Tsukimi Chakai, moon viewing at Issoan,
The night was clear after a weekend of rain for the moon viewing at Issoan. The chakai was virtual and 15 guests attended.
Guests were escorted through the Nijiriguchi to view the tokonoma. The scroll reads, “Mizu wo kikusureba tsuki te ni ari,” or Scoop water and …
Permanent link to this article: http://issoantea.com/tsukimi-chakai-at-issoan/
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/
There is a time in temae, the tea procedure, where the first guest asks the host to haiken the utensils. Haiken means to look closely with appreciation. The etiquette for haiken is to first say “osaki ni” to the next guest before placing the utensil in front of you. First, look at the overall shape …
Permanent link to this article: http://issoantea.com/how-to-haiken/
Reading the room is something stand up comics are intimately familiar with. The difference between killing it and dying out there are vastly different. Jokes that get the biggest laugh with one audience may fall flat with another. How to handle a heckler and make them a part of your act is an art form …
Permanent link to this article: http://issoantea.com/reading-the-room/
One of Rikyu’s rules is to lay the charcoal so that it boils the water. I will not be talking about the charcoal, today, but the boiling water.
There are no clocks in the tea room, the kama is one of your timing devices. Depending on how you lay the charcoal — farther apart, the …
Permanent link to this article: http://issoantea.com/sound-boiling-water/
