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We can use the Zen phase, "Ichi-go ichi-e" meaning "one time, one meeting".

 

This is a special terminology to remind us of the uniqueness of the present juncture and that our lives are ever changing and always impermanent. In the tea ceremony, you drink your tea with complete awareness and appreciation of the now moment, to live this point of time with a full and open heart.

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The tea ceremony is altogether a nourishing practice that can bring us a sense of tranquillity and assist us to harvest a sense of indebtedness.

The tea meditation aids us in the instant of preparing and drinking the tea with deep mindfulness and gratitude.

 

The metaphor of the Water-rose

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The metaphor of the Latvian Water-rose aligns itself with this notion of mindfulness, for as the delicate plant grows, so too our spiritual consciousness can grow. The Water-rose, seen here as the ever- changing flower as it constantly grows in order to reach out for the light, so too we open ourselves to greater mindfulness. The opening of the tulip flower is the conceptual reminder of our ability to open up to this spiritual enlightenment.

 

In drinking this tea, our meditation in the tea ceremony has the process of leading us to awaken our spiritual consciousness. We realize that meditation is an essential part of our spiritual growth and development for one considers as the best tool to help us achieve mental growth. Life offers us countless opportunities for our mind-sets to flourish. The spiritual unfolding transformation (as the Metaphor suggests) influences our responses to the different challenges in our lives.

 

For this reason, it is therefore important to regularly pause and meditate as we drink this tea, to exercise ourselves in this "mind gym" and to find SATORI (enlightenment, awakening) in the midst of our daily activities.

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