Tea as a Medicine for life
“You must be completely awake in the present to enjoy the tea. Only in the awareness of the present, can your hands feel the pleasant warmth of the cup. Only in the present, can you savor the aroma, taste the sweetness, appreciate the delicacy. If you are ruminating about the past, or worrying about the future, you will completely miss the experience of enjoying the cup of tea. You will look down at the cup, and the tea will be gone. Life is like that. If you are not fully present, you will look around and it will be gone. You will have missed the feel, the aroma, the delicacy and beauty of life. It will seem to be speeding past you. The past is finished. Learn from it and let it go. The future is not even here yet. Plan for it, but do not waste your time worrying about it. Worrying is worthless. When you stop ruminating about what has already happened, when you stop worrying about what might never happen, then you will be in the present moment. Then you will begin to experience joy in life.”
Tea is the medium in which I choose to work, or rather, the medium which chooses to work through me. She presented herself to me at a time in my life when I had lost myself to the expectations and machinations of society, and could not see the way back. She took me gently by the hand and showed me the way home. This is the magic of Tea Ceremony - the medicine works on us gently, encouraging us to remember to remember. She is the road home, the path, the way - to our bodies, to the world, to the present moment. She is soft and loving and leaves us with a sense of completion, wholeness and perfection.
The Tea Ceremony I serve is based both within the cycles and circles of nature and the ancient lineages and traditions from the birthplace of Tea herself, China. We sit in silence, and drink Tea as plant medicine, becoming more open and present as a result. I often tell people that the ceremonies themselves are like moving meditations. The ceremony breathes, there is a moving inwards and returning outwards, as the tea is poured, the bowls passed around, and collected back. As we sit together, our heartbeats slow, our jaws unclench, and our minds relax - we can begin to feel into the very moment we find ourselves in. Tea Ceremony is an opportunity to slow down, to simply be here now, and of course, to consume some beautiful plant medicine at the same time. Check below for current ways to join me with Tea.
“Worship does not mean offering flowers. / It means offering your heart / To the vast / mystery / Of the universe. / It means letting your heart pulse / With the life of the / universe. / Without thought and without reservation. / It means being so in love / That you are / Willing to dissolve / And be recreated in every moment”
To me, worship means to be of service. I will meet you, as you are, and offer the entirety of my being to our time together. I will hold a quiet space, heart pulsing with the life of the universe, so that we may both become willing to dissolve and be recreated in every moment. This is my promise.
Community Tea Ceremonies
Come join me in the Ceremony of Tea on Sunday mornings at 9am at the Wild - A Tea Room. No prior experience with Tea or Ceremony is necessary and all are welcome. This offering is a great way to get a feeling for what Tea Ceremony is all about.
NEW - Autumn 2024: There is now a VIRTUAL version of these Community Sits available for those who cannot attend in person. Click here for availability.
** a note on pricing / cost can be found here
Tea Journey™
Through a lifetime of connecting with nature, and over my years of sitting for, and serving Tea to others, I’ve learned that a ceremonial deepening of our innate connection with nature can bring about deeply moving experiences and personal transformation. I have found that people who come for Tea over and over again often experience this naturally - so, I created Tea Journey ™.
A Ceremonial practice of Tea, nature mysticism and deep connection, Tea Journey™ is a one-on-one Tea Ceremony, located either at The Wild (my tearoom in Calgary Alberta) or out in the wide world. This offering is for an intimate one-on-one Tea Ceremony and is NOT followed by a Deep Listening Session™.
** A note on pricing / cost can be found here
Tea Journey™ + Deep Listening™ Sessions
The container of these Deep Listening™ Sessions is an extension of my Tea Journey™️ offering. I wanted to give guests the opportunity to work with me one-on-one directly following Tea. Our silent Tea Ceremony will be followed by a deep listening session to hold space for whatever feels present and is holding energy for you in that moment. Ideally at least three of these sessions will be booked at once, to allow for proper development of the of the container, the relationship and the work to unfold. If you’re unsure if this offering is right for you, please read “about you”.
By entuning ourselves with nature, the elements, and the medicine of Tea, we can begin to open to the natural rhythms of our environment and begin to heal our connection to the earth. This offering will be for those who have attended the community ceremonies consistently and want to deepen their own practices by coming to the Tea House to practice.
Together we will focus on deepening self-knowledge, connection, and the tender work of a soul’s expansion. We may dive into sacred ways of listening, means of connecting with the earth, somatic practices, dreamwork or the process of soul initiation. I’ll draw from my own background as a nature guide, yoga Nidra teacher, somatic practitioner, dreamer, mystic and Tea Ceremonialist. We may drum or dance, practice breathing techniques or work with somatic exercises, there may be homework practices or readings I ask you to do, there may also be simply sitting in space with silence and listening to what arises. Everyone is unique, and so each session will be as well.
NEW - Autumn 2024: Distance Deep Listening™ Sessions: The same intentionally held container, but virtually (by video call) for those not located in Calgary. Due to the digital nature of this offering, a Tea Ceremony is not able to be integrated into these sessions. We will do a somatic practice of body awareness and connection instead, to create a similar state of consciousness and ease.
Please understand; these sessions are NOT a replacement for traditional psychotherapy. I am not a medical doctor and cannot diagnose, treat or prescribe medication for any medical or mental health concerns or conditions. I am not a licensed therapist and cannot assist people in crisis. This offering does not replace traditional therapy, medical treatment or health advice from qualified, registered practitioners.
Please Note: I am currently in my final semester of a graduate degree in East-West Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies with an additional certificate in Spiritual Counseling. I am a registered student member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, but my program is non-clinical. ** A note on pricing / cost can be found here
Becoming tea™ (coming soon)
An introduction to the practice, life, and Way of Tea. This offering will involve the chance to come to the Tea House as a space to practice serving Tea. The space will be made available to those who are students of other teachers looking for a space to serve, or have attended Tea Ceremonies with me consistently for a year.
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