Zen is a way of thinking.

As a teaching of Zen there are famous words in Japan.

There is a four-character idiom derived from a tea ceremony called “Ichigo-Ichie”一期一会.

This means that the fate is wonderful.

Please cherish this feeling when you meet. Surely it will be a wonderful fate.

For example,every time the tea ceremony gathering is only once. The idea that it is valuable thing which there is surely also the fate with a person who became together there.

Furthermore, there is a wonderful way of thinking in Zen.

It is the word “Now, concentrate on yourself here”即今当処自己.

· Immediately (Sokon): live one’s present

· Act (tosho): here now

· Self (Jiko): Living oneself

In order not to be misled by various things, meaning to act obediently and act in accordance with your feelings while taking care of things in front of you.

This way of thinking is also a way of thinking of tea ceremony and how to study.

Concentrate and focus consciousness and polite behavior.

That leads to the way of Japanese tea ceremony.

Therefore, practicing tea ceremony practice is said to be a training to hone your mind.

Being carefully and making a work makes you feel calm and also conveys the important feelings dealing politely with your opponent.

For example, when you are busy losing yourself, your heart is too busy, you can not afford to contact each other carefully because you can not afford it, sometimes you will not be attitude disappointing?

Think about it in reverse.

Manners that contain the idea of Zen

For example,

· How to bow and sit

We straighten out the spine straight and carefully align your fingertips.

___ ShinGyouSou真行草

Semiformal (Shin) → bow to lower the head deeply with the most polite meaning. For example, when you join a tea party and give the host the last greeting.

Formal (Gyou)  → ordinary normal bow. For example, when it is delimited in the manners.

informal (Sou) → It is like a bow and the lightest one. It’s just a light finger tip, for example when doing a simple greeting.

· How to handle bran and doors

It is a point that standing by stretching straight spine straight, suddenly not opening at a stretch, do not stop.

Do not suddenly surprise your opponent, carefully open, close.

· How to eat sweets

You will lower your head to express gratitude to all who made candy and all who prepared it and greet first.

Handle chopsticks and dishes carefully, never treating them as miscellaneous, think about the feelings of people who will use them next time.

· How to drink Matcha

We will lower our head to express gratitude to all who prepared Matcha and all who prepared it and greet first.

First, the tea bowl is handed over to you with the most beautiful front part.

The meaning is “I respect you.”

The recipient turns the tea cup approximately two and a half times in the sense of humility for the reply “Thank you”.

And avoid the most beautiful aspect face.

A silent communication that shows respect and humility in manners.

To express the feeling that it is delicious by drinking tea is not in words.

When drinking, dare to make a sound “Zuzuzu!”, Make it stand big and appeal to the opponent.

It means “The tea you made is delicious and I drank it quickly.”

Because there is such history and culture, it may be that there is a consciousness that the Japanese people do understand even if we do not speak.