Finding peace of mind with the Japanese tea ceremony

There are different ways to attain Peace of mind. Zen is just one of several ways  for attaining it. But what is Peace of mind? One favoured definition compares peace of mind to the absence of stress in one’s daily challenges; this results in a feeling of inner calm and a deeper sense of inner balance: this is Zen.

Because Matcha is at the heart of the Chanoyu and, it was largely shaped by Zen monks, it focuses on perfection of mind and body and for this reason it can be used to practice meditation and relaxation. The result is truly Zen and Peace of mind attained on the pretext of preparing and drinking a bowl of Matcha.

Our bodies need relaxation to reduce the daily stress of modern life thereby boosting our energy and mood and making our life more full and complete. This is, indeed, what is hidden in the term “chanoyu” and “chado” i.e. “tea ceremony” and “the way of tea,” respectively. Zen monks have been practising it for at least 500 years and the Samurai themselves used to practice chanoyu.