Most commented posts
- Heart to heart connection — 8 comments
- April update, a Midorikai interlude — 6 comments
- Making a good bowl of koicha — 6 comments
- Seeing things as they are — 6 comments
- Japanese Ceramics quiz — 5 comments
Author's posts
The longing for belonging
Growing up, I went to six different grade schools, two junior high schools, and two high schools. Moving every year or every other year, we were always the new kids in school. That meant my brother was always getting into fights to prove himself. For me it was the mean girls. We never …
Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/the-longing-for-belonging/
Between lessons
I have recently begun okeiko again with Bonnie Mitchell-sensei via Zoom. I am so grateful for the time and energy that she invests in every lesson. It has been more than 18 years since I attended weekly okeiko. After so many years on the teaching side, being a student again is humbling. Yet every …
Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/between-lessons/
Is there magic in the world?
My husband teases me that anything I can’t explain, I just call it magic. For example, we were talking about radio the other day. Without a network link like WiFi or Bluetooth (both magic by the way), music, discussion, storytelling all get into these boxes. How does that work? Magic!
When the sun sets, if …
Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/is-there-magic-in-the-world/
The art of tea
I have been working with a journalist from the local arts web magazine on my journey with tea. It is always difficult to gauge how deep to go with someone who has no notion of what Chado is about. We started in January and he told me that he would like to interview me for …
Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/the-art-of-tea/
Lost in temae
Last week, Issoan Tea and students gave a Chanoyu presentation at the Newberg Camellia Festival. It has been more than two years since we did one of these. In many ways, it felt familiar, but also a little scary and a little intimidating.
We have done this particular festival many times, and the organizers have …
Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/lost-in-temae/