Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Learning About Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony


Sally and I were invited to Marilyn's house to participate in a Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony. Marilyn meets with a group of friends once a month for this tea ceremony. Guests are always welcome. How honored Sally and I felt to be invited to attend along with several other guests.


Jan spent time with us before the ceremony, showing us tea-ware that is used for the Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony and explaining how the process works.


Jan even had hand-outs and brochures! She was a great teacher!


The tea ware included a gongfu tea pot, a bowl or pitcher, four small cups, a tray, a thermos, a dishcloth, four individual coasters, a timer, and appropriate wrappings and totes.


Linda came all the way from Kentucky to enjoy the experience with us!


I enjoyed the different styles and designs of gong-fu tea sets. Although a specific type of tea service is used for the Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony, there is latitude for self-expression in design and pattern of tea-ware used.


Dewey also instructed us on Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony, concentrating on techniques and etiquette. Both Jan and Dewey have made many trips to Taiwan where they learned about this tea ceremony from a wise tea master.


Here Dewey demonstrates cup placement and how to bow in respect to the person she has served.


Dewey and the other group members were kind and gentle, helping us learn the Wu-Wo technique in an instructive manner that made us feel welcome and comfortable.

Please stop by again. In my next post I will be writing about the mechanics of Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony.



9 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:49 AM

    I have enjoyed learning more about Wu-Wu. Just the layout of the tea ceremony utensils themselves have a very serene and ordered appearance. Very relaxing.

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  2. So lovely to hear about how tea is celebrated around the world. Looks like it was a wonderful demonstration and a great day. Just sitting in that green grass would have been the icing on the cake for me. :) Happy August, Tammy

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  3. My friend's daughter-in-law is Japanese. They attended a tea ceremony where my poor nervous friend giggled throughout. Her daughter-in-law said that she'd not be attending any more tea ceremonies in my friend's company. I worry that I would behave the same way...looks like a fun and educational tea. Was the tea hot by the time you received it and were able to drink it?

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  4. Perhaps I should say, "allowed" to drink it...

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  5. I'm so glad that you were able to participate in this!

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  6. This was a fun day. I enjoyed participateing in the Wu-Wo tea ceremony I had heard about from Marilyn and Stephanie.

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  7. It was wonderful to be able to share tea with you in the tradition of Wu-Wo. It is such a peaceful ceremony and one that allows for less rigidity than some ceremonies. Thanks for driving all the way to Portland to share tea in my backyard.

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  8. Thank you for coming and sharing yourselves with us. I love doing Wu Wo because it is all about community, nature, and being present with the tea. I think the word "ceremony" makes one think it is very structured, and although there is structure to it, it is also about the acceptance of differences. In the end, the only thing that matters is that you brew, drink, and enjoy tea however it manifests.

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  9. A very enlightening post about the Wu-Wo tea ceremony, and I look forward to your next post. How would one obtain one of those brochures and hand-outs?

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Thank you for commenting on my blog post. I am always happy to hear from blog readers. Your words encourage and inspire me. I am glad you stopped by to share conversation, recipes, ideas, and thoughts on creating a welcoming home.