Tea and sympathy go hand in hand. Tea, generally considered a warm, soothing liquid, tends to create the conditions through which sympathy can flow. The sympathy can flow out towards others, or in towards yourself. If you need sympathy, tenderness or empathy, think about creating a tea ritual designed with self-care in mind. The smell, the taste, the details of the presentation, the aesthetics of the environment—all of this makes for a sensual journey for all the senses.
Special tea rituals or tea ceremonies are important cultural traditions world over with Japan, China, India, Russia, England and Morocco holding tea particularly dear. One of the beautiful aspects of a tea ritual is the focus it requires. It’s not the same focus of work life—it’s a gentler, more attuned lens of paying attention. This kind of focus forces you to forget about daily tasks, impending deadlines, worries and anxieties. You give yourself permission to dedicate your full attention to the
preparation of tea, including water temperature, steeping time and the elegance of your favorite ceramic vessels.
In Japan, the tea ceremony takes years to study, decades to master. The tea ceremony is considered a form of Zen. The meditative aspect of tea ceremony is heightened by the austerity of the tea house, the ritual washbasin set up for “purification” and the silence that the tea ceremony amplifies and punctuates. The phrases typically used to describe tea ceremony, such as
ichi-go ichi-e (“one moment, one meeting”) and
wasei seijaku (“harmony, respect, purity and tranquillity”) indicate both the way of tea and the way of Zen.
Why not make use of the principles of harmony (?, wa), respect (?, kei), purity (?,sei), and tranquility (?, jaku) as the foundation for a tea ritual you design for yourself?
Creating Your Own Tea Ritual
Purity: Physical and symbolic cleansing
Purity refers to not only what can be seen but also what’s inside one’s heart. That being said,
clutter creates chaos, not just in the surrounding space but also in your headspace.
Studies show that decluttering may help to reduce stress and to increase focus and concentration.
Experiment with making one corner of your house or a room into a tea corner. Aim to keep the designated area clean and tidy. You can have your tea utensils and tea ware all laid out on the table, to have at the ready for when you need to use it. Before you start making the tea, ritually wash your hands. And when you are done with your tea, always wash your teaware right after use. To make it easier to access your teas, clean out your tea cabinet, throwing away expired teas or teas that no longer seem fresh. Sort the remaining teas you have.
Harmony: Adorn the space tastefully
The setting can powerfully magnify the atmosphere. Put out a vase of fresh flowers, light an incense stick or a
candle, or put together an altar of meaningful personal mementos. Notice the seasons. If it’s summer, consider making an iced tea. Always try to choose a quality tea that fits the mood, whether it’s a warming cup of spicy chai, herbal tea for relaxation, green tea for contemplation, and so on. Can you make your tea spot reflect the season, such as cozy in winter, breezy in summer?
Keeping the room cool in summer and warm in winter is one of the guiding maxims of tea ceremony. Wear something festive for your tea ritual, even if it’s just for you. Turn off your phone and other distracting screens. Make sure you are not rushed. Commit to taking the next 15 minutes out of your day to slow down, reflect, and fully appreciate a little luxury of life.
Tranquility: Set the mood
The philosophy of Zen suggests that simple actions in daily life—sweeping, chopping wood, pouring water—leads to awakening. When performing tea ceremony, the humble act of preparing tea with a clear mind paves a way to the awakening of your soul. In the tea ceremony, nothing is an insignificant detail, nothing is unimportant, nothing is a nuisance.
Your tea ceremony can help you deepen your connection to your inner spirit. Being attuned to nuance during your tea ceremony can help you feel more present at other times as well.
Respect: Pay utmost attention
Every little thing from the flower arrangement to your chosen décor indicates the utmost attention paid to the preparation for the ritual. Respect, then, is to fully appreciate the moment you are in. Respect the tea, where it came from, the water that gives it its bloom, the vessel that you are drinking it from, the light, the temperature, everything that brings the moment to life.
How does the silence of drinking your tea bring you into the sacred? Your tea ceremony functions as a “pause” in life that makes your life feel more precious, which is the essence of
ichi-go ichi-e (“one moment, one meeting”).
.jpg)
