Tea

A History

Sitting with tea is an ancient path to mind, body, and soul awakening. Tea is a practice that includes listening to the plant herself, the water, the elements, our bodies and the connection between each other’s presence and opening our hearts to be in conversation with the wisdom that arises—both in ritual and in our daily lives.

The history of Tea—Camillia sinensis— is vast and ancient, with folklore and stories that plant her origins in modern day India/China before she began her travels far and wide to Japan, the Middle East, Europe and beyond. Today, she is the most popular beverage around the world even above water, alcohol and yes, coffee! She welcomes all—her liquid gold dissolving the lines of hierarchy, from the courts of Kings and Queens of China and England to the monasteries of monks, marketplaces and homes of people around the world, she is beloved by all whose hands and hearts are warmed by her presence.

I have been “studying the way of tea” since I was about 6 years old, when one of my favorite things was to serve tea to my dolls, stuffed animals and imaginary friends. I even went so far as to host a tea party in the hot tub for all of us, complete with refreshments of cheese and crackers—much to the dismay of my mother, who found us in quite the mess. I’ll never forget the exact tone with which she exclaimed my name at the moment she discovered our ceremonial aquatic festivities. My understanding of the elements of ritual have evolved a bit since then.

Tea came back into my life in 2015. I started sitting with tea in 2017 and formally learning forms of Chinese tea ceremony in 2019. I began serving tea (to more than just my imaginary friends and stuffed animals, although they are still always welcome) in 2021. Like all journeys worth taking, the journey to learning about and from tea is never ending and I continue to seek paths to deepen my understanding and practice.

Tea Sit

The Tea sit begins with a grounding and gentle guided meditation to bring all of the senses alive and to arrive in full presence in your body and together as a group. From here the formal tea ritual begins. We share 3 rounds of tea in meditative silence. You are invited to dedicate each bowl to something in your life or beyond yourself and sit with what arises as you listen, drink, and enjoy. We finish with an integrative and cleansing round of hot water, returning to the simplicity and sweetness of life and open the space for sharing and mindful conversation. Each tea ceremony invokes the element of the current season, inviting connection to the natural world beyond ourselves. It’s a common occurrence for somatic releases to unfold, for tears to flow, and inner knowings and wisdom to arise. Child like wonder and laughter are frequent guests too.

Your bowl awaits…