| Michael Ricci was weeding the Tea House garden | | | | themselves because inside the tea room everybody |
| when I arrived for our interview. We sat in front of | | | | is the same." Nowadays, he says, we take off our |
| the little tea "hut" at Buddhist-inspired Naropa | | | | rings, jewelry and watches. "Anything that says 'This |
| University in Boulder, Colorado where in just one hour | | | | is Me,' or that takes us outside of the tearoom. Tea |
| I would scoot through the tiny doorway on my | | | | Ceremony is a timeless realm in a bottle."The |
| knees to participate in my first Japanese Tea | | | | ceremony is an expression of harmony, respect, |
| Ceremony along with his students and other | | | | purity, and tranquility through each deeply symbolic |
| newcomers.Michael found the Tea Ceremony (Chado) | | | | gesture--a graceful choreography between host and |
| through Japanese Zen Buddhism. "I started reading | | | | guest.Koicha is abowl of 'thick tea,' made with a lot |
| about Zen and I kept coming across references to | | | | of Matcha (powdered green tea) and less hot water. |
| tea. I called up Naropa and they happened to be | | | | One bowl is shared between all 3 to 5 guests. The |
| offering their first class on it through the extended | | | | host serves the tea to 'First Guest,' (who is not a |
| studies program. There was one position left. I came | | | | beginner and can model tea etiquette). First Guest |
| and immediately fell in love with it." He adds, "It | | | | bows to Second Guest and says in Japanese "Excuse |
| seemed like the perfect way to understand more | | | | me for taking my tea before you." Second Guest |
| about Zen and start doing something contemplative | | | | bows, too. First Guest drinks their share, turns and |
| alongside my meditation. It was a spiritual path that | | | | wipes the bowl's edge in a specific way with a paper |
| made sense to me.""Everything the Japanese do | | | | napkin, and then passes it to Second Guest. Michael |
| turns into an art, and that's the way they treat tea. | | | | says, " Koicha is the most intimate part of the |
| Keeping the tradition alive is serious, and the rules are | | | | gathering, sharing the bowl like that." An initiation of |
| very important to them. The Japanese Tea | | | | sorts, I thought.'Thin Tea,' Usucha , is more water |
| Ceremony incorporates almost all of the traditional | | | | and less tea, but only about three and a half sips. "It's |
| Japanese arts--flower arranging, calligraphy, | | | | just enough to quench your thirst. It's powder and it's |
| laquerware, ceramics, bamboo, wood. I'm an artist so | | | | not steeped. It is whisked," Michael explains. " During |
| I just fell in love with all of it."Michael spent two years | | | | 'Thin Tea' the host makes each guest a bowl of tea |
| studying Tea with Hobart Bell, head of the Boulder | | | | from the same bowl. They each take turns first |
| Zen Center before being accepted to study at | | | | eating their sweet then drinking the tea." First Guest |
| Urasenke Headquarters in Kyoto under the guidance | | | | receives the bowl of tea, drinks it, passes it back to |
| of 15th Generation Grand Tea Master of the | | | | the host who wipes it, cleans it, and gives the next |
| Urasenke lineage of tea, which is the largest | | | | guest their bowl of tea in that same bowl. A watery |
| practicing tea lineage in the world. Here he was | | | | sweet made of bean paste was served to refresh |
| immersed in traditional Japanese culture and etiquette, | | | | us that summer day.Soon each guest in turn |
| learning all facets of Japanese Tea. But he had only | | | | examined the utensils--scoop, bowl and whisk--and |
| scratched the surface after one year of study, so he | | | | inspected the bright green valley in the bowl from |
| stayed another year and a half. After that, he says, | | | | which a portion of Matcha had been skillfully scooped |
| "I moved into a Zen Buddhist temple and trained | | | | by the host when the tea was prepared. As the host |
| alongside the monks. I didn't take vows, but I lived | | | | retreated to the tiny kitchen, the conversation |
| the life of a monk for 6 months."It is from this | | | | between guests turned to appreciation of the warm |
| humble state of mind that Michael shares his | | | | weather, the tea, the teahouse. My body tingled with |
| knowledge through his tea classes and his art."There | | | | a feeling of wellbeing. Was it the L-theanine in the |
| are two ways to enjoy tea between host and guest. | | | | green tea? Or a result of paying close attention to |
| The first, Chaji, is a formal several-course meal that | | | | every movement?My mind arrived at stillness, like tea |
| can last four to five hours. The abbreviated version, | | | | leaves settling on the bottom of a cup.*****Michael |
| called Chakai, is simply a sweet and a bowl of | | | | Ricci is a tea practitioner who teaches the Japanese |
| tea."Michael was teaching the day I was there, so | | | | Tea Ceremony and its related arts and cultural |
| each of his students performed the short version tea | | | | influences. He studied the art and craft of making tea |
| ceremony one by one over four hours' time.There | | | | utensils in the traditional Japanese pottery style called |
| are no distractions inside the teahouse. Michael | | | | Raku, invented in Japan over 400 years ago |
| explains, "You're sitting on your knees in a very small | | | | specifically for the tea ceremony. He makes tea |
| room for 4 hours in a very intimate atmosphere. The | | | | utensils from clay, bamboo and wood, which you can |
| dialogue is stripped down. Everything is designed to | | | | see during one of his classes or special event tea |
| keep focus on the moment and to completely forget | | | | ceremonies. He has lectured and held demonstrations |
| about the world outside of the teahouse.""The little | | | | at pottery studios, universities and art organizations |
| door, called nijiriguchi , was designed for everybody | | | | along the Front Range in Colorado, USA. Contact |
| to bow their heads as they enter the tea room. | | | | Michael at (970) 530-0436.copyright 2005 Terry |
| Shoguns and Samari might be sitting next to | | | | CalamitoFreelance writer and tea promoter Terry |
| peasants. They would have to take off their swords | | | | Calamito publishes the free weekly ezine Start |
| and leave them outside, bow their heads and humble | | | | Sipping. |