Program overview
This cohort invites you into a sustained, thirteen-week exploration of tea through the lens of Ayurveda. It is not a clinical programme; rather, it offers a framework for understanding how Chinese teas — with their distinct terroirs, processing, and energetic qualities — can harmonise with your unique constitutional balance.
You will begin with a personal dosha assessment, facilitated by your cohort lead, Chen Hui Yi, who brings decades of experience in white, green, and yellow teas. Together, you will identify whether vata, pitta, or kapha predominates, and you will learn to recognise the sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic qualities present in different infusions. This foundation sets the tone for each subsequent week.
From week two onward, the programme pairs a new Chinese tea with an Ayurvedic theme. A morning session might pair Bái Háo Yín Zhēn (白毫银针) with a discussion of sattva and clarity, while a grounding afternoon might involve Shú Pǔ’ěr (熟普洱) as a tool for settling vata. Every week, you will receive a curated 25 g sample of that week’s tea — enough to brew daily and to revisit as the cohort unfolds. Brewing guidance comes with each shipment, and the cohort’s private space on tea.community allows you to share your experiences, tasting notes, and questions.
Chen Hui Yi leads live video sessions that blend theory with practice. Each gathering includes a guided tasting, a look at the tea’s origin — perhaps the rocky slopes of Wuyi or the misty gardens of Junshan Island — and a discussion of how its processing influences its effect on the doshas. You will also be guided in simple pranayama and asana sequences that support the tea’s intention, drawn from the material we host at tea.yoga. In weeks dedicated to yin yoga and rest, sessions may be recorded so you can practice at times that suit your own rhythm.
Outside the live calls, you can explore the broader world of Chinese tea through our sister sites. tea.school offers deeper courses on production methods, while tea.energy provides daily inspiration for crafting your own tea rituals. Tools for the cohort — gaiwans, sharing pitchers, and temperature-controlled kettles — are available through tea.equipment, should you wish to refine your brewing setup.
The cohort’s pace is deliberately gentle. There is no urgency to master every concept; rather, you are encouraged to return to the teas and themes week after week, noticing how your perception shifts. By the final week, you will have assembled a personal Ayurvedic tea journal — a map of which teas best support your digestion, your meditation, your morning practice, and your rest. The cohort closes with a shared tea ceremony, a ritual of completion that honours the thirteen weeks of study and the community that has formed around the teapot.
Whether you are a long-time yoga practitioner, a student of Ayurveda, or simply someone who loves tea and wants to understand it more intimately, this quarterly offering provides a structured, beautiful container for your exploration.
Week by week
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Week 1 — Bái Háo Yín Zhēn (白毫银针). Foundations: introduction to Ayurvedic constitution and tea energetics, dosha assessment.
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Week 2 — Shú Pǔ’ěr (熟普洱). Vata-pacifying teas: warmth and earth for grounding, selecting ripe puerh to calm the nervous system.
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Week 3 — Lóngjǐng (龙井). Cooling infusions for pitta: green teas and their sattvic qualities, managing heat with gentle bitterness.
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Week 4 — Mí Lán Xiāng (蜜兰香). Kapha-balancing: aromatic oolongs to enliven and clear, using fragrance to lift energy.
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Week 5 — Bìluóchūn (碧螺春). Breath and tea: integrating pranayama with light, clarifying infusions, morning rituals.
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Week 6 — Lǎo Shēng Pǔ’ěr (老生普洱). Yin yoga and aged teas: deep stillness with mature sheng, letting go with aged energy.
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Week 7 — Jūn Shān Yín Zhēn (君山银针). Morning sadhana: yellow tea as an offering to the day, cultivating sattva at dawn.
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Week 8 — Zhèng Shān Xiǎo Zhǒng (正山小种). Seasonal harmony: aligning tea choice with ritu (season), smokiness and warmth for vata season.
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Week 9 — Dà Hóng Páo (大红袍). Kindling agni: roasted oolongs and post-meal rituals, supporting digestive fire.
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Week 10 — Shòu Méi (寿眉). Sattvic sweetness: white teas for clarity and purity, gentle infusions for meditation.
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Week 11 — Tài Píng Hóu Kuí (太平猴魁). Meditative infusions: tea as a vehicle for dhyana, long leaves and slow brewing.
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Week 12 — Tiě Guān Yīn (铁观音). Integration week: crafting your personal Ayurvedic tea practice, balancing all doshas.
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Week 13 — Xià Guān Shú Pǔ’ěr (下关熟普洱). Ritual of completion: sharing tea and insights, closing ceremony with community.
What’s included
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Personal dosha assessment and Ayurvedic tea constitution guide
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Thirteen weekly 25 g curated Chinese tea samples (one per theme)
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Weekly live guidance and tasting sessions with Chen Hui Yi
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Recorded pranayama and asana sequences designed for each tea
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Access to a private cohort space on tea.community
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Digital Ayurvedic tea journal template and weekly reflection prompts
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Discount on teaware essentials at tea.equipment
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Lifetime access to all session recordings and written materials