Founded on the adoration of the exquisite among the sordid facts of everyday existence, the art of tea inculcates purity and harmony, the mystery of mutual charity and the romanticism of the social order giving birth to a philosophy of being we call Teaism. Grandmaster Kakuzo was the first person have coined the word. In a post pandemic world, a huge wave of wellness consciousness will promote teaism as a way of life for the promotion of physical, mental and spiritual wellness. Teaism is thus becoming a new culture among the youth that seeks physical, psychological and aesthetic value of things in the new normal.
The fundamentals of Teaism is based on the philosophy and science of tea on human wellness. It’s nothing surprising why Zen monks have been prescribing tea for mindfulness since its discovery. And though humans have valued tea for a long time, never before there was such thing as philosophy of Tea in the past. In modern times when health has become a top priority it has given birth to a new way of balanced living attained by practicing the philosophy of tea known as Teaism. Like Taoism, Buddhism and Zen, Teaism promotes inner exploration and an inner journey to the discovery of the self. Teaism seeks to find the answer to the existential question: “Who am I?” and this inward exploration or “inner engineering” that leads to the attainment of balance between nature and humans is the goal of Teaism.
Kakuzo quotes:
“The philosophy of Tea is not mere aestheticism in the ordinary acceptance of the term, for it expresses conjointly with the ethics and religion our whole point of view about man and nature. It is hygiene, for it enforces cleanliness; it is economics, for it shows comfort in simplicity rather than in the complex and costly; it is moral geometry, in as much as it defines our sense of proportion to the universe.”
The philosophy of Teaism seems to have the spirit of socialism -as Tea knows no class- and Teaism can be practiced by most anyone. From the emperor to the peasants; poured in elegant china cup or poured in simple wooden cup; no matter where it is, what is in it, or whom it is for, it is still tea. Teaism is a way of life where class does not exist and only beauty remains. It teaches you to see and appreciate wonderful things in life when you are constantly stressed out and rushing around. It is also like a medicine that calms your mind and soul filling you up with the knowledge that you are a whole being and a beautiful creation.
Teaism seems to have Taoist and Zen impressions since it teaches balance. one can say that teaism teaches the art of life. Kakuzo writes: “The man with no tea in him, when he is insusceptible to the serio-comic interests of the personal drama. Again we stigmatize the untamed aesthete who, regardless of the mundane tragedy, runs riot in the springtide of emancipated emotions as one ‘with too much tea in him’.”
The philosophy of tea makes you aware of your own emotions, and appreciate the beautiful and wonderful, and makes you aware of overreactions of your emotions. Teaism teaches equanimity and can provide you ways to explore other possible dimensions of existence. Teaism is a scientific philosophy and a spiritual practice at the same time. Teaism takes small thing of existence like Tea and uses such a simple thing to preach all of these important messages of human possibilities. It also shows you the power in simplicity and encourages humility.
There really is something special about tea. Another quote from the book elaborates on this;
“It has not the arrogance of wine, the self-consciousness of coffee, nor the simpering innocence of cocoa. There is a subtle charm in the taste of tea which makes it irresistible and capable of idealization.”
Teaism has not the arrogance of religions, the self consciousness of philosophy nor the simpering innocence of spirituality. Teaism is balanced and total. One can say that teaism is like scientific Taoism. It does everything to guide you in attainment of that balanced living or the “Dao” by turning you inward.
I can imagine if you may be wondering, ‘how can you really find all this meaning in a simple cup of hot water?’ But that in its self is the whole point of Teaism; to find everything in nothing, to find great beauty and wonder in something as plain and simple as…Tea.
Serious李2020
