The Roots Of Tea

Why is this Course unique?

• Ancestral Wisdom, Directly from the Masters

In a world where ancient knowledge is increasingly erased, misrepresented, or appropriated for personal and commercial gain, this Course is created to honour authenticity and integrity. It is based on the direct transmissions of tea masters and indigenous wisdom, carefully translated and recorded to preserve their essence as guiding principles.

• Tea Beyond the Commodity Mindset & Trends

This Course is not about comparing tasting notes like coffee or wine or treating tea processing as a standard process. Instead, we return to tea’s ancient definitions and explore its deeper meanings - as a philosophy, a guiding principle, and a practice for cultivating our inner qualities.

• Not Just Learning - Living Tea

As our teacher says, “Knowledge is a rumour until it is in the muscle.” Understanding tea is not just an intellectual pursuit. It must be integrated into the body through practice, cultivation, and reflection. This Course dives into tea as a way of being and relating, fostering connection, awareness and harmony.

• Essential Learning for Tea Lovers & Professionals

The way tea is taught today urgently needs elevation, expansion, and unlearning. Whether you are a tea lover, a sommelier, or a holistic well-being practitioner, this course provides foundational knowledge missing from formal certifications. We can only begin to reshape tea’s narratives by reconnecting deeply with nature.

What You’ll Learn

• A time-honoured framework of education where intellectual understanding is integrated through practice, discussion, and contemplation—emphasising the cultivation of inner qualities as essential learning.
• Tea’s modern history and its repercussions on erasure, appropriation, and misrepresentation.
• The origins of tea, its ancient narratives: 茶 /chá/, and why harmony is a guiding principle at the heart of tea.
• The ancestors of all teas - wild, ancient, and Indigenous teas - and their philosophy and practice: 活茶 /huó chá/, Tea That Is Alive.
• Tea as ancient medicine—how to fully access the benefits of the tea plant.
• The foundational brewing methods in Chinese culture for both personal and shared experiences.
• How to identify quality tea and develop a discerning mindset that transcends industry grading, marketing jargon, and imposed perceptions of self-lack.
• How to take ownership as a custodian of tea and our shared cultural heritage.

What You’ll Receive

• Complete Course Recording – Full access to all five chapters, carefully structured to guide you through tea’s origins, philosophy, and practice.
• Lifetime Access – Revisit the teachings at your own pace, allowing your understanding to deepen over time.
• Guided Homework & Integration Exercises – Reflect, embody and apply the teachings beyond intellectual understanding as part of the integration of knowledge.
• Weekly Online Community Meet-Ups – A safe, supportive space to discuss, ask questions, and share your journey with like-minded learners, facilitated by Rui.
• Weekly Online Practices – Dedicated sessions to cultivate inner qualities such as the development of stillness, peace, generosity, kindness, and rest as part of the integration of knowledge.
• Direct Transmission of Ancestral Knowledge – Learn from the words of tea masters and indigenous wisdom keepers, carefully translated to preserve their authenticity and essence.
• A Framework Beyond Industry Standards: Develop a discerning mindset that transcends commercial classifications, marketing jargon, and imposed perceptions of value.
• Practical Training in Traditional Brewing Methods – Master the foundations of brewing, its cultural nuances, and guidance in cultivating inner qualities. 
• The Philosophy and Practice of Serving Tea – Your practice ground for cultivating presence, generosity and attentiveness in preparation and sharing.
• A Deep Connection to the Land & the People of Tea – Develop a heartfelt understanding of nature, cultural heritage, and tea as a living tradition.
• Become a Warrior for Tea’s Ancient Wisdom – Honour, protect, embody, and share tea’s true story in a way that sustains its traditions and uplifts the world.