The Way of Tea
The Way of Tea
I am fortunate to study with Soei Christy Bartlett Sensei who narrates this video. Tea inspires my daily life. The practice is about living in this moment. What is that? It takes many forms, but one of the most beautiful is Chanoyu.
Stones are priceless
Stones are priceless in Japan. I"ve seen gardens created in the 16th century that have stones and rocks imported from far away that are worth their weight in gold. Seriously. It"s part of the statement of a lord or king"s garden - or in Japan"s case - the Shogun"s...
Camellias
In winter a Camellia is the preferred flower in the tearoom. It blooms from October through April. Each flower may last for several days but only the bud is used with a deciduous branch from a shrub or tree such as Viburnam or Fothergilla. The structure of the branch...
About my garden
I first learned to garden when I lived at Green Gulch Zen Center in California. Green Gulch is a working organic farm that grows vegetables and flowers for market. I learned about Biodynamic farming, watched gardeners plant seeds in rows of dark rich earth, walked by...
A tea gathering
In summer, guests come early for tea, before the heat of the day. The garden is sprinkled with water; the stepping stones glisten in the early morning light, moist and cool like a path through a forest. There is a sense of bridging, crossing over, proceeding deep into...
