Meet Lindsey Higo | Rocky Mountain Chado Founding Member & Urasenke Tea Practitioner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lindsey Higo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lindsey, what do you want people to remember about you?
Speaking for myself I would say creating a welcoming community. I think it’s so vastly important that in doing the work to practice and preserve anything you love, in my case a traditional cultural art you always keep a link to community members and future generations.

An active community is the legacy we are striving for. A group that continues to thrive after myself and other founding members are gone. Creating something that is welcoming, holds space for all types of learners and members and remains active no matter who is at the helm is what I want to leave behind. As individuals I think being remembered fondly as someone who built the foundations for the community is great, but also making sure that you gave it the energy and freedom to grow and flourish beyond you is the best remembrance you could ask for.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Rocky Mountain Chado is an organization that at its core is still growing. I think we stand out because Japanese Tea has for so long had almost an invisible barrier that limits how people feel they can interact with this traditional practice, or that it is something too precious or beyond reach. One of the key pillars of Rocky Mountain Chado is to welcome all people who are interested in Tea and meet them in a way that engages and does not exclude anyone.

We got where we are today by starting as “Tea with friends”. If you are practicing outside of Japan, it can be a very isolating art form as instructors and fellow practitioners are few and far between. Even here in Colorado we have members from as far south as Durango, and all the way up to Fort Collins. Some have lessons with a local teacher or others like myself, globally where an instructor is available to us virtually. We really took to heart the need to bring new comers and continuing practitioners together on a regular basis in person so that no one ever feels they are doing Tea “alone”. It started with planning events out of the private spaces in our homes, and networking as individuals to hold demonstrations with schools and other places, like the Denver Botanic Gardens.

I think the biggest challenge outside of getting everyone in one place is bridging the gap in the larger public’s mind of what Tea is. A large cultural interest in Japan from Westerners at one point coined the practice with the term “Tea Ceremony” and while the practice does have ceremonial aspects, the phrasing of “ceremony” excludes so many and makes it feel like something sacred and off limits, if you are not of Japanese heritage or not already in the community. This is simply not true. There certainly is a core value of respect and reverence for the traditional arts, the Japanese people and their history and the practice of making tea but it is not something that is only to be done on the most special of occasions or for a certain rank or person. There is always an occasion for Tea and it is welcome to all who come to it with an open mind and heart.

Part of our organization’s mission is to take this mindset of opening Tea up as a practice and experience to more people in our community at large in an approachable and tangible way. It is great to talk about it to people we meet, but that needs follow up with a chance for people to experience it for themselves, not just see the tools in a museum display or walk past a tea house that is gated and closed off. I think while it’s still a learning curve, by being a unified organization we can work together to open those gates and spaces for Colorado.

That being said, this year and into 2022 we are extremely excited to be working in consultation with Naropa University to restore a traditional tea house on the campus. Having a shared community space that is welcoming to all outside of practitioners homes and can be used for everyday practice, events and as an education tool is something we have longed for and we are on the road to seeing that realized, and that’s extremely energizing as we continue the work ahead.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Colorado is amazing in every season and has something for everyone. A big component in Tea is the inclusion of nature, so finding seasonally appropriate flowers, local foods and seasonal events is a big part of a gathering. If you want to have a trip to Colorado with a “tea mind” here would be my suggestions.

To See: Absolutely visit the Denver Botanic Gardens, it’s such a rich green space in the heart of the city that has gardens of all types. Including a large Japanese garden and tea house that is cultivated and curated using native plants which makes it extra unique.

To Do: Take a hike. This could be anywhere as close as Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater, get a picnic basket and concert tickets, make a day of it. Or going west on I-70 into the mountains and the expansive state park trail network. Taking time to spend with nature and the outdoors can be refreshing and fulfilling and give you some quiet time to appreciate and think. It might even be fun to join in a hiking group or meet up that does a contemplative practice like yoga or meditation in Colorado’s open spaces.

To Eat: The foodie culture is big, especially in the Denver area, in the city center a regular spot that is a favorite for Japanese food is Domo Japanese Country Restaurant. The interior is so carefully curated and feels like a traditional Japanese home and they also have a beautiful garden to eat outdoors, another big thing Coloradans love. Beyond that, I of course would recommend to explore all the neighborhoods, but if looking for traditional or a variety of Asian food choices Aurora or a cruise down Federal is a great place to get lost in with lots of small family owned spots and where lots of rich food cultures co-exist and overlap.

To Learn: The Denver Art Museum has such an expansive collection, including several displays of tea related items and it’s easily accessible no matter the time of year.

To Hang Out: Dive into the cocktail and brewery culture. All of Colorado’s major cities all have excellent breweries to grab a pint and so many have everything from lawn games to trivia. When travelling it’s great to find a spot that makes you feel like a local, and I don’t think I’ve ever set foot in a taproom or bar here that has made me feel anything but. Unique names, flavors and always a friendly face you can’t go wrong. Some personal favorites, Denver Beer Co., Golden Moon Speakeasy, Arvada Tavern and B&GC in Cherry Creek, or climb the tucked away stairway up to the Cooper Lounge at Union Station, really the options are endless.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My fellow tea practitioners all over Colorado and a bit closer to home my fellow founding members of Rocky Mountain Chado TJ DeZauche and Dario Aranguiz, who are working with all of our members and friends to make something cohesive and lasting in ways that go beyond, “meeting with friends”.

In addition to us all continuing this lifelong practice with our teachers and mentors, TJ, Dario & I are working to build bridges with existing cultural spaces like Naropa University in Boulder, CO, Denver Botanic Gardens and Metro State University to bring Japanese Tea to more people in the front range region than ever before. Tea does not happen solely on the actions of one person, it is a shared experience with conversation, interaction, learning and engagement, and I certainly couldn’t do it alone.

Website: www.rmchado.org

Instagram: rockymtnchado

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1847216548644052

Other: Email at: rockymtnchado@gmail.com

Image Credits
Brandon Iwamoto Andrea Becker