Japanese Tea Ceremony.

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"If man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty." ~ Japanese Proverb.

The Japanese tea ceremony is a remnant of a quieter time.
The ceremony, or Cha-no-yu, meaning “hot water for tea”, is more than an elaborate ritual. It is an interlude in which one leads oneself for the moment to a spirit of beauty, quietude, and politeness toward others.

The ceremony may be practiced anywhere, at home or in a teahouse. Take it from a 'Gaijin', The Japanese tea ceremony is a ritual of quiet contemplation and appreciation - a serene thing of beauty.

There are 4 principles: harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility
(wa, kae, sae, jubuo)

• Harmony: with other people and with nature.
  
• Respect: a harmonious relationship with others.
• Purity: cleansing oneself through the five senses - hearing with the sound of water, sight with the beauty of the flowers, touch with the utensils, smell as we smell the bouquet of the flowers and the aroma of the tea, and taste when drinking the tea.
• Tranquility with ourselves, surroundings, people and nature