There is a scroll hung in the tea room 独坐大雄峰 Dokuza Daiyūhō, Sitting alone on the great sublime peak. Or sometimes translated as Sitting alone on the great hero peak. Doku (alone,) za (sit), dai (great), yū (sublime), hō (peak).
The Zen story is that Hyakujo Zenji was asked by a monk, “What …
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About a year ago we opened Issoan, the tea room built for me by my husband. It took him two and a half years, but it was worth the wait. I have been teaching Chado for about 25 years and I was thrilled to have a tea room with a raised floor for …
Permanent link to this article: http://issoantea.com/loneliness-of-the-tea-room/
Yesterday for Memorial Day, we had our first virtual chakai at Issoan. The theme was “Then and now.” Since we are still on lock down for the Corona virus in Oregon, we had to do it via Zoom. There were many innovations since the students cannot come to Issoan for lessons, and creative interpretations of …
Permanent link to this article: http://issoantea.com/first-virtual-chakai-at-issoan/
The answers to the Japanese Ceramics Quiz are posted. You can see the quiz and answers here.
Here is the Intro to Japanese ceramics to help you identify Japanese ceramics.
How many did you get?
Permanent link to this article: http://issoantea.com/quiz-answers-posted/
It has been 65 days since we have been self-isolating here in Portland. Things were already starting to shut down when I decided to cancel all chanoyu classes, workshops, demonstrations and events and close Issoan tea room for teaching.
The tea room feels empty, but not lonely. Everyday, I zokin the tatami, hang a scroll …
Permanent link to this article: http://issoantea.com/chanoyu-in-a-time-of-corona-virus/
