"The Book of Tea" Okakura Kakuzo neglected blog, meanwhile, has passed the period of Christmas and New Year. The first entry in this year's theme of sacrifice associated with minimalism or simplicity. I just read in the sacred "art of simplicity" Dominique Loreau, which, though addressed primarily to women, reading is a favorite of many minimalists. Review of the book posted last
Ajka Minimalistka on his blog. I think about minimalism, from time to time will be shown this year in my entries, though there will still rules, reviews of books and quite loose themes.
Often so happens that one book leads us on the trail of others. In the book, Ms. Dominique
I found a reference to "The Book of Tea" Okakura Kakuzo . And luck would have it, now the other day, quite accidentally fell into my hands! Paper is only a name, rather slim volume published by CIP in 1986, recently revived by the publication. Etude.
was written in the early twentieth century by a defender of traditional Japanese culture and art. According to the author tea can become a bridge connecting East agreement with the West. However, tea, tea ceremony and actually, there is only a starting point for reflections on philosophy, aesthetics, and art. Tea ceremony itself, although it is described step by step, even though the result did not learn how to properly prepare tea. Why? Because tea is not the most important thing in all this! The meeting combined with the contemplation of nature, a tea pavilion design, the ritual washing of hands, the specific architecture of the temple, theme talks, dresses - each element has its importance here. Great importance is the selection of materials and shapes everything that can be seen at the ceremony. Separate chapters devoted author, even the architecture and flowers!
not fail to mention history of tea, which Okakura Kakuzo presents in detail, since the tea boiled with various additions (thus survived in Tibet), through the tea brewed until slaughtered. Also discusses the relationship of philosophy and aesthetics, cites the legend about the old masters of Taoism and Zen, and was associated with the tea.
One might ask, what for us today, such rituals, lengthy, difficult and seemingly unnecessary. Tea ceremony itself is like a handshake ancient times, just as religious rituals that have survived the centuries. It is mute in the midst of noise, the suspension of the eye - and mind - on the Cases of beautiful, simple. Let us give a voice to the author:
"Drinking tea has become a source of cultural purity and refinement, a sacred act, during which the host and guests together to form with this age, the highest beauty. The grim futility of existence tea pavilion was an oasis, where the weary traveler could drink from a common source of love for the arts. The ceremony has become an impromptu drama osnutym around tea, flowers and paintings. " If I can ever take part in the ceremony (and shows are also held in Poland, in
Museum of Japanese Art and Technology in Krakow Manggha ), I'm sure I take the relationship:)
As it happened, I read recently, again and again I come across some very inspiring passages of possession, both in long-known authors and new for me. I hope that this modest selection of quotes do you like it. A novel itself "City of the Beast" Isabel Allende ? First time author so popuściła imagination (at least as far as I know its fiction), moving the reader through 15-year old American boy in the world of the semi-mythical, half-fairy. The legendary tribe of people from the Mists, shamans, El Dorado and bloodthirsty beasts, initiations, hallucinations, ghosts, totemic animals - at one point I had the impression that little lady Isabel exaggerated this time by focusing so many elements in just 270 pages:) But a good read, a little detective story with an unexpected ending. 
