Firstly, I hope you’re all safe and well!
We’re living in strange times indeed. Yet amid all the fear, pain, and panic, there is also hope and opportunity. Opportunity to reconnect with ourselves, to reflect on what really matters to us. Hopefully we’ll be able to come out from this experience stronger and eager to deepen the connection with ourselves and Mother Nature. When speaking of daily balance, I couldn't think of a better person than Rachel Bare of @rachel_baree to inspire us with her story and teach us what helps her stay connected to the roots.
Rachel is a low waste activist, student of tea and is dedicated to inspiring others to return to their roots and honor their truest nature, that they are nature! She pursued a career as a fashion stylist in New York City for five years before being introduced to the traditional practice of Chinese Tea Ceremony. Since sitting for her first ceremony she has been guided by the spirit of tea. Tea has taken Rachel to Taiwan and moved her across the US from New York to Colorado to study this medicinal plant.
Her goal is to give you tools to live a life in deeper communion with yourself, nature and those around you. Currently, you will find Rachel guiding tea ceremonies throughout our Public Lands, adventuring the expansive west or helping people return to nature through her PODCAST
Everyone has a different way of defining eco-friendly. What does it mean to you?
I believe that we must live beyond sustainable and begin to live in a regenerative relationship with nature. Which is our invitation to live in deep relationship and interconnection with the nature we are one with. We no longer can just sustain where we are if we want to continue to thrive not only for ourselves but for our future generations. This goes beyond our daily actions but it starts with our daily actions and thinking of our planet when we make decisions throughout the day.
What inspired you to be more nature aware?
Living in New York City and working in the fashion industry I began to see harmful affects the industry I worked in played a role. Then I would be walking the streets of New York and be met with the mounds and mounds of garbage. One day I finally saw it and realized I was apart of this and I could choose to not be apart of it anymore.
How do you encourage your friends and followers to integrate sustainable practices in their homes and lives?
I invite those around me to make space in their day, everyday to find a moment of stillness. When we make space in our day to just be we can approach life from a more grounded place. In this place we are able to make more positive decisions that affect our planet. Yet from a practical and tangible place I invite people to look at where they are voting with their dollar. This looks like fast fashion, items in plastic and companies that do not have the same values or ethics.
What is the practice of tea ceremony?
Traditional Cha Dao has been practiced in China for over 1,200 years. Tea practice is a graceful and gentle offering of plant medicine that allows a deeper connection to the self, nature and those around you. It is my honor to be a student of the leaf and to share her spirit with you. In this practice we will silently enjoy bowls of tea together, sharing the knowledge that in this experience there is no right and there is no wrong. Tea gives us the opportunity to be fully present through a form of moving meditation. It is a great alternative to alcohol and a beautiful way to deeply connect with those around you. No two ceremonies are the same and each experience will give you the exact medicine you need for that moment in time.
What type of tea do you serve?
This traditional style of tea ceremony utilizes the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis Tree.
Through her leaves, we are offered her spirit, wisdom, and medicinal power in each bowl we share. We will be sharing tea that is free of any chemicals and pesticides, that are grown and processed using the most traditional and sustainable practices.
Each ceremony is unique - the tea served will be chosen based on the season, time, and energy of the group.
Last but not least, why do you think it's important to practice tea ceremony?
A tea ceremony transcends the stresses of everyday life; it brings us deeper into our oneness, our interconnectedness to Nature and those around us. In a world where tea is the second most consumed beverage, we already have a deep awareness of her spirit. Yet when we pair tea with moving meditation it allows us to find a deeper presence, awakening our inner knowing that we are Nature. Practicing tea ceremony provides you the container to experience the tranquility, connection and inner wisdom we seek.
If you enjoyed learning about the tea ceremony and want to know more, you can also check out Rachel's Virtual Tea Ceremony HERE!