Meeting the Monsters Calmly

Today’s tea time was playful — an ippuku of matcha paired with Tokaragashi’s “Monster Wagashi,” a luxurious mochi filled with purple potato (taro) and covered in lightly roasted pistachio.

Sweet. Nutty. Unexpected.

It made me think about the monsters in our own lives.

Some are real. Some imagined. Some simply unfamiliar.

Chado teaches us that every encounter happens only once — and how we meet it matters. We can tense up. Or we can soften.

With a bowl of matcha in hand, even a “monster” becomes something to examine calmly. Something to taste fully. Something to experience without fear.

Every unique moment is worth savoring.

I hope this tea time inspires peace and fulfillment in yours.