Truth be told, I get immeasurably more pleasure from practicing tea than I do from posting about it. I have sifted tea; selected dogu; arranged flowers; prepared sweets; lit the incense, and practiced. But I have put little to no effort into capturing ceremony in photos or in writing. Mostly I make tea for me and my quarantea buddy, Doug; and it has just been about the practice.
I have found that I feel free when there is no one watching; no one waiting to see the photos, or read my notes. Tea practice is my personal, private pleasure. Then, I remember I began this year with the intention of sharing tea ceremony in different locations, with different people, getting out of my comfort zone. We are not alone, even though I am most comfortable there. Tea is about relationship. Everything exists within the context of relationship.
So, I am lightly updating a backlog of ceremonies, and mentally preparing to return to the plan. I have three April ceremonies I wrote about, photographed, but haven’t posted yet. Soon….
With gratitude,
Michelle
- April (after Q6) – 3 practices/17 (kakoi datte gyou)
- May – 5 practices/22 (chabitsu sou; obon shin)
- June – 6 practices/28 (kakoi datte gyou)
- July – no tea practice
- August – 2 practices/30 (obon sou,obon gyou)
- September – 3 practices/33 (chabitsu sou, gyou, shin)
- October – 7 practices/40 (kasume datte, nshiki datte, chabitsu gyou)