Tea ceremony

In Japan, they have the tea ceremony. Those who can afford it, have a small temple for drinking tea. The act of drinking tea has been transformed into a celebration. As you enter the temple, you cannot speak; you have to leave your thoughts and speech outside with your shoes. You sit down in a meditative posture. And the host who prepares tea for you — her movements are so graceful, as if she is dancing, putting cups and saucers before you as if you are god. And you will receive it with the same respect.

The tea is prepared in a special samovar which makes musical sounds. Everybody first listens to the music of the tea. So everybody is silent, listening... birds chirping in the garden, and the samovar... the tea is creating its own song. Peace surrounds....

When the tea is ready and it is poured into your cup, you are not to drink it the way people are doing everywhere. First you will inhale the fragrance. You will sip the tea as if it has come from the beyond, you will take time — there is no hurry. Somebody may start playing the flute. An ordinary thing — just tea — and they have made it a beautiful religious festival, and everybody comes out of it nourished, fresh, feeling younger. And what can be done with tea can be done with everything — with your clothes, food, temple is made in a beautiful garden with a pond, with flowers all around. Guests leave their shoes outside. It is a temple.