When people hear the word matcha,
they often think of a trendy green latte or a superfood packed with antioxidants.
But for me, matcha became something much deeper.
It became a doorway into stillness.
Matcha Was Never Just a Drink
Historically, matcha was not consumed casually.
Zen monks drank it before long hours of meditation to remain awake yet calm.
Samurai drank it to steady their minds before decisive moments.
Matcha supported a state of relaxed alertness—
a balance between focus and calm that modern life often lacks.
I didn’t understand this at first.
I simply heard that matcha helped meditation,
so I tried drinking it before my own mindfulness practice.
What happened surprised me.
A Quiet Shift from Thinking to Presence
As I prepared matcha each day—
measuring the powder, warming the bowl, whisking slowly—
my mind naturally became quieter.
I wasn’t trying to meditate.
I wasn’t forcing awareness.
The body led.
The senses followed.
And thinking softened on its own.
Modern neuroscience often describes this as a shift
from left-brain dominance (analysis, judgment, planning)
to right-brain awareness (sensation, intuition, presence).
Zen has pointed to this state for centuries.
The Samurai Mindset in Everyday Life
Samurai were not defined by aggression,
but by composure under pressure.
Their strength came from mushin—
a state of no-mind, where action arises naturally without hesitation.
In today’s world, we may not carry swords.
But we face constant decisions, stress, and mental noise.
The modern samurai mindset is not about force.
It is about clarity.
And sometimes, clarity begins with something very small.
Like a bowl of matcha.
Why I Wrote Matcha Moments
This experience eventually became the foundation of my first book,
Matcha Moments: Recipes for Modern Wellness and Reflections on Zen and the Samurai Spirit.
The book explores:
- The health benefits of matcha and Japanese green tea
- Modern, approachable matcha recipes
- Zen and mindfulness through everyday rituals
- The samurai mindset and calm focus
- Ryokucha (everyday green tea) as quiet wellness
It is not a book about perfection.
It is a book about presence.
You don’t need a tearoom.
You don’t need hours of meditation.
Sometimes, ten quiet minutes with a bowl of tea is enough.
A Small Ritual, A Different Way of Living
Matcha taught me that wellness does not always come from doing more.
Sometimes, it comes from doing less—more fully.
If this resonates with you,
I hope you’ll follow along here on Matcha Moments.
This blog is where I’ll share reflections, recipes,
and the quiet philosophy behind modern Japanese wellness.
One bowl at a time.
— Rie
Author note
This article is part of Matcha Moments, a modern exploration of matcha, Zen,
and the Samurai mind in everyday life.
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