Emiko Adachi enrolled on the Executive Master of Change at a pivot in her life and career. Seeking guidance on where to head next, and how to get there, she went through a process of transformation and transition. Here is her story of change.
Japanese Tea Ceremony for Business Professionals: A Path Less Traveled to Self-Development ―A Systems Psychodynamic Perspective
Abstract
Although the Japanese tea ceremony is one of the cherished traditions of Japanese culture, its practitioners have been dwindling in number, particularly among working professionals. To examine the relevance of this ancient practice to this population segment, this research study explores the impact of the regular practice of the Japanese tea ceremony on the self-development journey of working professionals. One-on-one, semi-structured interviews were conducted to capture the interviewees’ perspectives on their practice of the Japanese tea ceremony and its impact on them. The findings revealed that the interviewees were initially drawn to the practice because they were frustrated by their inability to meet their core needs and felt estranged from their inner selves in their daily lives. The Japanese tea ceremony practice — through its well-thought-out core principles, rituals, artifacts, and social interactions — catered to the interviewees’ sense of belonging and fed their self-esteem, while inspiring them to be their best selves. While their interviewees’ learning and experiences took place at the conscious level, it was likely that the unconscious processes —underlying the cultivation of their mental focus and calmness in the tearoom, as well as the integration of their conscious and unconscious processes — facilitated their personal growth and the process of individuation. A promising outcome of this research study was the revelation that the interviewees carried over their transformation into their daily lives, therefore illuminating the potential of the Japanese tea ceremony practice for working professionals beyond the realm of the tearoom.
