Sharing The Tea

So many comments about conference spoke to the organizing committee’s teh. They desired to truly make it an event that would speak to our love of T’ai Chi Chih and to working together, in integrity, to go deeper with our practice. This very high goal was kept in the hearts and minds of committee members during the entire planning and execution. A marvelous sharing of tea (events) included resting, lingering, coming together, and an invitation to learn and friendship.

Of the many thoughtful elements, the Tea Ceremony (chanoyu), performed by Professor Emeritus and Tea Master Kimiko Gunji, was particularly inspiring. Kimiko is a small person, but her presence as she performed the tea ceremony was very large.

The simplicity with which she performed each exquisite move was the sign of a true master. It was a delight to watch. It was the same delight I experienced watching Justin do TCC. It was gentle on the eyes and fulfilling to the soul. Her movements were harmonious; each was necessary. The way she folded the cloth, in a very particular order, showed that she had done this ceremony many times with full awareness. And although the utensils she would use were already clean, out of respect to those who would drink the tea, she cleaned them again.

We were each given an especially-made-for-our-conference teacup – a lovely reminder of our host’s thoughtfulness. The traditional green tea is known for its bitter taste, but true to form, a small sweet in the shape of a flower was offered to soften the bitter taste. It was a very welcoming experience and set a mood of serenity for the unfoldment of the rest of our practices.

The tradition of Cha-no-yu (Japanese tea ceremony) is very old, and as Justin says in “Climb the Joyous Mountain,” the ceremony contains four essentials: harmony, respect, purity and serenity. We experienced all four, and with respect, we learned to love and share the tea (Chi). Many thanks to the Minnesota community.