The Spirit of the Tea Ceremony

Only a true and authentic tea can help a person in learning about his own nature and prolonging life.

Only a person who grasped the importance of the study of self can discover a truly authentic tea.

The tradition of putting the Zen Path in the centre of the tea ceremony goes back to the ancient teachers of Zen. The teachers of Zen had a high regard for tea making and spent their days enjoying the pleasures of tea.

They believed in oneness of Tea and the glorious Buddha Path and expressed the deepest Zen ideas in a tea ceremony.

This is how the Path of Tea was born, which encourages you to explore your spiritual dharma for the sake of all the living beings. In light of this everything that is used in a tea ceremony has a lot in common with the Path of Zen.

Tasting the sweetness of Zen Tea and following the Path of Tea satisfy the original necessities of our Path.

A Tea ceremony, as a way to perceive your own nature, in its essence is completely similar to the teachings of Zen.

A man should treat the true Zen tea with respect and humbleness.

The initial meaning of tea is neither about selecting good or bad tea ware nor about discussing various types of tea ceremonies. Tea is that particular thing which helps you to reach Samadhi, and as you reach this state of consciousness and deal with a tea ware, you will comprehend your own nature.

The spirit should not waver; therefore, a tea ceremony is referred to as a continuous support of human spirit. However this is related only to following the Path of “Tea Samadhi”.

Understanding the meaning of the Path of Tea depends on the desire of each person, and it does not necessarily take years and months to comprehend it. After all, since such a desire, deep or superficial, appeared in one moment, then, by directing attention entirely to the very core, it takes to fulfill the desire and succeed in “tea Samadhi” practice. Samadhi is derived from the Sanskrit, which means “right perception”.

As the Path of tea revives the body and prolongs life, then, learning about tea, helps you to concentrate your thoughts around it. And as other feelings do not distract you, it is not that hard to fully immerse into it. It’s a glorious Path, and this Path should be duly appreciated.

The spirit of tea means the spirit of Zen, so if you put the spirit of Zen away, then you will lose the spirit of Tea. If you do not know the taste of Zen, you will not know the taste of Tea.