As part of my Japanese cultural studies I had a chance to practice preparing and serving tea, like it would be in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. The whole experience was amazing, it was complicated though and I had to prepare in advance by familiarising myself to a several pages of instructions, guiding through all the different phases and their meaning.
It all started with the entrance into the tea ceremony room. This has several stages and steps. After this I was taught how to properly receive and eat the traditional Japanese sweets (Wagashi), how to prepare the Matcha tea, and then, how to serve the tea and how to receive the tea. Each of these stages had very subtle and predefined movements - and a lot of emphasis is put on them. As the tea ceremony isn't actually about the tea, as such. It is about so much more. It is about mind control and exercise, discipline and aesthetics. It is about doing something from your heart, and then on the other hand, appreciating what the other person has prepared for you.
As part of the studies I also read the Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzō. A very interesting book about Teaism and Japanese culture. The book emphasises the ability to appreciate the little things, and the things that are not. This is seen in the physical surroundings of the tearoom where simplicity and naturality are emphasized. Although the tearoom may seem to be an empty room, without much glitter or glamour to it, in reality, every little detail has been thought of and every item and its function and placement in the room is the result of a careful examination.
It all started with the entrance into the tea ceremony room. This has several stages and steps. After this I was taught how to properly receive and eat the traditional Japanese sweets (Wagashi), how to prepare the Matcha tea, and then, how to serve the tea and how to receive the tea. Each of these stages had very subtle and predefined movements - and a lot of emphasis is put on them. As the tea ceremony isn't actually about the tea, as such. It is about so much more. It is about mind control and exercise, discipline and aesthetics. It is about doing something from your heart, and then on the other hand, appreciating what the other person has prepared for you.
As part of the studies I also read the Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzō. A very interesting book about Teaism and Japanese culture. The book emphasises the ability to appreciate the little things, and the things that are not. This is seen in the physical surroundings of the tearoom where simplicity and naturality are emphasized. Although the tearoom may seem to be an empty room, without much glitter or glamour to it, in reality, every little detail has been thought of and every item and its function and placement in the room is the result of a careful examination.
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