Naropa Tea House
Bring Chadō Home to the Historic Tea House
What Is Chadō?
Translated as “The Way of Tea,” Chadō is an aesthetic and cultural practice focused on the cultivation of self-awareness. This practice, refined and codified in Japan, creates a ceremonial space where host and guests gather mindfully and together, enjoy a simple bowl of tea. Chadō allows us to step out of our daily lives and into a still space where the arts (of poetry, ceramics, woodworking, architecture, calligraphy, flower arrangement, incense, textiles, calligraphy, food, etiquette, and awareness of the seasons) come together.
In 1970, fifteenth generation Urasenke grand tea master Sen Genshitsu (玄室) invited the world to practice Chadō. His dream was to cultivate peacefulness through a bowl of tea, and to that end, he worked to share this sacred practice with the world. Traveling and teaching internationally, he spread “Peacefulness through a Bowl of Tea.”
Japanese Tea Ceremony at Naropa
In the early 1980s, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche designed a Japanese-inspired tea house which his students then built for his birthday. It was a perfect addition to a contemplative community centered on mindful spaces and practices. Originally located at Trungpa Rinpoche’s Boulder home, the tea house was moved to Naropa’s Arapahoe Campus in 1989, two years after his passing.
Since then, the tea house has hosted many different tea teachers from various lineages. Throughout the years, the tea house has been a resource for contemplative practice, intercultural competency, and appreciation of the arts for students and community members. Most recently, weekly lessons were offered by Mike “Sōhō” Ricci, an accomplished Urasenke tea teacher and Raku potter.
As the tea house reopens, the practice will be included in Naropa Community Practice Days, as part of other Naropa classes, and in open workshops. With your support, the tea house will continue to be a useful and beautiful resource for years to come. The increased stability and functionality that come from your support will allow our robust community to grow and spread peace through tea for many more generations.
Forge a Flourishing Tea Community
Your Generous Contribution Will:
Artist rendering of what the tea house will look like after renovations.
The Way of Tea in Images
