of you get really into learning about Shintoism or Buddhism, you will find that much of it revolves around the awareness of each moment. Many beliefs and practices among the two overlap, which is why you see many of the same things at temples and shrines. Remember, shrines are Shinto, temples are Buddhist.
May explained a lot of what Real already knew. Every movement during the tea ceremony is supposed to be "beautiful." That is why she moves with such grace and elegance. There are also many reasons why she does what she does...
She told us that there are 4 main principles in Chado. Of course, I don't know how to spell them correctly in Japanese, but I do know what they mean in English!
The first is "Wa." This means Harmony. It creates a feeling of oneness with nature and people. At a tea gathering, harmony plays a huge roll between host and guest, guest and guest, mood and season, and the food served and the utensils used. Sensitivity to the changing rhythms of the seasons, and harmony with these changes are once source of ever deepening pleasure in the practice of Tea. May told us that no moment is ever the same. The weather could be different, the guests could be different. Real added that even if it is the same guests as a previous ceremony, they will not be the same person they once was.
The second principle is "Kei," or respect. Respect results naturally from a feeling of gratitude. Respect is extended not only to the other people in the room, but also to people you encounter during daily life. During the process of making the tea (The Way of Tea) there is a large amount of respect even for inanimate objects, such as utensils. As a product of human effort and nature, everything is cherished. The etiquette observed in the tearoom helps a student of Tea to learn to apply the principle of Kei to everything. To the uninitiated what may appear at first as excessively strict and formal is in actuality a means of incorporating- internalizing the spirit of respect. The hospitality of the host, the concern of the guests for each other and the host, and the careful handling of the utensils exemplify this respect.
The third? "Sei." This means purity. Cleanliness and orderliness, in both the physical and spiritual sense, are a very important part of the study of Tea. The importance of even the most simple acts has been learned through Zen Buddhism. Even the smallest acts (washing dishes or cleaning floors) are the seeds of enlightenment. In the words of a man of eighth-century China, “How wondrous this, how mysterious! I carry fuel, I draw water.” When the host cleans the tea utensils, he or she is simultaneously purifying the heart and mind through total concentration on this task. The guests, before entering the tearoom, pass along a garden path and rinse their hands and wash out their mouths at the low stone water-basin, thereby purifying themselves of the “dust” of the everyday world outside the tearoom. This is much like the purifying routine found at temples and shrines. Sei also implies simplification... The elimination of all unnecessary elements. The appearance of the garden path and tearoom are examples of this kind of simplicity, which is what Real loves.
The last is "Jaku": Tranquility. During the Way of Tea, although a person can work towards attaining the first three principles, the last cannot be attained by direct effort. However, through a constant practice of harmony, respect and purity, a person whose heart inclines towards Tea is prepared to approach the utter stillness and silence of Jaku. This tranquility is far from a dreamy psychological state. Instead it is the dynamic force of one's innermost being that infuses the practice of Tea and gives significance to the tea gathering, similar to the words of one of Sen Rikyu’s predecessors, “be heart’s master, not heart mastered.”
Now, before you all start commenting on how deep and profound my words are, please know that much of that was taken from the brochure! I could never write at that level! It was a pretty good explanation though, wasn't it?
So after May explained these 4 principles to us, we were able to understand much of why she did what she did without her even explaining it. For example, you could see her purifying every utensil before and after each use. With clean spring water, and with near-boiling water from a small pot held over hot coals. (Well, it's supposed to be hot coals. But for safety reasons, the heating system was electric.)
Other actions, however, were a mystery. We had to ask her after she completed the Way of Tea. She held the long spoon-like thing (the same type of spoon found at the cleansing areas at temples or shrines) directly in front of her, completely straight. This struck us as strange simply because she held it there for longer than usual. She told us after that this was to "mirror" herself. If she can see herself in this utensil, then she is fully concentrated on the moment. Therefore, she is purifying the heart and minds of the guests as well. Just like the explanation in the brochure says!!!
There were many bows, (respect) and many examples of appreciation towards everything. You are supposed to drink your tea, in three sips, slurping the last bit up. This is so that all the tea is gone. None is wasted, and that way when you carefully examine the tea cup and the beautiful work of the artist, no tea drips out from the cup. There is a "secret mark" at the bottom of the tea cup. If you have some, I dare you to go look at them! I bet they will have a symbol or a mark underneath! You are supposed to hold the cup so that that symbol is on your left. This means that the front of the cup is facing you. The artist/sculptor of the cup made this mark to present the best side of the cup to you. The host, as she presents you with the tea, will turn the cup clockwise TWICE, to show you the front of the cup. When you pick up the cup of tea to drink it, you're supposed to pick it up with your right hand, place it in your left, and turn it back counterclockwise TWICE, to make sure that you are not placing your lips on the front of the cup. When you are finished, you must hold the cup close to the floor, looking at it and appreciating it's designs and shape. Appreciating the hard work that went into making the cup.
Since the tea is so strong (it's made out of ground up tea leaves!!) the host offers a sweet to her guests before she makes them the tea. They are so little and cute! You're supposed to take a paper, pick it up, and place the candy on your sheet. You can then take as many bites as you want to finish it. Oh! That reminds me! Once you finish your last slurp of tea, you must use two fingers to wipe the lip of he cup, and use your paper to gently wipe your fingers on.
So now you have a pretty good idea of how complicated this process is...
I'll leave you with that! Feel free to research more of it yourselves, it really is a beautiful ritual.
Love always,
Lindsay Lehr
- comments
Roma If I put that much focus and appreciation in everything I see do, I would't get past the mirror in the morning.