"My experience in the first Boulder Tea Hut Cohort was priceless and I’ll be continuing this journey with them as long as I can. What the space is offering goes above and beyond what I imagined it to be. Boulder Tea Hut offers their space, tea, and knowledge with true philanthropy and humility.”

“I joined this cohort to support and develop my personal practice with tea—for meditation and internal cultivation. I learned much more. I also found new comrades in the practice to connect with in our multitude of tea spaces. I can’t wait for the next session, although the first course gave me enough guidance for a lifetime of practice. I am grateful for the ongoing support and recommend this to all who are seeking to better themselves and explore the world of tea practice.”

“The passion for tea here has been extremely infectious, and none of us seem to want the cohort to end.”

Introduction to the Way of Tea practice cohort - starting in January

Of the many rewarding activities at BTH, hosting practice cohorts is by far the most rewarding, and my favorite. In this offering we aim to serve your deeper embrace of a Way of Tea

 This is not a class. The only teachers are Tea, water, fire, and teaware, and those are abundantly available inside and outside Boulder Tea Hut. The cohort will be organized primarily by two relatively experienced chajin, supported by other chajin in the community.

Those of us leading this cohort are your fellow students, and we learn from you as much as you will learn from us, which is a primary reason we enjoy doing this.

This practice cohort will be a significant change from past practice cohorts: much slower, more decentralized, and requiring more responsibility. We will meet the fourth Sunday of every month from 10am-1pm starting January 26th for ten months of formal gatherings. There will be informal gatherings every second Sunday.

Holding space is foundational in The Way of Tea, and part of your responsibility in the cohort is to help do that.

>< You will be expected to help set up and take down the space for cohort gatherings, and to try to do so perfectly (“You don’t have to do it perfectly, you just have to want to do it perfectly.”)

>< You will be expected to gather water for the teahouse at least twice in the year—a modest obligation and a powerful delightful lesson if you allow it to be.

>< Similarly you will be expected to participate in a Samu period at least twice in the year—again, more a pleasure than a duty.

>< You will be expected to behave in alignment with the values of reverence and tranquility that govern our space.

>< Attendance is required.   

>< The class is organized around Global Tea Hut’s Intro to the Way of Tea online course. You will be required to view a class (a 60-90 minute video) at least a week prior to each cohort gathering.

What you receive is up to you: a year from now you may well be in deep and regular public practice at both the Mountain Teahouse and at Boulder Tea Hut as a chatong. You may be having profound daily experiences with your practice every morning. You may discover a new reverence for every moment of existence, understand the consciousness of flowing water, unlock a new tranquility in your life, and cultivate a newfound gentle joy that permeates your days. You will likely have new and more meaningful friendships. The more you put in the more you will receive.

What we offer in this practice cohort:

>< Global Tea Hut’s Intro to the Way of Tea online course.

>< One formal Fourth Sunday gathering per month for ten months led by organizers.

>< One informal Second Sunday gathering per month where organizers may or may not attend.

>< A moderated WhatsApp Q&A group.

>< Credit for two in-town sits or one Mountain Teahouse sit per month.

>< A bag of Elevation, one of our classic beginner teas.

>< Our wonderful printed collation of Global Tea Hut magazine articles to complement Intro to the Way of Tea.

>< 20% discount to all items in the Boulder Tea Hut shop.

>< As we deem appropriate (typically after you have participated in at least two Samu periods) we will extend access to the space for cohort members for solo practice and for practicing with other cohort members.

Most of all you will have the awesome experience of connection and growth that happens when deepening your practice with a group. If you don’t already have a practice bowl plan on buying one at the first meeting.

 What we ask in return: $200-$300 per month for ten months, as aligns for you, including a non-refundable deposit of $300 for the first month. If this is financially unrealistic for you please let us know and we can discuss: Boulder Tea Hut is a not-for-profit organization and we do not want cost to get in the way of practice. 100% of revenues go towards maintaining and improving the space. Please help keep this as fun for us as for you.

To apply please send the first month deposit to @BoulderChaDao on Venmo with “cohort” in the note line and then fill out our application (10-15 minutes). If we cannot accept you into the cohort at this time we will refund you the deposit and your application will be weighted in future applications. It will be with great difficulty that we will turn people down.