Author Meet & Greet and Book Signing with Soryo Matsumura
May 13th (Wed) at 5:30pm at Kinokuniya New York
Join us as Soryo Matsumura visits Kinokuniya New York for a special Meet & Greet and book signing celebrating his new book, An Illustrated Guide to the Zen Tea Ceremony!
This book introduces the Japanese tea ceremony as a way to bring calm, mindfulness, and connection into everyday life. It explains the basic practices and shows how this tradition can reduce stress, encourage appreciation for small moments, and support a more balanced and thoughtful way of living.
*Please note book purchase is required to receive autograph
About the Author
Soryo Matsumura is an associate professor in the Urasenke school of tea, one of the three main Japanese tea schools. He is founder of the tea practice space Shuhally, where he holds tea ceremony classes with a contemporary slant. He has an MBA from the University of Wales. While traveling abroad as a student, he realized how little he knew about his own culture, and on returning to Japan, he began studying the way of tea. Guided by his philosophy that "tea should be more free, more joyful," he hosts tea gatherings across Japan and internationally.
Synopsis
This richly illustrated book by tea master Soryo Matsumura shows you how to use the ancient Japanese tea ceremony to reduce stress and live a more enriching life. It is written for complete novices and explains all aspects of the tea ceremony with a focus on three major themes:
How to perform the tea ceremony both at home and in more formal gatherings
The stress reduction benefits this ritual provides, helping you to appreciate the little things in life
How the tea ceremony helps to connect us with others, transcending age, gender and creed
As well as showing you all the basics—how to sit, what to wear and how to follow the etiquette of tea preparation, drinking and conversation—Matsumura explains in a warm and friendly tone how this meditative practice has wider benefits. He encourages you to reflect on the importance of things like:
Keeping your surroundings clean and organized
Setting appropriate boundaries in personal relationships
Increasing your self-esteem and communicating well