The Way of Tea, aka. Cha No Yu
"Cha-no-yu", which means "the Way of Tea", is a Japanese tea ceremony in which a host or hostess serves a bowl of matcha to their guests. But it's much more than just having tea with friends.
Reina began studying the tea ceremony at the age of 14 with her grandmother, who taught the tea ceremony at the time. She started practicing the basics of the tea ceremony and participated in annual tea ceremonies with her mother.
Since the tea ceremony has a strong influence on Japanese arts such as architecture, floral arrangement, poetry, ceramics, lacquerware, painting, calligraphy, garden design, kaiseki, and traditional confectionery, the host or hostess must be knowledgeable in all these areas to offer a meaningful tea ceremony.
Every detail must be carefully planned. The theme of the ceremony is chosen based on the guests and the season. The correct type of confections or dishes must be served, bowls of the right shape chosen, and appropriate tea preparation tools selected. All these elements must match the scroll hanging on the wall and the floral arrangement in the tea room.
Reina continued to practice the tea ceremony after she arrived in Montreal. After 20 years as a tea ceremony practitioner, she is even more aware of how the cha-no-yu ceremony expresses Japanese culture and beliefs, especially outside of Japan.
Some important Zen principles of the tea ceremony apply in our daily lives. One of them is omotenashi, Japanese hospitality. In the West, hospitality often means providing exceptional customer service while expecting something in return. Omotenashi is a philosophy of exceptional and selfless customer service. It means that the host or hostess of a tea ceremony welcomes guests and prepares a bowl of tea for them with all their heart, without expecting anything in return.
Another important Zen concept is ichigo-ichie, a Japanese proverb meaning "one encounter, one opportunity." We believe that every tea ceremony or encounter in life is a unique opportunity and that we should appreciate every moment of it.
"For me, the tea ceremony is a way to meditate, to stay focused, to connect with people, and to appreciate their presence. These concepts have long been very important in our daily lives, and we have passed them down from generation to generation, and now I have the opportunity to share them in Canada," says Reina.
The Japanese tea ceremony is not just a traditional way to delicately celebrate tranquility and harmony. It is a space filled with Japanese art where people can disconnect from the hustle and bustle of society, connect with others, and find inner peace.
