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– TICHT NACHT HAN
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Tea ceremonies elevate hospitality into an art form, through the discipline required to complete a complex series of movements that must follow a certain order. It is this same discipline that we must find in ourselves to respect the rules of society, for the benefit of the wider community.
It is a concept that prizes authenticity and can be easily translated to 'old and asymmetrical things are more beautiful'. Wabi-sabi encourages us to focus on the blessings in our daily lives by celebrating the way things are as opposed to what we think they should be, and finding beauty in the imperfection.
You can still practice mindfulness, even when the situation is far from ideal or when you are suffering. When attending a tea ceremony and wearing a kimono, one of the traditional ways of sitting is known as seiza, which involves sitting on the heels of your feet in a kneeling position for hours at a time. This may feel uncomfortable, but there is something to be said about finding stillness in pain.