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The summer has brought an incredible vibrancy to our land, and the birds, monkeys, bugs, eagles and other wildlife are all moving with the urgency of heat and humidity. The surrounding mountains are green and lush, filling the heart with a sense of natural abundance. We are indeed provided for. The Earth is still very much alive and in love with Heaven.
Our community is very much about living in harmony with the Great Spirit and all life on this planet. That is health, and anything that helps us achieve that communion is medicine. Tea is a return to the mountains. It comes from there, and whether you dwell in the city or the mountains, it is important to return to that connection - both spiritually and physically by taking actual trips out into Nature. Light and life will meet in our intentional community, providing a chance to work together as a tribe, learning from tea and the land. The mountains of Taiwan are a glorious place to find yourself, and in Miao Li spiritual work catalyzes on its own (call it Daoist Geomancy, feng shui, if you wish.)
Many people ask us what the differences between our current center (Tea Sage Hut) and the new center (Light Meets Life) will be. The main difference is just in the size and the amount of people we can host. These days the Tea Sage Hut is always full, hosting roughly one to two hundred people a year. The new center will be able to house twice that comfortably, and it is definitely our aim to expand a bit (though not too much). Also, we currently need to have two buildings: a main one for guests, classes, meditation, etc. and another for longterm residents to live in since space is limited. The new center, however, will allow us to all live in one location. Finally, there is the most obvious improvement, which is that Light Meets Life is located in the mountains, far away from any noise that isn't plant or animal. This will allow us to deepen our tea practice, to farm our own food and to have an educational tea garden that will have many varietals from around the world, affording guests the chance to process some tea to take home.
We still plan to keep our main building in Miao Li city if there is enough money, as some guests arrive at night and need to be housed. This also allows us to take trips and return at night as well. Furthermore, there is going to be no Wi-Fi or other connectivity at Light Meets Life, so guests that need some connectivity will then have the opportunity to go stay in the town for a day and google to their heart's content.
We have made a commitment to start using the new center as much as possible, as soon as possible; and regardless of when the money for building comes. This means that we have first of all started landscaping the property already. We plan to use the time we have, while we raise this large amount of money, planting trees, clearing up some of the space, running in power and water lines, etc. It also means that we will start camping at the new center this summer. We hope to go there a weekend a month and start sleeping on the property, cooking by fire and drinking tea in the early mornings - using the water on the property, of course. We don't need to have a building to enjoy the community of trees and animals there, and to be uplifted by the surrounding mountains and views. This also starts the center, long before any ground has been broken.
And that is our special announcement for this issue: the new center, Light Meets Life, will officially open this month! Should any of you find yourself Eastward bound, you have but to ask and we can try to arrange a tent stay at the new center, should you find Tea Sage Hut too urban for you (doubtful) or if you just want to be in Nature and/or alone. The unseen doors are open! Come camp with us at Light Meets Life this summer!
Should any of you wish to contribute or have any ideas for ways to help us realize this vibrant dream, please contact us. You can donate at the Center page of our GTH website or send a check to:
Global Tea Hut West 2441 Beverley Ave. #6 Santa Monica, CA 90405 United States
Or contact us for other ways to support.
