PHILOSOPHY
More than simply a considered selection of premium green tea and wares, the Wabi Way is our guiding philosophy.
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
Prioritising moments of presence, the modern personal tea ceremony allows time for oneself [no matter how momentary], communing with your inner world, 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.
FOUNDER
Founder Suzanna Lee discovered the art and beauty of 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 profound symbolic freedom from the modern proclivity for stress and lack of peace. From that moment on, loose leaf green tea and subsequently matcha planted itself as a daily ritual.
The years to follow were a culmination of global, meandering, collected experiences of life that almost always involved tea. But it wasn’t until a move to the South Coast with her young family in 2021 to align with a slower rhythm and more balanced way of living, that Wabi Tea emerged as a way to reconnect with the present moment through the preparation and contemplation of a green tea practice.
Now as a mother, creator and student [BHSc.], a tea practice is Suzanna’s daily non-negotiable — a ritual that supports her ongoing quest to find resonance, wellbeing and joy everyday.