The Art of Gong Fu Cha

The Art of Gong Fu Cha is an invitation to meet tea through rhythm, presence, and attentive practice. Guided by D’Guar of Water Fairy Tea, this session explores the foundations of the Chinese gong fu tea brewing methodology, the setup, the flow, the intentional aspects, and the way each pour reveals the living character of tea.

Together we will learn how to brew with awareness, how to listen to the leaf, and how to let the practice itself deepen our relationship with tea. This class is welcoming to all levels and offers a gentle space to build skill, confidence, and a meaningful tea practice.

Hosted at Enthea Tea House, this offering brings together the spirit of Water Fairy Tea and the grounded heart of the teahouse for a shared experience of learning and connection.

This gathering is offered with a suggested contribution of $35. In the spirit of inclusivity and balance, you are welcome to offer what feels right for you, whether that is $35, $25, or more if you have the means. Contributions above the suggested amount help support those with financial need and sustain the care poured into holding spaces like this. Every offering, financial or energetic, affirms the value of community supported education.

We acknowledge the systemic barriers that have historically limited access for BIPOC communities. To honor this truth, a $15 option is available for BIPOC participants who would benefit from it. This is one way we commit to equity and accessibility, ensuring that diversity is not only welcomed but essential to the richness of the experience.

If the listed prices are still a barrier, please reach out. I am always willing to work with you so that tea remains within reach for anyone who feels called to share in it.

All are welcome here. You are invited to arrive exactly as you are and take part in a space rooted in openness, care, and community, a living space where your presence is valued. Together we will grow through the shared beauty of tea, reflection, and connection.

To help us hold a mindful and welcoming space, we ask participants to be considerate of sensory sensitivities by avoiding strong fragrances. This space is held with gentle awareness, where we honor our own needs as well as the needs of others. By arriving with openness and respect for each person’s boundaries, we create an atmosphere where meditation, tea, and queer belonging can flourish.

In the spirit of reciprocity and collective uplift, five dollars from each participant will be donated to Q Center, a nonprofit offering essential resources, community programs, a gender affirming closet, and support for LGBTQ2SIA+ communities. Through this offering, we honor tea’s spirit of connection, reflection, healing, and belonging.

This gathering is guided by D’Guar (they/them), a trans person of color, tea guide, and community weaver based in Portland, Oregon. Their path is rooted in exploring the depth and spirit of Camellia sinensis through mindful practice, conversation, and shared ritual. Through Water Fairy Tea, they cultivate spaces where tea becomes a bridge into presence, nature, and belonging, and where every session invites participants to meet tea not just as a beverage, but as a living companion in personal discovery and collective care.

We acknowledge that this work takes place on the traditional lands of the Multnomah, Clackamas, Chinook, Kathlamet, Tualatin Kalapuya, Molalla, and many other Indigenous ancestors and communities. We honor their enduring presence, care, and wisdom, and offer gratitude to the land and to the people who have tended it since time immemorial.