A Tea Moment Beneath My Teacher’s Scroll: Learning From「三冬枯木花」

Today’s tea practice carried a special stillness. As I sat with a bowl of green tea, my eyes rested on my teacher’s hanging scroll—
「三冬枯木花」(Sanfuyu kare kobana)

This phrase teaches that even in the deepest winter, the flowers are quietly preparing to bloom. Though the branches appear lifeless, new life is forming where we cannot see.

🌿 The Role of the Scroll in Japanese Tea Ceremony

In the tea ceremony, the hanging scroll—or 掛け軸 (kakejiku)—is the emotional and spiritual anchor of the room. It’s the first thing guests see upon entering the tea space. The scroll sets the theme, the intention, and the atmosphere of the gathering.

It’s chosen with care.
It’s read with the heart.
It’s meant to guide you.

Today, the message was unmistakable:
Winter is not failure.
Winter is quiet preparation.
Your spring is already on its way.

Wherever you are in your journey—resting, rebuilding, blooming—may your tea moments remind you to trust the cycle, honor your pace, and keep faith in your becoming.

🌱

#japanesetea #teaceremony #matchamoment #seasonofgrowth #slowliving #teaismeditation #mindfullife #FloweringWaters #FloweringWatersTea #茶道 #掛け軸 #抹茶時間 #和の心 #一期一会 #心静かに #癒し時間