Chado - The way of tea

"The spirit of tea is the spirit of peace, and the culture of tea is a culture of hospitality" Sen Sōshitsu XV 十五代目千宗室.

Around 1500 years ago, Buddhist monks brought tea plants from China to Japan. This was the beginning of the development of a unique tea culture. The everyday act of drinking tea developed into a comprehensive art form that encompasses architecture, garden art, ceramics and much more.

Chado - the way of tea can hardly be described in a few words. It is more than the art of highly refined everyday actions such as "preparing tea for guests". Rather, it is a lifelong effort that not only aims at the continued perfection of skills, but at a change in the entire way of life.

Chanoyu, the Japanese tea ceremony, is the act in which the values ​​of Chado are practiced and perfected in different forms.

Sen no Rikyū 千利休 (1522-1591) had a significant influence on the development of Japanese tea culture. He placed the following terms at the center of the tea path:

Harmony (wa 和) - On the one hand, this means the harmony between guest and hoste(ss), as well as the harmony in the selection of the objects presented, i.e. the harmony of the room.

Respect (kei 敬) - for people and in the careful handling and appreciation of the objects.

Purity (sei 清) - The cleanliness and order of the equipment but also the purity of one's own heart in the sense of sincerity and openness.

Peace (jaku 寂) - The inner contemplation, attention and the resulting insight and serenity.

In this sense, Chado is a way to achieve inner serenity and peace for both the guest and the host.

The practice of the form (Chanoyu - the tea ceremony), which is embodied through years of practice, means that the body can effortlessly follow the flow of the form and the mind becomes perceptive in its "freedom" and can thus fully engage with the moment and the other person.

The tea room, whose design with natural materials and muted colors relaxes the mind as soon as you enter, the friendly and courteous manner of the host who prepares the tea, the relaxed atmosphere that sets in; all of this touches every guest in his or her own naturalness.

And so space is created for the mind to come to rest, to silence and to attentive perception. In tea, we speak of the connection between the hearts, ichi-go ichi-e, a connection that is only possible in this moment - in the now. The gathering over a bowl of Maccha creates a moment of connection between guest and host in the now, a connection with oneself, a being touched in the moment.

And that brings us back to the beginning: touching each other and being touched, leaving the room connected with oneself, returning to everyday life with a calm mind and new energy, that is Chado - the way of tea.