What do martial arts, yoga and the traditional Japanese tea ceremony have in common? They all involve ritual aimed at fostering self-discipline and tranquility.
The Seattle Japanese Garden, located in the Washington Park Arboretum at 1075 Lake Washington Blvd. E., will increase the number of its traditional tea (Chado) gatherings starting in late March.
Bonnie Mitchell, Seattle branch director of the Urasenke Foundation, and a Japanese advisory group have both discovered a growing interest in Seattle not only in Japanese culture but in the traditional tea ceremony.
"This was initiated by the Japanese Garden advisory council," Mitchell said. "We responded by making it more available to people."
The Urasenke Foundation, which sponsors the event, will increase the number of tea gatherings at the arboretum from about 40 given last year to more than 100 this summer.
The events take place during the spring and summer months because the unique Japanese garden is outdoors and much of the ceremony is conducted outside. "As many as 30 people come at a time," Mitchell said. "Weather is a factor."
THE RITUAL
Just as with martial arts and yoga, the tea gathering is extremely ritualistic. There are two roles in the ceremony: that of host and that of guest.
In addition, importance is placed on the surroundings. Seattle visitors will get to enjoy the garden's newly crafted Shoseian teahouse.
"The aesthetics of the tea ceremony were influenced by both East Asian philosophy and religion and especially Zen Buddism," Mitchell said. "[The tea gatherings] are very authentic."
The roles of host and guest generally stay the same but often may be reversed. According to Mitchell, "In order to be the host of a tea gathering, one has generally studied for many years, and likewise for those desiring the role of head guest."
The ceremony begins with the guests entering the tea room while the host builds a fire in the hearth. Fish and vegetables are served through a number of courses after this is accomplished.
After the guests have eaten, the host leads them outdoors for an intermission or recess, where the guests can admire the garden.
Next, the host prepares the room for serving the tea. After stoking the fire with more charcoal to boil water for tea, the host will prepare a pot of whipped green tea for each guest. The whipped green tea is a very frothy beverage made with a grounded tea-leaf powder and is the only preparation that is actually witnessed by the audience.
The ritual ends after guests consume the green tea. The goal is for the guest to have achieved a state of tranquility both in mind and body.
"What we find in the martial arts or in tea and many of these arts are the values of self-discipline, perseverance and effort, the values of reverence and respect, of creating harmonious relations with others," Mitchell said.
"In tea, we've identified four principles of harmony, respect and purity. When those three are practiced one is able to cultivate a serene and tranquil mind, so tranquility is the fourth value. The purpose of the tea gathering is...to carry [tranquility] over into your everyday life," she added.
AN HONORED GARDEN
In addition to the Chado presentations, people are drawn to these gatherings to experience a unique Japanese garden.
"There are more than 300 public Japanese gardens in North America," noted Karen Lightfeldt, special-events coordinator for Urasenke. "Of the 300, the Seattle Japanese Garden was ranked No. 6 in a survey done by The Roth Journal of Japanese Gardening."
The Journal noted that Seattle's Japanese Garden is "one of the finest Japanese gardens to be constructed outside Japan."
ea presentations are free with admission to the garden; optional tea/sweets tickets may be purchased at the ticket booth for $10. For more information or reservations, call 684-4725, or visit on-line, at www.urasenkeseattle.org.
