Japanese Tea Ceremony *

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Japanese Tea Ceremony - The Tea Path as an Exercise in Mindfulness "Just as the wind in the pines roams freely through the open expanse of the sky, the chanting of the tea kettle brings expanse into the narrow space. The narrow space widens and the whole world gathers in a bowl of tea. We open our heart, empty our mind, trace with our breath the infinite vastness of our heart." In the tea room, the host and his guests gather to prepare and enjoy tea from ground tea powder and hot water according to an ancient ritual. Silently, the host prepares the tea utensils, which he first cleans mindfully and ritually. This cleaning serves at the same time to fade out all hectic of the everyday life and to find into the silence. Movement and breathing form a unity and in measured movements the host 'dances' the tea. Imperceptibly, the guests, guided by the tea dance, glide into silence.