The Invisible Mentor

Posts Tagged ‘Japanese tea ceremony’

I first learned about Rikyu while watching the documentary Dream Window: Reflections on the Japanese Garden at Four Seasons of Gardens in Kyoto, Photographs by Mizuno Katsuhiko, an exhibit at the Japan Foundation, Toronto, which runs from June 17 – August 27, 2009. Please see the post Where Will you End Up? During the documentary they mentioned the concept of emptiness and that less is more. Preliminary research revealed that Rikyu was a Japanese tea master.

I struggled to understand the concept of “emptiness” and the “Way of Tea.” Many of the concepts I came across during my research on Rikyu were quite foreign to me as a westerner. My interpretation is that the notion of “emptiness” or “nothingness” focuses on frugality, simplicity, authenticity, freedom from attachments and possessions, at oneness with nature and self, reverence and a respect for life. Emptiness leads to enlightenment.

What is the Way of Tea?

Japanese Tea Ceremony is a tradition, a ritual in Japan which started many centuries ago. It was often an elaborate ceremony, and Rikyu is credited for making it a quieter and simpler affair so that everyone, wealthy and poor could practice “tea.”  Japanese tea ceremonies are not just about drinking tea, but about meditating, getting back to the fundamentals of what is really important in life. Fellowshipping with one another.

“Rikyu ‘s ceremony became known as wabichado (chado means “the way of tea”)…To truly understand tea, you must also study poetry, art, literature, architecture, legacy, and history. Tea practitioners are accomplished in the arts of flowers, fine cuisine, and-perhaps most important-etiquette (sarei). And the four principles of tea-harmony (wa), respect (kei), purity (sei), and tranquillity (jaku)-could of course be the means to any good life.” What Is Wabi-Sabi?

“Our current Grand Master summarizes the purpose of the Tea-Way thus: “to realize tranquility in communion with others within our world”. This speaks of peace: 1. within the individual as well as 2. in relationship with others as well as 3. in harmony with the environment both nature and human-made objects. The tea ceremony is a kind of meditation-in-motion with a flowing, coming into-focus of the object and movement of each moment, then letting it go in the next moment, and with a simultaneous global awareness of guests, self, and the whole seamless context as one. Ideally this kind of meditative awareness-in-action generalizes to one’s everyday activities and spreads peace naturally.” The Psychology of Peace through the Way of Tea

Who was Rikyu?

• Son of one of the wealthy Sakai merchants
• Japanese tea master who lived from 1521-1591
• Zen Buddhist monk
• Practiced the way of tea as a path to enlightenment
• Taught the four principles of tea: “wa” , “kei”, “sei,” and ‘jaku”
• Tragic death ordered by the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598)

For me, the way to tea and emptiness suggest that we should take comfort in the simple things in life, truly be ourselves and build community with one another. What does the way to tea mean to you?

Further Reading

What Is Wabi-Sabi?

The Psychology of Peace through the Way of Tea By Ms. Sheila Fling

Source

“An Anthropological Perspective on the Japanese Tea Ceremony,” Herbert Plutschow, Anthropoetics 5, no. 1 (Spring/Summer 1999)

The Psychology of Peace through the Way of Tea By Ms. Sheila Fling

Stress Management and Conflict Resolution via the Way of Tea? Japan Studies Association Journal (2001), Volume 3, 65-71

Photo credit: File is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.0 License