This short Lessons from the Way of Tea documentary shares my experience with Japanese tea ceremony (also known as The Way of Tea). I was first attracted to the art’s many sensory delights and the way it acknowledged the seasons. There was also the joy of selecting the scroll and utensils and arranging flowers for a particular gathering.
We students copied our teacher hoping to learn the many steps well enough to be able to share tea in a natural flowing way, while supporting our guests’ tranquil awareness. Only after striving to prepare and share a bowl of tea over and over again, did it dawn on me that this gentle art is a bit of a ten ton canary.
It felt quite personal, and somehow universal at the same time. Like any art, what you get from it, depends upon what you bring to it. That kept changing.
As my ability to sustain attention to the scripted generosity increased, I could feel my own responses more vividly and I was more able to fully take in other’s reactions. I began to find a deeper beauty in everyday objects, nature and people. I sensed wider connections, and I realized that bringing caring intention to even routine chores can add meaning and purpose to life. Tea ceremony practice never failed to leave me feeling centered and at peace.
The art’s core principles of Harmony, Respect, Purity and Tranquility (on the scroll by Takase Studio in the photo above) are built into the rules and preparation steps in such a way that I directly experienced many important lessons about what really mattered to me in life.
Few people, even in Japan, are interested in learning tea ceremony’s many formal procedures these days. But since what the traditional art has to offer seems so badly needed in our hurting world, I began to dream of finding more accessible ways for others to gain access to their own “tea wisdom.” This latest Lessons from the Way of Tea video is one result.
A second video, Hannah’s World: Living Tea Values provides an example of someone, who seemed to be living life guided by tea ceremony’s core principles and reaping the benefits for herself, others and the land that she loves. An earlier project involved developing an accessible tea and dialogue mindfulness practice that, among other benefits, shows promise as a means to combat the serious health risks associated with loneliness and social isolation.
Radiant Refuge 