The Sydney Tea Meetup

This Valentine’s season, we invite you to honour the most essential relationships in your life — the one you hold with yourself, and the ones you cherish with those you love.

Join Carol and Cenk for a special Valentine’s collaboration: TEA CEREMONY + SOUNDBATH: The Art of Energy Cultivation — a heart‑opening journey designed to soften your inner world, awaken deeper presence, and reconnect you to the quiet, steady love that lives within and between us.

Whether you come alone or share this experience with a partner, friend, or loved one, this ceremony offers a space to deepen connection — to yourself, to each other, and to the energy that flows through all things.

In this 2-hour journey, Cenk will guide you through a sacred Tea Ceremony—an invitation into stillness and noble silence. With each bowl of tea, we enter a deeper inward journey, allowing the practice of mindful sipping to gently unfold an inner landscape of presence and peace. As we sit together in reverence for tea as medicine, we cultivate a profound connection to ourselves, to each other and to nature. We steep in the stillness of tea, we prepare the body and spirit to receive the healing vibrations of sound.

Immerse yourself in the healing resonance of Soundbath with Carol, where sound becomes medicine for the soul. During this sound healing journey, let the gentle vibrations of the clear quartz crystal bowls and wind chime to wash through the body—calming the nervous system, releasing stagnant energy, and restoring inner harmony. As the tones ripple outward, they invite deep rest, emotional clarity, and a renewed sense of spaciousness. It’s not just relaxation—it’s energetic recalibration, attuning you to a higher level of frequency.

Following the ceremony, we’ll enjoy light refreshments and gather in a sharing circle—an opportunity to reflect, integrate, and honour the timeless wisdom of these two ancient, complementary practices.

Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras) is the day before Lent begins on the Catholic calendar. It is traditionally celebrated by eating lots of fatty foods, pancakes being the item of choice.

Come celebrate Mardi-Cha with me with a pancake brunch and a cup of tea. Gram serves sweet and savoury souffle-style pancakes (including matcha and Earl Grey flavours) and Japanese tea lattes.

Cost: each person pays for their own meal.

Celebrate the year of the Horse by immersing yourself in this interactive workshop by local artist Jayanto Tan. Experience elements of Indonesian tradition including stories, songs, and food, then learn to make your own clay art.

"This community activity is inspired by family gatherings when my mothers, neighbours, family, and friends got together in the kitchen while sharing stories, singing, dancing, cooking, drinking tea, and laughing whilst busy preparing food for the Lunar New Year celebration." – Jayanto Tan

What you'll need:

• Bring your own tea cup to participate in the tea ceremony
• All other materials are provided

Experience the art of the traditional tea ceremony with Topotea. This experience offers a unique opportunity to appreciate the beauty and ritual of this ancient practice in the tranquil setting of the gardens.

• 1.30pm: Meet the group
• 2pm: Demonstration
• 2.30pm: Tea Tasting

Location of the tea ceremony within the garden is not yet confirmed. Let's meet at the Dragon Wall at 1.30pm and then make our way to the demonstration.

Free with garden entry ($12 adult; $8 concession)