Drink Tea, Achieve Inner Peace at the Morikami Museum

​Does the holiday crunch have you hankering for a bit of inner calm?  Head to The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens tomorrow, December 4, for demonstrations of Sado: The Way of Tea.

The mere act of drinking a cup of tea takes time and forces one to slow down and be patient. As a child I learned about English tea from my English great-grandmother. Tea time was a special ritual that taught me patience (tea takes proper time to brew), respect (for my great-grandmother and treating her antique cups and saucers with care) and manners (letting my great-grandmother take a tea sandwich before I did).

So you might be thinking...That's all nice and sweet, but what's the big deal about a Japanese tea ceremony? Can't I enjoy a cup of tea at home and not deal with weekend traffic?

Well, think of sado, the Japanese tea ceremony, as theater, in which tea (powder tea) is carefully prepared with reverence by devoted artisans wearing traditional kimonos. The ceremony takes place in an authentic tea house and incorporates the principles of harmony (wa), reverence (kei), purity (sei), and tranquility (jaku). Included is a sample of green tea and a sweet treat. Tea items are available for purchase and if you're a shutterbug, photography (non-flash) is allowed during and after the tea ceremony. Afterwards, let the calm "steep in" by taking a walk around the stunning gardens at The Morikami Museum.

Experience Sado: The Way of Tea