一杯禅 A cup of zen´s life

A cup of zen´s life for 5 minutes by the main entrance of The Stockholm City Terminal:

Life lesson: "I really need a better camera ..."

... for chadao ...黄琼丝 /Celina Huang

Photo: En Kopp Zen Teahouse

秋叶茶道 The longing for the japanese autumn tea ceremony

Soon it´s time to be with my dear lady master in japanese tea ceremony, Eiko Duke Soei Sensei. As I look forward to our next encounter this Friday and Saturday, I think about how wonderful she is ... such a sweet lady.

Our encounters are precious to me - which contains of lessons in japanese tea ceremony, wonderful conversation with her in between lessons, which is really great knowing a bit of  each other, and each others language and culture ... and what greater way of knowing japanese language and culture than doing it with a great lady from one of the oldest japanese tea ceremony world of Japan. I feel lucky.

On my last visit, she showed me a beautiful portable tea box, which is even for seasonal japanese tea ceremonies. As I look at outside the window now, I knew that one of my favorite if ever would be the autumn tea ceremony, when leaves turn to yellow, red and orange to announce the season.

I long to the day when I can perform this seasonal tea ceremony, when spreading those autumn colored leaves on the passage, roof and entrance of the teahouse is a part of the ceremony, as described in the book of Chanuyo of Ida Trotzig, just because they are such a natural beauty to look at.

.... and that´s why I deliberately leave them on the ground, even near our entrance door, even if it means extra sweeping indoor of those that happens to be blown in whenever one enters the house. They give such happiness to look at and walk on during autumn, which I think gives much strength enough through the winter later.

Anyway it is still a great travel for me, before I could be formally allowed to practice the autumn tea ceremony, but as the old teaching says - the journey towards our goal is as rewarding as the goal itself, and so I enjoy my time with my japanese lady teacher Soei Sensei, a wonderful Lady Tea Master I admire very much ... and so I enjoy the beautiful autumn every year like in the following pictures below ...

... for chadao ...

黄琼丝 /Celina Huang
Photo: En Kopp Zen Teahouse

Autumn in Upplands Bro, Stockholm 

Autumn in the pond created by the Säbyholm Private School in Upplands Bro, Stockholm

茶叙会TeaTime Talk: Making everyday a joy and harmony

I woke up this morning immediately thinking of the things to be done for the teahouse, which I´m mostly occupied with these days. And since these things need my logical head, so this is probably why I´m a bit slow on my blog which needs a more creative mind apparently. This is the time when I wish I have two heads.

Anyway, this is as I have said the Da Hong Pao I am enjoying lately. I failed to take a good picture of their beautiful brewed leaves the last time, so here it is, this is how they look like brewed and unwrapped from their own embrace. Very beautiful.

And althought I do enjoy many other kind of music, but when working for the teahouse, drinking tea for energy and positive thinkings, preparing east asian menus, which of course turn into getting homesick and start looking at pictures to promise me my next visit to east asian countries, I thought it´s great with chinese music or japanese taiko in the background, but specially with my teenage kids, born partly european and scandinavian in culture, I could actually  hear another song in the background, but well, who cares, when it´s as great as these girls, Molly Petterson Hammar and Moa Lignell.

And besides, as mother checking what my kids are up to, like watching the swedish Idol, I think this program is great giving kids some challenge with their interest and talent. And I think Idol in Sweden has got much much better since I last saw this program with my kids two or three years ago. Judges are now encouraging these young contestants with good manner and right conduct, humility despite their talent, and true friendliness and sportmanship among them, where you could really see these kids admirably giving each other moral support backstage despite contesting for one prize only.

Anyway what do I do in times like this when I´m drinking green tea and my kids are in the mood for music of another theme? I enjoy the moment of course. How? Thanks to the east asian way of unstressing oneself I was born to perhaps. We have learned to be receptive to every situation given to us, no matter how. And unexpected or unfamiliar sounds suddenly sound harmonious to our ears. Kids stuffs, giggles or cry suddenly become a happy part of our everyday too, and old traditions looks or feel great even in the very advanced world we have today.

Try how we do it sometime: Don´t block things, no matter how unfamiliar or unsuitable you might think a situation, sound or sight is at the moment. Accept it. Welcome it to your ears if its a sound, to your eyes if its a sight or be content of it if it´s a sittuation. Try it and you´ll see - everyday is a harmony and tea is a joy no matter how and everyone you love is a part of the joy.

和气致祥!

for chadao ...

黄琼丝 /Celina Huang

Photo: En Kopp Zen Teahouse

飲茶:鸵蛋 Ostrich egg for tea refreshment, anyone?

Naomi ( right ) and Le Ly ( left ) attacking an ostrich egg

Yes, despites all leaves turning beautifully into red and gold, and all steps subsiding into easy ones, weather starts turning colder and colder too, so that it really feels so good with tea like I said, and really warm delicious food. And speaking of warm energetic food - it reminds me of one unusual food we have tasted before: Ostrich egg!!

Anyone tasted it too sometime? They´re good, but shouldn´t be cooked more than necessary to get them taste really juicy and delicious, which I thought then is very good with green tea. And mind you, one ostrich egg could serve up to 8 people, but look at Naomi and Le Ly with it all by themselves when they were little. Should I wonder where did they get that big appetite from?

Lovely autumn everyone!

Säbyholm Private School

... for Chadao ...

黄琼丝 /Celina Huang

Photo: En Kopp Zen Teahouse