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