This September-October we’ll be hosting Wu De (Aaron Fisher), zen and tea monk, founder of Global Tea Hut and author of books such as The Way of Tea, Zen and Tea One Flavor, Tea Wisdom and Tea Medicine. The tea event program begins with a full day of activities at Ceremonia del Té, Caj Chai´s new space devoted to Tea Ceremony and continues with a 6 day Tea & Zen retreat in the Pyranees of Huesca.
Wu De has a vast talent for teaching, for helping us connect with tea from a more intimate and spiritual place as well as for helping us gain sensitivity to appreciate tea better and gain more mastery. He is a perfect teacher for initiating newcomers and developing a solid foundation, and his wisdom, mastery at preparation and the special teas he brings with him will bring sheer delight to everyone no matter your knowledge or experience. I recommend you participate in as many events as possible!
I leave you with a small biography of his and a complete program for Barcelona and Huesca.
Wu De (Aaron Fisher)
Author and teacher Wu De is a true Chajin (tea person). He has been a practitioner of Cha Dao (The Way of Tea) for over 20 years, and he has reached over 100,000 people through his writings, classes, workshops, seminars and interviews.
Born Aaron Daniel Fisher in rural Ohio, Wu De knew from an early age that his interests lay to the East. His martial arts practice began at an early age, and led him to discover the wisdom locked inside tea leaves when he was a teenager.
Upon graduating from university with a degree in anthropology and philosophy, he moved to India, where he lived and worked in a meditation center for some years. During this time, he prepared tea daily as fuel for his intensive meditation practice, and he laid the groundwork for his later work with tea as a spiritual vehicle.
Wu De then left India to study meditation in Burma, Thailand and eventually Japan. Working closely with a Zen teacher who often used tea ceremonies as a way of conveying Zen wisdom, his insights into The Way of Tea and the ability of tea to convey deep peace were strengthened.
After being ordained in the Soto Zen tradition, he began studying gongfu tea under Master Lin Ping Xiang in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Master Lin taught Wu De about how to serve tea with more skill and focus.
For the last decade, Wu De has been teaching the ancient practice of serving tea from a Zen and tea center in Taiwan, known as Tea Sage Hut. In the last three years, the center’s monthly magazine and organic tea mailing, Global Tea Hut has swelled to connect hundreds of tea lovers and spiritual seekers in over 30 countries. Meanwhile, Tea Sage Hut now houses five long-term students and hosts hundreds of guests per year, sharing The Way of Tea and a more connected way of living and being with each person who joins a tea session there.
In addition to running Tea Sage Hut in Taiwan, Wu De leads tea workshops and seminars around the world.
Learn more about him at: http://teasagehut.org
Gongfu Tea Brewing Workshop
Saturday, September 30, 2017
9:30am – 11:30am
Ceremonia del Té, Barcelona
Gongfu tea is the pinnacle of the art of tea preparation. In this workshop Wu De will be sharing the art of the gongfu tea ceremony and guide us through the steps on how to brew gongfu tea gracefully. We will learn the history and spirit of this brewing method, as well as the practical flow of preparing tea gongfu, and all over some amazing cups of rare tea.
For full details RSVP and registration, please contact Caj Chai Teahouse at 93 301 9592 or by writing info@teabarcelona.com
Minimum recommended donation: 35euros / 30 euros for GTH members
All donations will go to cover the expenses of the trip and to help cover costs at “Tea Sage Hut”, the free tea and zen center in Taiwan that operates on a donation basis.
Yixing Teaware
Saturday, September 30, 2017
16:00am – 18:00am
Ceremonia del Té, Barcelona
For five hundred years, Yixing teaware has been married to tea. The zisha teapot is the “Father of Tea.” When you reach the “Teapot City” of Yixing, there is a sign that reads “There is only one ceramic teapot in the world and her name is Yixing.” Come explore the rich tradition and heritage of Yixing teaware and its relationship to tea. Learn how to choose an Yixing pot and why they are so special, while sharing a very special tea chosen for the occasion.
For full details RSVP and registration, please contact Caj Chai Teahouse at 93 301 9592 or by writing info@teabarcelona.com
Minimum recommended donation: 35euros / 30 euros for GTH members
All donations will go to cover the expenses of the trip and to help cover costs at “Tea Sage Hut”, the free tea and zen center in Taiwan that operates on a donation basis.
Tea Ceremony with Wu De
Saturday, September 30, 2017
19:00am – 21:00am
Ceremonia del Té, Barcelona
Very special opportunity to experience a tea ceremony with Wu De, zen monk devoted to the Way of Tea, dedicating his life to spreading its ancient culture, organic and sustainable farming and its potential as medicine in today’s world. Wu De will be serving a very special tea to celebrate this occasion.
For full details RSVP and registration, please contact Caj Chai Teahouse at 93 301 9592 or by writing info@teabarcelona.com
Minimum recommended donation: 35euros / 30 euros for GTH members
All donations will go to cover the expenses of the trip and to help cover costs at “Tea Sage Hut”, the free tea and zen center in Taiwan that operates on a donation basis.
Zen &Tea: Meditation Retreat with Wu De
October 2-8, 2017
Casa Cuadrau, Vió, Huesca
Join Wu De (Aaron Fisher), zen monk, tea master, founder of Tea Sage Hut and the non-profit organization Global Tea Hut and author of books such as The Way of Tea, Zen and Tea One Flavor, Tea Wisdom and Tea Medicine, on a 6 day retreat with the purpose of deepening your meditation and Cha Dao (The Way of Tea). We’ll delve into the ancient tradition that unites Zen and Tea and discover how tea can help us live more consciously in our daily lives.
Throughout the week, Wu De will guide us towards understanding the meaning of the famous Zen saying, “Zen and Tea have the same flavor.” He’ll instruct us on meditation and its relationship with tea. We’ll learn how our Zen mind affects our tea and how to prepare tea in a Zen state so we can then extrapolate the teachings to our daily lives.
We’ll rise early each day and begin with morning chanting and, since water plays such a fundamental role in tea preparation and tea ceremony, we’ll benefit from the magic, beauty and purity of being at the largest calcareous mountain range in Europe and each day embark on walking meditations to a very special fountain to bring back the day’s water. Throughout the week we’ll also take a couple of longer hikes to enjoy outdoors tea sessions in pristine natural environment making tea with the pure water that we gather.
Throughout the week there will be classes and talks teaching us about the importance of Water and Bowl Tea (the art of the simplicity of a bowl of tea)
There will be moments each day for questions and answering and also moments for Dokusan (private meeting between student and master). There will also be time for sharing our Zen by preparing tea with other participants and moments for receiving advice and tips on how to improve our tea service.
Casa Cuadrau is an ecologic Yoga, Art and Nature retreat center, in a majestic corner of the Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park. In a high and open valley with beautiful mountains in all directions, lies the tiny village of Vio. In this surpassing setting, a unique retreat experience is offered.
Vio is a village at the doors of the Ordesa & Monte Perdido National Park, Spanish Pyrenees. It is about 40 minutes drive from Ainsa (Huesca).
For reservations and more information please contact Casa Cuadrau: http://www.casacuadrau.org/zen-tea-meditation-retreat-wu-de/?lang=en