There is a peaceful, mindful art to tea. The steeping and sipping experience is so very soothing, yet it revives your spirit. This philosophy is also expressed in Ikebana, the Japanese art of flowering arranging, which will be celebrated this month as part of the Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia.
In anticipation of the upcoming Ikebana workshop at the Morris Arboretum on April 10th, I visited an Ikebana demonstration at the Liberty Place Rotunda. I was intrigued to see how the tradition of the Japanese tea ceremony mirrored the tradition of flower arranging. Both connect you to nature through the tea leaf or surrounding flowers and plants.
The calm, creative process allows you to share beauty with others in a thoughtful manner. Expressing a quiet grace, this art form celebrates the visual delight of every season, using branches and leaves in the fall and flowering blooms in spring and summer. Instead of carelessly dropping flowers into a vase, Ikebana arrangements are equipped with Kenzans, a strong base of brass needles that allow you to secure the bits of nature in any direction that you wish.
While I carefully mix my matcha and steamed water with a bamboo whisk, my mind is drifting to floral art. It might be time to take a Ikebana class and embrace another peaceful tradition.
Stay tuned as teaspoons & petals explores the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts through May 1st. This post is supported by PIFA and reflects my honest thoughts and opinions. Twitter: @PIFAPhilly Facebook: www.facebook.com/PIFA.Philly
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