What is Chadao?
Chadao translates to the Way (Dao) of Tea (Cha). The phrase Chadao signifies more than simply preparing a warm beverage, it's about embodying a way of being. The Way of Tea is a profound practice of presence, fostering deep connections with oneself, others, and nature. With a receptive nature, tea teaches us the art of slowing down, listening, and doing "non-doing." Every tea lesson becomes a life lesson, and conversely, every life lesson is a tea lesson in the making.
Chadao follows the path of water, echoing the wisdom of Lao Tzu's "the supreme good is like water." Whether an accidental spill during tea ceremony or life's unexpected challenges, Chadao equips us to gracefully flow with the moment and respond with gratitude. This course lays a foundation for your first steps along the Way of Tea.
What to Expect
In Chadao Essentials, we'll practice traditional "Leaves in a Bowl" tea. Our primary aim is to nurture a profound relationship with tea, and this method provides a direct avenue for communion with her spirit.
Leaves in a bowl is the oldest and simplest form of connecting with this particular plant medicine. It serves as a reminder that tea is a practice of simplicity. Through the mere combination of leaves, water, and heat, a portal to the sacred opens. This practice encourages us to quiet our analytical minds and savor the moment exactly as it is.
Starting with leaves in a bowl establishes a foundation of gratitude and reverence. While future courses may delve into the art of brewing the best cup of tea, this course avoids the intricate human elements and focuses simply on the heart of tea.
Session Outline
Bowl tea is about equanimity. We embrace the simplest method not for its excellence in making tea, but as a means to foster gratitude for all types of tea and establish a pure connection with the spirit of the plant
Tea is an avatar from the plant kingdom sent to the human realm. What does the spirit of tea have to tell us?
While each type of tea may provide brewing guidelines, specifying the ideal tea quantity, water temperature, and steeping duration, it's important to view these as signposts rather than rules. Our goal is to embrace intuition without getting rigid in our mind.
Beneath the surface of tea's flavor and aroma resides its subtle energetic essence—the Qi of tea. Our deep appreciation for tea stems from the emotions and sensations it evokes. We tune into the subtle energetic shifts that occur as we experience the tea.
The simplest method to improving your tea is to use better water. Even an average tea can transform into greatness with high-quality water, whereas an excellent tea will almost certainly disappoint if paired with subpar water.
"Zen and tea are one flavor." The DNA of tea and zen are deeply intertwined as tea proliferated through the chan monasteries. Understanding the mind of zen will deepen your tea practice.
"If you think ill of other people's tea, you don't understand tea." Being a guest is about turning off the qualitative mind and remembering what tea is all about - connection.
"As the person seeks the leaf, the leaf seeks the person." We discuss what makes a tea living and how we approach sourcing quality tea.
Growing Tea Community
Tea unites us in a shared heartspace. We plan to integrate authentic relating into our journey to deepen our connection and grow closer as a cohort. One of the great joys of a tea lover is introducing someone to the world of tea. As we look ahead to the coming years, we foresee this initial cohort acting as a catalyst, creating ripples that will extend our loving tea family with time.
Chadao Essentials
Tea, an ancient and powerful energetic elixir, holds a key to unlocking hidden realms within. Not all teas are created equal, however, and the journey to discover living tea can be elusive without a guiding hand. Tea is a practice of profound listening, a journey that delves into the deep well of wisdom residing within each of us. Chadao Essentials serves as a sacred space for you to cultivate the art of presence and connection.
To begin this voyage, we provide you with a beautiful tea bowl and a thoughtful selection of living teas to drink throughout the course. While the course takes place online, everyone will have a shared tea to experience during our weekly sessions. At the end of the course we plan to come together for an in-person tea ceremony, taking a moment to celebrate the friends we've made and the wisdom we've remembered.
Chadao Essentials is a gateway to the magical world of living tea, where we invite you to savor the beauty of simplicity and imperfection. Together we learn the Way of Tea.
Course Logistics
The previous cohort finished in February 2024. We intend to run another cohort in the latter half of 2024.
Chadao Essentials is an 8-week journey with 2 hour weekly Sunday meetings at 9am CST. The course is fully remote, offering the flexibility to attend live sessions or catch up with recorded content if needed. While our course outline provides a suggested path, we plan to adapt each session to dive deeper into the interests of the cohort. It can be helpful to remember there is more to tea than one can learn in a lifetime. Our intention for this course is to connect with the spirit of tea and fellow tea lovers, with tea knowledge sprinkled lightly throughout.
Testimonials
We asked our class, "How did the course change your relationship to tea?"John B.Winter '23It deepened a long standing practice. Showed me ways I can turn my personal practice into more than just a devotion to the tea, it can become a devotion to self. Tea has so many facets that I was previously blind to.
Ash W.Winter '23I used to be afraid of tea because of its caffeine content. Now I have a newfound relationship with tea that's built on listening, trust, and deepening into connection.
Hannah M.Winter '23It helped me feel the aliveness and wisdom of tea and not see it just as something to drink.
Andrew M.Winter '23Akin to seeing a new summit once you climb the first hill, I now realize the profundity of that in front of me
Garrett P.I developed a much greater understanding and appreciation for tea. I feel as though I now have a foundation upon which to grow my tea practice.
Tyleah M.Saw that there is a depth to tea that I didn't know of previously. There was a deepening of appreciation. Both of the tea itself, and the people who appreciate the practice of relating to the spirit of tea.