The Way of the Gong™

Today's post goes along with my last post, Chado, The Way of Tea.  We live in a global culture that is all about instant gratification. We have instant food, instant communication, and the media likes to portray that we can have instant fame, and even fortune. All the young kids have been lead to think they can get on some sort of TV show or media contest and be discovered . They can become instant stars without putting in any work. If you've tried to master something—like sports, music, art, or even coding or video gaming—then you know it takes much more than wishful thinking and halfhearted effort to achieve your goals.  It takes work. It takes devotion.  Devotion. The path of devotion is a rocky one. But any obstacles we come across and get by help make us better for it.  Devotion can be defined as a profound dedication . That means that whether it's sunny or rainy, hot or cold, early or late, near or far, that we do the work and not just talk about ...

Playing the Gong has much in common with the Japanese art of tea. While many of us are used to just grabbing a coffee from Starbucks, to the Japanese, tea is an all encompassing experience. Tea is much more than the drink itself, it is the preparation, the setting, the atmosphere. Anyone can make a cup of tea, but to carefully think about making a cup of tea and be mindfully involved in the making, that is an altogether different experience. “Chado 茶道, the Way of Tea, is the practice of preparing, serving, and drinking Tea. Since the 15th century, it has been a study in preparing a bowl of powdered green tea (matcha 抹茶) as well as incorporating many of the arts of Japan. This elegant yet simple practice reflects the philosophy of the four principles of Tea: Harmony (Wa 和),  Respect (Kei 敬),  Purity (Sei 清), and  Tranquility (Jaku 寂).” – From  Chado: The Way of the Tea  by Wakai Dokokai In the same sense, I find and emphasize great importance i...