may 2025
dear friends,
as may unfolds into a vibrant bloom, i'm excited to share some of what's blossomed within me and our potential gatherings on the horizon
april reflections
highlights ✨
- practiced breathing, very mindfully, on a 2-week retreat in michigan
- recorded a podcast reflecting on my experiences during a march loving-kindness retreat
- completed a boiled tea course and lovingly mended a sidehandle pot with kintsugi, i'm feeling excited to share a new brewing method this summer
recent reading
- Zen in the Art of Archery (4) – quite a beautiful dive into the zen arts, super applicable to tea
- Right Concentration (2.5) – another pragmatic book on the jhanas, although about half of it is a scholarly dive into the suttas that isn't too interesting
- currently: China Root – an interesting etymological dive into the taoist roots of ch'an/zen
big gratitude to: 🙏
- Louisa for the amazing feedback around right speech and power dynamics
- Max for the generous gifts and shared passions
- Hap for the depth of acceptance, wisdom, and occasional heartbreak
upcoming gatherings
i'll be traveling from may 27th to june 5th for a retreat. any tips/suggestions for Portland?
yoga & tea
wednesdays, may 7th, 14th, 21st (9:00-10:45am)
where movement meets stillness: gentle yoga flowing into tea
louisa's home | sliding scale $10-25
half-day sesshin
saturday, may 3rd (10am - 2pm)
three periods of meditation followed by a light lunch and tea ceremony
my home | donations welcome
gongfu water experiments
sunday, may 11th (2-4pm)
an exploration of different waters and their effects on tea
my home | donations welcome
what's blossoming in your world? 🌱 simply reply to join any gathering or share your own story
con mucho amor,
nicho