The four principles of Tea

One of the first things that I learned studying Japanese tea ceremony were the four principles of wa, kei, sei, jaku. These four principles infuse everything to do with tea ceremony and form the foundation for the spiritual in tea.

Wa – harmony 
Wa is the complete harmony of all elements: guests, utensils, nature and attitude.  

Kei – respect
Kei is a profound reverence toward all things, and is a characteristic of humility.

Sei – purity
Sei contains the thought of orderliness in life, cleanliness, and purity.

Jaku – tranquility
Jaku means calm even amid the chaos. To be able to create the sense of calm is jaku.