Japanese Tea Ceremony.

On Tuesday 15th of October we had a visitor come in to show us about the Japanese Tea Ceremony whihc is known in Japan as 'The Way of Tea'. It is a ceremonial preperation and presentation of macha which is powedered green tea.

We had to look at the words 'Wabi-sabi' before the start of the lesson and we foudn out that 'Wabi' means  austere refinement and 'Sabi' means quiet simplicity. These words together connect to the idea of being zen.
The tea is made in a bowl and a Tea Wisk. The tea maker will start off wisking gently then go in a specfic circle form which has a significantmeaning in the Tea Ceremony.

There is a certain way to drink and hold the bowls during this ceremony. There is also a certain way to sit - on our knees and our hands placed on our thighs. At the beginning you have to bend down and say 'Osakini'. The person will then go on to placing the bowl on the side where ever a person is on when bending down you have to say 'Otemae'. Then you move the bowl back infront of you and grab the bowl wiht the right hand and palcing it on the palm of the left hand. You then have to turn the bowl twice and then you are able to drink the green tea. After drinking the tea you have to wipe the side of the bowl then clean you hands with a handkerchief found around the neck. You then have to place the bowl back on the ground and thanking the tea maker.

Traditionally on the tea bowls there are floral paterns that are very meaningful this is why the bowl is turned twice so that the pattern is facing the front of the bowl and can be seen whislt the tea is being drunk. As soon as one person has finished drinkign the tea the tea maker will do the exact same process wsking the tea then giving it to the next person down the line. The person will then go through the exact same process drinking the tea.

After the Tea ceremony i relaised the words we talked about at the beginning have a very strong connection with the way everythign is presented in the ceremony. Whilst the tea ceremony was in progress we stayed very quiet and respected the way in which the tea was prepared and we all respected each other when we drinking the tea.