To fill our souls with a powerful Tea and listen to the aspen leaves flittering in the breeze. To feel that breeze softly flow around us and through us. To feel the mind expanding beyond our body, into the trees, and then beyond them…
To take this expansive stillness and hold it with the no-mind of Zazen such that it fuses, at least for a time, with our very being.
To purify, settle, and see.
The sages have always known that nothing elevates a Tea session more than a transcendental natural setting. Through Tea we touch Nature. In the tranquility cultivated through harmony, reverence, and purity we find the divine. This the the Way of Tea.
Whether you wish to begin a tea practice or deepen the one you have, this weekend will be an exquisite and profound journey.
This retreat brings two perennial traditions together to deepen one's practice, whether a novice or someone who has long trod the path. There is a saying from our tea teacher, “Zen and Tea are one flavor”. The mindfulness and insight of zen practice both inform and clarify our pouring of tea. The combination of tea ceremony and zen in a beautiful natural setting is powerful medicine.
We will drink tea from our personal collections and teach about the provenance of living teas.
We are grateful to be hosting one of my favorite chajin to pour tea with us as a community. This is an opportunity to join with skilled practitioners who are humbly learning and sharing their passion for the Way of Tea. Together, we will drink tea with a beginner’s mind and receive with humility and grace the wisdom of the leaf. There is a legend of the Emperor Shen Nong, who while sitting in nature had the leaves of a tea plant fall into a bowl of hot water. In many ways, we still quietly follow in his footsteps.
*Price includes farm-to-table, gourmet meals cooked by an on-site chef, and on-site camping with access to flush toilets and a shower. Fruit and baked goods are provided in the morning.
Friday 5-8 pm, Saturday 9-8 pm, Sunday 9-5 pm.
Your facilitators:
Shen Su has been a student of the leaf since 2012 when he first arrived in Taiwan. He began volunteering at Global Tea Hut and Tea Sage Hut under the guidance of his tea teacher, Wu De, and slowly took on more responsibilities over the years, learning more about tea as a tradition of service to others. He served full time at Tea Sage Hut until 2019 and continues to work for Global Tea Hut to the present day. Shen also explores and studies the art of kintsugi and woodworking. Outside of his tea practice and responsibilities at Global Tea Hut, you will find him repairing broken teawares using traditional methods and making tea-specific wood projects inspired by his personal practice and commitment to Cha Dao. Shen feels fortunate that his time steeped in tea can guide the parameters of this work, bringing the aesthetic of tea and the importance of function into balance with one another. He has found great inspiration from his tea teacher along the way, and many other teaware artists within the community. It is with great joy that Shen can continue to refine his tea practice and begin sharing that with others.
Marco Chung-Shu Lam is a curious and compassionate human being who has a passion for health, the environment and the ability of humans to create a better world. He has practiced Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture for over 25 years and is lauded to have a unique style of practice that accelerates his clients breakthroughs in both physical and cognitive arenas. Practicing internal martial arts for over 30 years has deeply informed his relationship with tea. His zen teacher, Jun Po Roshi, bestowed the name Yakuso to him, which means the healing source in Japanese. Marco’s style of tea pouring centers around family and community. His main teacher of tea was his grandmother, An Chin Lin, who believed that serving tea was a way to share your love with other people. Marco believes the same. Along with his wife, Jamie, he is the steward and farm manager of Elkstone Farm.
