From August 10 till yesterday I introduced Kakuzo Okakura's "The Book of Tea" in my blog. After over hundred years since it was written, his words still clearly depict what Teaism (as he calls it) is and its relation to Taoism and Zen.
Enough for reading what it is. Why don't you explore Teaism yourself right now, in your own living space?
First, tidy your surroundings. Remember how spick and span the tea masters cleaned the tea room? By creating a clean, tidy space, your mind also finds a calm space.
Next, pick your favorite drink; tea, coffee, or hot chocolate (I would suggest avoiding any alcoholic beverages). It doesn't have to be matcha.
Put out all the necessary utensils to make your favorite drink in front of you; your favorite cup, a spoon to scoop your drink, a kettle to heat up water, and whatever else you need to make it. Once you laid them out, clean each item by hand, and dry each item with a clean kitchen towel, One by one.
When you clean each utensil, think about whomever or whatever was involved in making each item. As for your cup, if it's ceramic, think of a person (or a machine) that shaped the clay, put it into the kiln, packaged it in a box or a bag, until you finally possessed it.
When you make your drink, think of whomever and whatever was involved in growing the leaves (if it's tea) or the beans (if it's coffee or cocoa). Don't forget to think of those who worked on bringing you the clear water!
And before you have the first sip, why don't you show your upmost respect to all those people and things that made this drink possible? That's the entrance to the Teaism. Congratulations!
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