Winter Tea Ceremony: Honoring Our Roots, Welcoming New Light

Join Winter Tea Ceremony by Yuna Lee, a Korean tea ceremony practitoner.

💫 Registration is required through Santa Barbara Yoga Center.
👉 Visit sbyc.com/upcoming-schedule to sign up.

($55 Early Bird / $65 Day of )

No tickets will be issued through Eventbrite. “Free” option here is informational only.

This 60–75 minute Winter Tea Ceremony is inspired by Darye, the Korean tea ritual rooted in sincerity, presence, and reverence for those who came before us. In Korean tradition, tea is not only a drink. It is a quiet offering, a way of remembering lineage, and a gesture of respect toward our ancestors and the lives that made ours possible.

For this gathering, I serve Woojeon (우전), one of Korea’s most treasured green teas. Harvested just before the spring rains, Woojeon is made from the earliest, most tender buds of the season. Its brief harvest window, hand-picked leaves, and delicate processing create a tea known for its purity, gentle sweetness, and exceptionally clean, refined finish qualities that mirror the intention of this ceremony: clarity, humility, and deep listening.

Wearing traditional Korean clothing and using handcrafted tea tools, I prepare each round of tea with calm, intentional care. In Darye, the way tea is prepared and served is an act of honoring—not only the guest, but the ancestors whose wisdom, resilience, and sacrifices continue to flow through us. Each movement becomes a quiet acknowledgment of continuity: past, present, and future held in a single bowl.

The ceremony unfolds through three to five rounds of tea, each accompanied by a brief meditation and journaling prompt. We begin by honoring our roots—our ancestors, family lines, and the unseen support beneath our lives. From there, we gently reflect on what winter invites us to soften, release, and tend with compassion. We close by welcoming new light, setting intentions that carry ancestral wisdom forward into the season ahead.

Through mindful sipping, shared silence, and quiet contemplation, this ritual offers a space to slow down and remember where you come from. You may move forward with greater steadiness, gratitude, and renewal.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Yuna Lee