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The Five Elements:

A Framework for Tea & Practice

August 6–8 · Boulder, CO

How the Series Works

A series exploring Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water — the five-part cycle that shapes the seasons, our emotions, and the stages of growth — as a lens for both the practice of tea and the practice of living. Each element gets its own weekend across the year, moving from concept into hands-on brewing, seasonal tasting, and reflection.

August's Focus: Metal

This weekend is devoted to Metal, autumn's element: harvest, clarity, and the quality of letting go of what's unneeded to reveal what matters. Three days trace Metal from concept to cup — a foundational class, a deep dive, hands-on brewing, an autumn tea tasting, and a closing session on refinement and worth.

Each session stands alone, or take the full arc across all three days. Saturday evening, drop by the Open Tea House to close out the weekend — no ticket required.

Save $5 per class when you book 2+ classes, and $10 per class when you book the full weekend — discount applied automatically at checkout.

Schedule

Introduction to the Five Elements
Thursday, August 6, 5:00–7:00 PM
Explore Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water — the five-part cycle that maps the seasons, our emotions, and the stages of growth in nature and in ourselves. We'll trace how tea itself moves through this same cycle, from the growing plant to the stillness after the last cup, as a lens for understanding this ancient framework and how it shows up in daily life.


Tea & Meditation Sit
Friday, August 7, 9:00–10:30 AM
A quiet start to the day: we'll open with a tea ceremony, drinking slowly and with intention, before settling into a 30-minute group meditation.


Metal: Deep Dive
Friday, August 7, 1:00–3:00 PM
Metal is autumn's element — harvest, clarity, the breath, the quality of letting go of what's unneeded to reveal what matters. We'll explore Metal in tea practice and in ourselves: discernment, integrity, grief, and what letting go makes room for.


Introduction to Brewing Methods
Friday, August 7, 4:00–6:00 PM
What is the role of "method" in tea practice — not only brewing method, but the concept of method itself? A hands-on session in gongfu and western brewing styles, covering water temperature, vessel choice, and timing, as an entry point into precision, repetition, and what it means to have a method at all.


Autumn Tea Tasting
Saturday, August 8, 9:00–11:00 AM
A tasting-forward class centered on the season: roasted oolongs, aged sheng, and dark teas — teas that warm, ground, and clarify. We'll trace how these flavors and body sensations echo Metal, autumn's element.


Refinement & Worth
Saturday, August 8, 1:00–3:00 PM
A closing class weaving two threads together: the outer refinement of tea practice itself — how ceremony and repetition turn a simple act into something worth doing well — and the inner refinement of worth, discernment, and what it means to show up, both at the table and in life.


Open Tea House · Free
Saturday, August 8, 3:30–6:30 PM
Drop in to sip tea, ask questions, talk shop, or purchase tea to take home — no agenda, just an open door.

Stay Tuned for Future Event Announcements

We will be hosting more in-person and virtual events. Join our mailing list or reach out if you have any questions.

International orders: Import taxes and duties are not collected at checkout, and are the responsibility of the buyer.

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