Erica's work reflects the wild poetry discovered in forests & along tidelines. She gives ode to Nature through her offering of tea ceremony, her originally-designed LoomBound Journals, and by empowering others through workshops and skillshares. She is a freelance Graphic & Website Designer based in Hot Springs, SD, and is currently designing at For The Wild and Loam.
Erica began her tea practice in 2007.
She’s poured tea in the deep of the forest,
on secluded islands, in churches, in barns,
to the rhythm of crashing waves,
and on mountain tops.
The intent is to sit, to sip, to listen
to a quiet that longs to be heard,
to discover a refuge of stillness
in a world so quick to move.
She offers two types of ceremony
(ChaDao and Forest Tea)
and is devoted to supporting and empowering
others in their individual tea journeys.
Adapted (with blessing) from traditional Japanese Chanoyu. This ceremony has migrated out of the formalized tea house and into the realm of the public for the purpose of allowing greater access to all as a path of awakening to the present moment. The roots of this ceremony stretch from Japan into the ancient forests of China providing a rich, multicultural lineage to guide us along the inner pathways of spiritual cultivation. During the ceremony, guests witness the preparation of ryaku-bon (tray) tea and will receive a bowl of hand-whisked matcha accompanied with a tea sweet. It is a beautiful ceremony for integrating into wedding & anniversary celebrations or honoring life transitions & blessing ways. This ceremony is intimate and can serve up to 5 guests per session. The ceremony was passed to Erica by Hilary Sati Walker, a student of Asha Greer, artist & founder of Lama Foundation.
Influenced by Taoist Chinese tradition. Erica serves loose leaf tea using either a side-handle pot or gaiwan. The profile of the particular tea chosen for the session is revealed through a succession of pouring. This ceremony is highly adaptable and can serve up to 13 guests per session. It can be integrated into weddings, a friendly gathering, or a grounding meditation to begin small events events and retreats. It is also a wonderful ceremony for a forest or beach destination. Erica was introduced to this way of tea by the flourishing tea community along the west coast, and through Global Tea Hut.
In Forest Tea, each guest receives a bowl of organic, ceremony-grade Matcha (powdered leaves of green tea) and a tea sweet.
In Chado ceremony, the tea may be served in multiple infusions with a wider variety of loose leaf options including herbal blends, green, oolong, red, purple, black and pu'erh. Erica serves organic, 'living' teas that are full of vitality and grown, harvested and processed using ethical, sustainable methods.
∞ WEDDING
For the morning of; during the wedding, or for the reception
∞ SPECIAL EVENT or GATHERING
New Moon, Full Moon, Blessing Ways, Small Gatherings, Retreats & Workshops
∞ TEA HIKE
Enjoy a private tea session in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Available May-September depending on weather.
Questions or to book a ceremony, email Erica.
