A Weekend of Fragrance, Stillness, & Awakening
The Village Tea Hut • Newport Beach, CA • Nov 14-16, 2025
"In tea, we taste impermanence.
In incense, we breathe it."
To everyone who joined us this weekend at The Village Tea Hut in Newport Beach, thank you. What we experienced together over these three days was nothing less than extraordinary, a weaving of tea, fragrance, story, and presence that will stay with us for a very long time.
We gathered not merely to burn incense or sip tea, but to listen, to feel, and to awaken that quiet inner place where clarity, beauty, and meaning permeate every breath. Each ceremony carried its own spirit, its own teaching, and each of you brought the openness that allowed these traditions to come alive.
Part I
The Incense Journey™
Our weekend began with The Incense Journey™, a contemplative progression through Borneol Camphor, Old Mountain Sandalwood, Frankincense, Galbanum, Kyphi, and Kyara. Together we stepped into stillness, listening to the subtle ways fragrance cools restlessness, grounds the heart, bridges heaven and earth, renews the spirit, carries memory, and reveals harmony.
The Doorways of Scent
Borneol Camphor cleared the mind.
Old Mountain Sandalwood steadied us in warmth and quiet.
Frankincense lifted prayer and returned peace.
Galbanum reminded us of renewal after surrender.
Kyphi carried the sweetness of an ancient offering.
Kyara revealed the elegance of enlightenment in a single breath.
Part II
Rikkoku: The Six Countries
Our next gathering invited everyone into the classical Japanese art of Rikkoku-kō. In the sanctuary created by The Village Tea Hut, we explored six distinct voices of aloeswood — Kyara, Rakoku, Manaban, Manaka, Sasora, and Sumotara.
Each wood spoke with its own character: the dignity of nobles, the sharp clarity of warriors, the sweetness of common earth, the shifting beauty of emotion, the serenity of monks, and the masked fragrance of those who are not what they seem.
"When we truly listen, scent becomes wisdom,
and the moment becomes eternity."
Part III
Genji-kō
Our final ceremony brought us into the refined world of The Tale of Genji and the sensory poetry of the Genji-mon patterns. In this space of quiet reflection and shared awareness, we traced the lineage of fragrance through literature, symbolism, impermanence, and emotional depth.
We explored how wisteria symbolizes fleeting beauty, patterns become poetry, stories become scent, and remembrance becomes awakening.
Just as wisteria vines and Zen questions bend the mind into new shapes, the way of incense invites us to embrace the fleeting, the delicate, and the momentary. Every wisp of fragrance reminded us that beauty is not in what lasts, but in what is fully lived.
Please enjoy this piece I created for NPR commemorating the 1000th anniversary of The Tale of Genji:
Part IV
The Archive: A Visual Journey
Explore this collection of moments from the weekend.
In Gratitude
To the Village Tea Hut, thank you for creating a sanctuary where these traditions unfolded with grace.
To everyone who attended, thank you for bringing sincerity, curiosity, and reverence. You transformed each gathering into something deeply meaningful.
This weekend was more than a series of ceremonies.
It was a shared journey, one of fragrance, tea, story, and spirit.
Until our paths cross again,
may your breath be steady,
your heart be clear,
and your life carry the quiet beauty of incense rising.
John Launius
Kōmoto, Founder of Shihan Wellness
Contact me directly: [email protected]
Additional Reading
Please enjoy "Fragrance Wellness - The Scent of Peak Performance".
Recommended Vendors & Artisans
Yen-ology
Proud sponsor of The Incense Journey™.
Receive 10% off when you mention Kōmoto, John Launius and Shihan Wellness.
Scents of Earth
Use code L2025 to receive a discount on your order.
Mermade Arts
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Japan Incense
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The Soul Place
For electric incense warmers and other items.
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Apothecary's Garden
A Canadian website for premium and rare incense resins and products.
