The Way of Tea

Finding out more about the tea ceremony was high on my list of things to do while we were in Japan.

I have always been drawn to rituals - they make me feel comfortable and give me a sense of being in control. I think this is why the ritual of making a cup of tea is such a big part of my everyday. If I miss out (or if there's no milk at home or work!) I feel quite lost.

I found a place in Kyoto called "En", which offered an introduction to the tea ceremony. The information on the En website appealed to me as it talked about connection - a concept that is very important to me.

Our host began by telling us about the spiritual aspect of the tea ceremony and the 4 attitudes that must be present at the tea ceremony and that everyone attending must observe -
"WA-KEI-SEI-JAKU" which means:

Harmony - everyone is equal at the tea ceremony, there is harmony in the room as there is harmony in nature.

Respect - for everyone and everything including the objects that are part of the ceremony.

Purity - leave any worries or thoughts from everyday behind before coming into the tea room.

Tranquillity - this occurs when the 3 attitudes above are present.

What a wonderful way to approach any event - and life itself!


After sharing lots of interesting information , our host performed a short tea ceremony for us. It took about 20 minutes - apparently they can take up to 3 hours.

I found the experience meditative and beautiful. Each movement was considered and had significance. The absence of words meant that we could hear and appreciate every sound - the water as it was poured, the tea whisk mixing the tea. It was totally focussed on the present moment which was very calming - I certainly felt tranquil after watching the ceremony.


We didn't take many photos during the ceremony, however these ones from when we had tea at Kinkaku-Ji, a Zen temple known as The Golden Pavilion also in Kyoto, show the beautiful frothy, green matcha tea. Tea is usually accompanied by a sweet - this time decorated with gold leaf.



 

Happy me drinking tea!

When we came home my Mum gave me this lovely little book which I'm looking
 forward to reading, and learning more about The Way of Tea.

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

 

An abundance of (mostly green) tea!

Cherry blossom tea - we were given this on our arrival at the ryokan (traditional guest house) in Kyoto. It was very salty and served with a slice of watermelon which balanced the taste.

I loved this teapot which was also in the ryokan for us to serve ourselves green tea.

Tea was offered on arrival or available at every restaurant. This is at a fantastic sushi train place in Kyoto which had lightly flavoured green tea on tap! By this stage of the trip I was really enjoying green tea after drinking so much of it!

As green is my favourite colour I just loved seeing the many shades of it and the way it contrasts so beautifully with the cups. 

 

Green tea bags - all the way from Kyoto! Now in my kitchen in Sydney waiting to be enjoyed during a quiet moment - or used to encourage some quiet when it's needed.

 

The Planthunter

I am very excited and just have to tell you that I have had a story published in the wonderful online magazine The Plant Hunter - http://theplanthunter.com.au/

I have written about childhood, children, and the natural world - something very close to my heart, and it's such a wonderful feeling to know that someone else believes that my ideas and thinking are worth sharing.

Have a good read and look at the rest of The Plant Hunter too. I love the concept behind it - a place to document and celebrate the connections between plants and humans.

Vanna xxx

One of the many beautiful flower displays we saw in Japan.

The hydrangeas remind me of my childhood. They were favourites of my Oma and my brother. Oma used to have big bushes of them growing at the front of her house, and I was always intrigued by the way she covered them up with sheets in the middle of the day to protect them from the sun.

 

 

 

Iced green tea on the Shinkansen

Hello from Japan!!

We have been in Tokyo for the last four days which has been amazing and fabulous!!! We have done lots of shopping, eating ramen and noodles, and enjoying being swept along by the crowds as we explore different parts of the city.

Today we travelled by Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo to Kyoto. As we had been told by everyone who has been to Japan, the rail service is amazing. The train is clean, comfortable and punctual. We were able to buy drinks and snacks from a cart that arrived twice during the trip. 

I don't really like green tea, however I am trying to learn to like it! It is very healthy and in Kyoto it is the tea used in the traditional tea ceremonies. Ella likes green tea so when she ordered a bottle of cold tea I decided to join her. 

I love the packaging here in Japan. This close up of the bottle shows the gorgeous detail - and it didn't taste too bad either.

Isn't this chip pack great? I love this image of The Great Wave. This one is coming home in my suitcase! 

More from Kyoto when I get a chance - hoping to do a traditional tea ceremony here. 

Vanna xx

A colourful cuppa!

