The Way of Tea : A Winter Wellness Retreat
A Winter Invitation to Slow Down and Reconnect
The Way of Tea is a four-day winter retreat for people who want to step away from the pace of daily life and give their attention to something deeper. Before arriving at Bask, guests read Kakuzō Okakura’s The Book of Tea. Together, we’ll use its ideas as a starting point for conversation and journaling, then explore them through tea, movement, and time in nature.
Planned experiences include guided meditation, qigong, a Japanese tea ceremony, sensory walks, plant ecology, a native-plant kusamono workshop, and nourishing shared meals. There will also be generous time to rest, reflect, or simply be still, with an optional sauna and cold plunge experience.
With no more than 20 guests at each retreat, there is room for meaningful conversation and personal reflection. No previous experience with meditation, qigong, tea ceremony, or retreats is needed.
Who Is This For?
The Way of Tea may be especially meaningful for people who:
- Feel overstimulated by technology, information or the pace of modern life.
- Want practical ways to support greater calm and nervous-system awareness.
- Are interested in Eastern philosophy, meditation, qigong or tea culture.
- Feel restored by thoughtful conversations and the exchange of ideas.
- Are curious about the relationship between plants, people and place.
- Find the winter months physically or emotionally challenging.
- Want to develop a deeper relationship with seasonal rhythms.
- Are drawn to both scientific inquiry and contemplative practice.
- Long to experience nature as something more than scenery.
- Want to leave with practices they can continue at home.
No previous experience with meditation, qigong, tea ceremony or retreat participation is required.
Led by Owen Reich
Master Gardener and Owner of Bonsai Unearthed
Owen is the Owner and Operator of Bonsai Unearthed.
His specialties include Bonsai, Aesthetic Pruning, Japanese Gardens, Bonsai Instruction, Plant Propagation, and Sourcing of Rare and Unusual Plants.
Owen is based in Nashville, Tennessee and is the Master Gardener on staff at Bask Retreat Center.
What's Included
Tea, Attention, and Reflection
The Book of Tea Salon
Read Kakuzō Okakura’s The Book of Tea before the retreat, then bring your questions and reflections to a facilitated discussion and journaling session.
Japanese Tea Ceremony
Take part in a guided tea experience centered on presence, humility, and hospitality, with the understanding that all who enter the tea space are equal.
Meditation with Hap
Explore attention, awareness, perception, and your relationship with the present moment through guided meditation.
Nervous-System Practices
Try accessible peripheral-vision and grounding exercises that can support awareness and help you notice how you respond to your surroundings.
Journaling and Integration
Use guided prompts to connect the retreat’s experiences and consider which practices you would like to continue at home.
Movement and Winter Rhythms
Qigong
Move slowly and intentionally, bringing breath, attention, and the body into conversation.
Winter Rhythms
Reflect on the physical and emotional experience of winter and explore supportive habits around light, movement, rest, and connection.
Contrast Therapy — Optional
Experience the sauna and cold plunge as an opportunity to notice sensation and respond mindfully. You can also choose a quiet seated sensory practice instead.
Plants, Place, and the Living Land
Sensory Tea and Nature Walk
Walk the land with attention to the senses and the season, with an aged pu-erh tea experience along the way.
Plants Across Place and Culture
Explore related plants found in East Asia and at Bask, including their botanical compounds, traditional uses, and ecological relationships.
Hügelkultur Swale Work
Take part in creating and improving a hügelkultur swale while learning how it can support sustainable food production and wildlife habitat.
Kusamono Workshop
Create a living arrangement with native plants while learning about traditional kusamono display and the principles of heaven, human, and earth.
Time to Nourish and Rest
Nourishing Shared Meals
Gather around seasonal meals and enjoy the simple pleasure of eating together.
Spacious Personal Time
Leave room in the day to walk, rest, read, journal, observe the land, or simply be still.
Schedule & Pricing
- Arrive: Jan 14 | Feb 25
- Depart: Jan 17 | Feb 28
- Retreat fee: $1200 + Accommodation
- Lodging: Additional and booked separately
- Group size: Limited to 20 guests
- Location: Bask Retreat Center, Middle Tennessee
How to Book
- Click the button on this page for Reserve Your Space
- Select your accomodations, and click Book Now
- Add this retreat to your selection
- Follow the prompts to add your info and payment details
Your Turn To Receive
Your feet hit the floor, and the day begins before you have had a moment to breathe.
As a woman, you lead, nurture, and pour yourself into the world. With so many expectations and demands competing for your attention, it can become difficult to tune into you: your body, your inner voice, your joy, and the parts of your life that are quietly asking to be renewed. A timeless symbol of renewal and grace, the delicate white lily carries a gentle reminder: after seasons of giving everything to everyone else, it is finally your turn to bloom.
Over This Restorative Weekend, You Are Invited To:
- Rest deeply, entirely free of guilt.
- Reconnect with nature's quiet wisdom and return home with new insight and a renewed sense of self.
- Nourish your mind, body, and spirit through delicious meals, restorative yoga, reflection, and community.
- Celebrate the magic of womanhood within a soft, supportive sisterhood.
- Trade notifications, expectations, and constant motion for birdsong, creativity, and room to breathe.
The Invitation
Remember Your Magic
This is not about changing who you are. It is about remembering who you have always been.
The retreat will balance guided experiences with spacious personal time. You will be invited to participate at your own pace, listen to your body, and choose what feels supportive. No previous retreat, yoga, or meditation experience is required.
This Retreat Is For Women Who:
- Are ready to trade notifications for birdsong and make space for fresh creative energy.
- Miss the version of themselves that felt light, playful, and fully alive.
- Are ready to exhale the overwhelm and release the feeling of never being enough.
- Believe that slowing down does not mean falling behind.
- Are moving through a personal, professional, or relational transition.
- Long for deeper connection with themselves, the natural world, and other women.
- Want to attend alone, with a friend, or with someone they love.
Can I Attend Alone?
Led by Aylin Ozgener
"I am listening to my inner wisdom and the integrated energies of life to lead White Lilies. This is an 'invitation' and an 'initiation' for women seeking their purpose. This will empower you for your highest calling."
A Women's Nature Retreat Near Nashville
A Space To Come Home To Yourself
What's Included In White Lilies Retreat?
Schedule & Pricing
- Arrive Friday, November 13 at 3:00 PM
- Depart Sunday, November 15 at 11:00 AM
- Retreat fee is $960 per person
- Lodging is additional and booked separately
Beautiful Accommodations
White Lilies Journey FAQ
