Enter the Clearing the Mind Abode

Season 1, Episode 4

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W&L at Home

Enter the Clearing the Mind Abode

A Taste of Tea with Janet Ikeda

The professor of Japanese sheds light on the importance of Japanese tea culture and how this peaceful yet precise process can prepare students (and just about anyone) for the next step in their lives. A fresh cup of tea is suggested to accompany this podcast!
Recorded July 2, 2020
Aired August 4, 2020

“Translation is always a work in progress, and that’s a lesson in life, I think. Constant change, nothing is set in stone. And I realize that students are looking for the permanent…. The best thing I’m trying to convey in my classes by talking about translation or reading a work of literature set in a different time or place, is how to deal with change, interpretation and uncertainty and to see the beauty in all of it.”
Janet Ikeda
Associate Professor of Japanese

W&L at Home

The Way of Tea at W&L

The Senshin'an Tea Room serves as a classroom laboratory for the study of Chanoyu.

Photo of a teacher and The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon
Photo of Janet's high school French teacher, who started a Japanese language program, in her office along with the book she gave her - The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon.
A photo of a tea container with a poem
Tea container with poem by 16th-century tea master, Rikyu: When you enter the Way, you are your own best teacher.
Photo of Ruth Candler at in a tea ceremony in the Senshin'an Tea Room
Podcast host Ruth Candler at a tea ceremony in the Senshin'an Tea Room.
Photo of a Japanese scroll reading “sessa takuma,” which means cutting, chipping, grinding, and polishing
Japanese scroll reading “sessa takuma,” which means cutting, chipping, grinding, and polishing. Rose of Sharon in vase by Phil Rogers (donated by Hal and Barbra Higginbotham).
Photo of Janet Ikeda, Ruth Candler, and Jim Goodwin in the Tea Room
Janet (foreground), Ruth (middle), and podcast technical producer Jim Goodwin in the Tea Room to record the episode.
Photo of a tea container and lid rest with bamboo design
Tea container and lid rest with bamboo design; we talked about the concept of “sunao” – to be resilient, able to bend but not snap in two.
Photo of summer tea bowls
Our podcast was recorded in June, so Janet set out summer tea bowls.

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