 

The books are old Enid Blyton's that I saved from the library last year. **
 

 

During the week I met my friend Josephine at a local café for a quick cuppa. As far as writing goes Josephine is the real thing. She has been an inspiration to me for the last few years, always encouraging me to write and sharing her thoughts and ideas about writing. Josephine's blog was the first blog I ever read, and has been a big part of giving me the courage to start my own blog. I love to spend time over at her gorgeous Tale Peddler blog and encourage you to have a look, and also discover her work. I am excited to read her next book which will be published soon!

 

As you can see we had a very colourful cuppa which suited our conversation and spirits. It is so lovely to spend time with like minded souls who share interests and ideas about the things that matter in life. It is easy to get caught up and feel like you don't have time, however for a while now I have been mindful of using my time well and spending it with people who make me feel good. Rick Hanson - who writes about the neuroplasticity of the brain and mindfulness, talks about 'watering your fruit tree', a phrase that he accepts is rather corny, however makes a lot of sense. In order to maintain your well-being he says, you need to 'nourish the things that nourish you'. For me, finding time for people who inspire me, who make me laugh and who make me feel good about myself, is an important part of my self nourishment. As is making time for cups of tea too of course!

 

Vanna xxx

 

**photo taken by Josephine Pennicott

 

'Why Not' cafe - our last morning in New York

This is my last 'tea post' from New York - when I get a chance I'll post some photos of a couple of book shops and thrift shops we visited as well.


Sadly we are leaving for home this evening (March 8th) and we are starting the day at the cafe on the corner of the street where we have been staying in an apartment in the West Village.

I have watched the cafe from our apartment window and have seen a steady hum of customers at all times of the day and night - many of them sitting with laptops, I guess working, reading and communicating. It really seems to be the thing to do in this city - also cafes are cosy warm places to get away from the cold. 

I have finally ordered correctly and once again got a lovely large mug of English Breakfast with room for milk! Steve had his usual hot chocolate and we shared a delicious pain aux raisins.

I love the way the milk is displayed here in this cafe. Right next to it is a turn table playing Stevie Wonder - so cool.

So off we go now to fill as much as we can into our last few hours. The sun has come out and its a beautiful day in New York! New York!!

Vanna xxx

Make a pact with yourself.

This morning while drinking my morning cup of tea I had one of those realisations that I always knew but hadn't totally formed into a nice neat awareness until that moment. It's about what I call 'making a pact with myself'. I've done this a few times in my life and on reflection it's made decision making easy, and the results of that decision satisfying. 

Pacts I have made include giving up smoking when I decided to have children - and promising myself that I would never smoke in front of them. This isn't unusual I know, however in moments of temptation the pact helped me to resist.

 I also made a pact not to constantly complain about my children when they became teenagers - as I so often heard other parents do. This isn't always easy to stick to - however it has really helped me to shift my perception and to always begin from a positive place. 

My favourite pact with myself is my promise to be at as many of my children's performances, school events and important occasions and moments as possible. I made this pact after I had breast cancer (the first time) when my desire to be there for my kids was really heightened. Now 9 years later this is still a priority for me and each event gives me reason for a little celebration with myself - I'm still here!! 

The thing about the pact is that faced with a decision or choice about what to do or if I have time to go - the decision is easy, actually I've already made it by commiting to my pact. Ill be there for my kids and this is something ill never regret. 

This pact has influenced some big decisions and life choices, particularly around my work and subsequently the amount of money I earn (not that much - but enough!). Time and presence always beat money in my book.

This may not sound all that enlightened but for me who finds it hard to make decisions, making a pact gives me real freedom. For those of you who also struggle with decision making you'll know how much mental energy it can take up. Even deciding what to cook for dinner can be exhausting for me on a bad day! 

I have this card from www.cecily.co.nz on my kitchen wall right next to my kettle. 

I guess making a pact is a bit like committing to follow the rules of a club, or even spiritual teachings or a religion. These things give you structure and perhaps moral and ethical guidance. Every thing we do is the result of a choice and having some clear guidelines is essential. On the other hand I do believe that there are always many ways to consider a situation, and points of view to respect, hence my slow decision making. There are however some things that are personally not negotiable and in these instances having a pact with myself is comforting and gives me strength to make the decision that is best for me.

 I wonder if you have made any pacts with yourself? Do you think it's a helpful strategy?