OUR STORY
A MEANINGFUL CONTEMPORARY LIFE, ENCOURAGED BY MINDFUL MOMENTS.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
The Wabi Way is our guiding philosophy. More than a considered selection of premium green tea and wares, Wabi Tea reframes ancient wisdom for cultivating a meaningful contemporary life.
Our name is derived from the Japanese expression, ‘washibi'. Dating back to the 15th century, it referred to a certain misery of living alone in nature – humbly upholding a bucolic existence [considered ‘lacking’ in contrast to the extravagance of the ruling elite]. Over time, the self-imposed solitude and material insufficiency were viewed as opportunities for spiritual richness.
Followers fostered an appreciation for the minor details of everyday life: discovering meaning in the mundane, uncovering beauty in the previously overlooked and inconspicuous aspects of nature. A living where simplicity equated to a different sort of wealth. One that was imperfect and irregular but undeniably full and life-giving, profoundly influencing the continued ritualised practice of tea in Japan.
The Wabi Way acknowledges and holds reverence for this history, influencing our overall philosophy and purpose of being. We appreciate the smallness of our existence, we notice the simple pleasures and we applaud the beautiful imperfections that come with it.
The basis of our practice and modern matcha therapy.
THE MODERN RITUAL
We always return to the modern ritual – a loose term that recognises the individual routines and practices we all uphold, acting as a centering of the self within an all-consuming world. Wabi Tea intends to open this doorway, inviting the discovery of a personalised ritual through the preparation and contemplation of a green tea practice.
Prioritising moments of presence, the modern personal tea ceremony allows time for oneself [no matter how momentary], communing with your inner being, the nature around you and the modest bowl of matcha before you. The ethereal merges with the earthly. In these moments, when energy resets and thoughts fall into place, we can’t help but wonder about the magic of our existence, a fabric so intrinsic to our being. We emerge with a sense of clarity and a deeper awareness of ourselves and our place in the world – then embark on our day.
OUR FOUNDER
Founder Suzanna Lee first found a connection with Japanese green tea over twenty years ago through a love of the Japanese American kind. In the Rockies, Colorado, of all places, this discovery was steeped in simplicity – tea, nature and the mountains. A deep-within freedom from the modern proclivity for stress.
Since then, matcha green tea has cemented itself as a daily ritual. In reverence to traditional green tea and the associated Japanese tea ceremonies, Wabi Tea emerged as a culmination of the global, meandering, collected experiences of life that almost always involved tea [from tea jaunts in Tokyo and tea houses in California and NYC, to the tea huts of the Himalayas and tea fields of Darjeeling et al.]. It's an alignment of art, tea and healing, satisfying a universal desire for creative expression, self-discovery and wonderment of the world, in whatever form it takes [but almost always with a quietening bowl of matcha in hand].
“Ancient Wabi truths traversing wisdom, creativity and beauty, combined with the modern practice, is simply the gateway to the Wabiverse. A place that inspires and gently encourages a Wabi Way of life that can be adapted to the challenges and opportunities of contemporary living.”