Tag: students

Storied objects

It is exciting to have new students develop a passion for tea.  I have some new students who are so enthusiastic that they have been coming twice a week to keiko.  One of them has a site, Storied Objects, that features artisan handcrafted ware with an aesthetic that appeals to many tea folk.  She is …

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Shoshin, the beginner’s heart

After a long hiatus for Covid, I opened the tearoom last spring.  I did not teach any beginner classes for 2 and a half years while the tearoom was closed.  There were about 20 people on the waiting list and when I opened the new introduction to Chado class, it filled quickly.  Then I …

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Tea Reflection

Guest Post by Andrew Nguy.  Andrew was in China on a Fulbright scholarship when Covid broke out. Andrew studied with me online through the Covid pandemic. He is now off to Yale for East Asian graduate studies.

One wintry morning as I roamed the halls of a temple in China’s historical southern capital, I received …

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Kids and the way of tea

I recently presented chanoyu to a group of third graders, that is 8 and 9 year olds at their classroom in Portland.  I had them pretend that they were Japanese students and they all stood up and said “Ohaiyo gozimasu, sensei” to their teacher, and they were very attentive and nearly silent during the 30 …

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Beginner’s heart

One line of the kotoba reads: As we diligently learn the Way, we shall not forget the humble but eager heart of the beginner.  To many of us who have been studying the Way of tea for a number of years, it is easy to forget what it is like to be a beginner. It …

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