Time stands still

I have been reviewing the early entries of this blog, some were written more than eight years ago. I am surprised at how they have held up and the entries are as relevant today as they were when they were written years ago. 

I  have also been looking at the blog statistics.  Some of these posts have not gotten a lot of traffic, and I'd like to highlight them for readers who have not read them before.  If you have been reading from the start, here they are again, like old friends. 

Please try to stay cool this summer enjoy your holidays and enjoy this cooling image of the tsukubai in the summer


Shoshin, the beginner's heart

How can I cherish this moment?

Appreciation, the forgotten art

No trivial acts

Temae

In search of authenticity

Living with ambiguity and no right answers

From the archives

I was reading through the blog and checking the stats.  There are a few posts that I think deserve more visibility, so here are a few from the archives:

Six years ago:

The nature of things
There are no shortcuts
Order from chaos
Straight shooting
On receiving teaching
Observing vs. doing

Five years ago:
In the winter suggest warmth
Chado, a way of life
Reduce, recycle, reuse, and repair
Pay attention to what you are doing

Four years ago: 
Knowing contentment
What do you love?
Before Rikyu
Just put the flowers in

Three years ago:
Starting over
There is more to life
The power of commitment
Expert Tea Master

Two years ago:
Telling stories
Furyu
Upon entering the tearoom
Paradox that is the way of tea

One year ago:
Gomei discussion
The true way of tea
Paring back to the essential
Disaster in the tea room

Whew, that is a lot of links.  I also posted some links for the discussion in the comments.   Take your time.  Even browse a little more in the archives.   Coming up in May is the seventh anniversary of the blog and also coming up soon, 500th post.  I will have to think of something special.

From the archives

I have been going back through the archives and hope you will want to review some of the articles there; too.  I cannot believe it has been 6 years of blogging, either.

1 year ago
Tis the Season

2 years ago
Month of Teachers Running

3 years ago
The season for Udon

Trust the process

4 years ago
Back to the Beginning

Senke Jusshoku, ten craft families

5 years ago
Do, Gaku, Jistu revisited

Okeiko, considering the past

25 things chado, the way of tea has taught me

6 years ago
The sounds of the tea room

The language of kimono

Japanese for the tea room

The samurai and the tea master

From the Archives

Last month was a very busy month with demonstrations, new classes, workshops and other things going.on.  You will hear about them in later posts but for now, here is my inspiration for a tea sweet I made.  It is a tsubaki (camellia) from my yard.  Picture of the tea sweet appears at the end of this post.

 It is hard to believe that I started this blog 5 years ago this month.  I was going back through the archives and I think there are some posts that haven't been seen if you have just joined recently.   One of these days I will organize everything and publish it in a more coherent manner.  In the meantime try looking at these:

1 year ago  Appropriate dress

2 years ago It's the water -- and a lot more

3 years ago: Where do things go in the mizuya?

4 years ago: Acquiring tea utensils part 2 for those curious here is part 1

5 years ago: Tea ceremony planning

If you are interested, please browse the rest of the archives.  There may be something you might find interesting.

From the archives

Today is my 400th post and to celebrate, (ha) I went back to read all the entries from the beginning. I am linking to some of my favorite posts, in no particular order.   What is your favorite post on the site?

Guest ettiquette for chakai

Hataraki - working things out

Thoughts on gomei or poetic names
 
Do Gaku Jitsu

The season for udon

Its not about perfection

Dogu, more tea stuff

Sitting seiza is not comfortable

Easy Daifukumochi tea sweet recipe

Just say "hai"

Basically anything that I wrote with the phrase "sensei says"

In memory of Minako sensei


Take a left before you get to the Buddha


The host revealed

The danger of cutting flowers

Wagashi for foodies

 The power of committment

Expert Tea Master

From the archives

I  can't believe that it has been four years of blogging.   I just went back to review some old posts.
I hope you enjoy these:

1 year ago:  The right way  The heart of tea and After a tea gathering

2 years ago:  It's not my fault  Slow down  Breaking bad habits and Pay attention to what you are doing

3 years ago:  Time for reflection  The physicality of tea practice

4 years ago:  Sitting seiza, the bane of tea students  The ritual of tea ceremony class  and The seven rules of Rikyu

Go ahead, explore the rest of the blog.

From the archives

I have been blogging Chado for more than three years.  There are more than 280 posts on the blog. I thought it might be fun to review some of the posts in the archive:

One year ago:  Mizuya work,   Ichigo ichie revisited

Two years ago: Leaving no trace,  Who is the best teacher,  The art of tea 
Three years ago: The haiku recordings


We will be coming up on 300 posts sometime in the next week.  I plan to offer another contest with prizes for this milestone.  Please stay tuned.