During my participation in the tea sommelier program through the Tea and Herbal association of Canada, I became aware of a thought-provoking phrase, Ichi-go ichi-e (一期一会)
We discussed this phrase during one of our lessons on the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. This phrase is typically translated “one time, one meeting.” The term can be traced back to the 16th century to an expression by tea master Sen no Rikyū and if refers to giving respect to your host as though it were a meeting that could occur only once in the lifetime.
Ichi-go ichi-e teaches us to think differently and serves as a reminder that each encounter is unique even though the elements are familiar.
Savor every moment as if it will never be recreated, Ichi-go ichi-e.
