ABOUT
The Tea
All of us have a story with tea...drinking a warm cup of tea in the morning to start your day or to wind down at night. Tea has always been comforting and a source of stability, something we turn to to soothe ourselves or to connect with others. Although tea is commonplace in our lives, over the years many of us have forgotten its magic and its role as a spirit medicine. Tea ceremony is a practice that allows us to connect with the spirit of tea - it is a practice of reverence for this plant medicine.
Drinking tea in a ceremonial way is an earth-based practice and a moving meditation. As we sip the medicine from the tea plant, Camelia Sinensis, we are able to connect to the earth and to our own true nature. Returning to what tea is meant to be.
The ceremony will be in silence, with the exception of a curated playlist. You will be served between 3-5 bowls of tea. Afterwards there will be time for sharing, reflection and connection as a group. Whatever you experience during the ceremony is welcome - some people may experience emotional releases, bodily sensations, a peaceful mind, or wandering thoughts. I invite you to trust wherever the tea wants to take you with a sense of curiosity and openness.
Once the ceremony begins, everything is perfect. There's nothing you need to know, be, or do in order to participate in this ceremony.
FAQ’s
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Depending on the number of participants, the ceremony typically lasts between 50-70 minutes
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Yes, all tea has caffeine. However, in my experience and in learning from others who are more sensitive to caffeine, they are able to drink the teas in ceremony without feeling the typical side effects they might experience from other caffeinated beverages like coffee. Each tea has different energetics and different amounts of caffeine depending on the type of processing method. Some teas are very grounding and calming despite containing some caffeine. These teas are often consumed at night. Other teas are more energizing. The typical amount of caffeine in many of the teas will be drinking will be similar to what is found in a piece of chocolate.
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Tea ceremony is always done in silence with the option to share about your experience or messages that came through during the ceremony, however there is no obligation to share with others. In my experience, sometimes the most powerful ceremonies leave us quiet, tending to what is stirring internally before sharing it with others. Learning when to share and when to hold things close to my heart has been a big learning through my own tea practice.
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While the movements and materials are similar in each ceremony (this structure helps us feel supported and anchored throughout the ceremony), each ceremony is unique - from the tea that we drink, to the way the tea stage (cha xi) is set, the energetics each participant brings, the external environment we are in, and the teawares used. I have experienced dozens of tea ceremonies with groups and have sat for tea in my own personal tea practice hundreds of times, and not once has the experience been the same. This is part of the magic.