Zen & Tea Retreat
with Wu De
- Limited availability -
September 7 - 16, 2026
10-day Silent Retreat
with Wu De in collaboration with Casa Cuadrau.
Delve into the ancient tradition that unites Zen and Tea and discover how to live more consciously in your daily life.
- Meditate daily at dawn and dusk.
- Attend tea ceremonies with Wu De and have time for group tea practices.
- Listen to lectures on tea and meditation.
- Immerse yourself in the soothing nature of the Spanish Pyrenees through daily meditative hikes.
- Enjoy this marvelous opportunity to experience a 10-day silent retreat where you need only worry about showing up and following the schedule.
Words from Global Tea Hut
The last years of Zen and Tea retreats at Casa Cuadrau have changed the lives of so many!
Casa Cuadrau is a gorgeous center, built brick by brick with love and light, and going there has become such an important part of our lives that we couldn’t imagine a year without it. It is a part of us now: our sister center, our light and love. Daniel, Katya and the entire staff at Casa Cuadrau understand the meaning of hospitality and the great work of service. The food, accommodations and care are simple, nourishing and held so beautifully.
The hikes in Nature fill the soul with a lifetime of expansive quiet, space, breadth, depth and a deep connection to the natural world all around. The landscapes of this area are breathtaking and hiking every day in silence is life-changing. Daniel is a special outdoor hiking guide, as well. He knows and loves the area and is passionate about sharing it with us.
Activities
Noble Silence
Noble silence is silence of body, speech, and mind. It is not just about abstaining from speech but about cultivating a deep sense of presence, awareness, and mindfulness that permeates every aspect of our being and should be adhered to for the entire duration of the retreat.
Meditation
Any meditation practice is acceptable—from any tradition, so long as it is quiet. But please follow along with meditation instructions whenever they are given in the meditation hall. Formal meditation instructions will be available for those who need them. Meditation is signaled by a gong ten minutes before meditation. Please arrive to the hall promptly.
Tea Ceremony
The tea ceremony in this tradition is one of service. The ceremonialization of tea is an act of service to others through the preparation of tea. Cultivating a meditative mind and brewing tea with your heart are at the core of every tea ceremony. The tea ceremony is about creating a space of equality where host and guest are one, and where we can feel connected to ourselves, others, and Nature.
Tea Classes
All tea lessons are life lessons. It is important to fill and empty our bowls as we receive the lessons and wisdom of tea and then integrate them into our daily lives. These tea classes will cover more practical and linear information about tea in general that will complement the deeper lessons experienced in the tea ceremony.
Meditative Hiking
Meditative walks and hikes are essential practices in our retreats. They are very simple and accessible for everyone.
They help us to understand, through experience, our deep connection with nature. It makes us notice in each step and in each breath, that the energy that exists inside us, is the same as the energy that exists all around us.
Nature is our greatest teacher. Silence and deep listening help us enrich the experience that nature offers.
There will be a daily 90-minute meditative walk in nature, opening the senses and developing mindfulness.
One day will be dedicated to meditative hiking. It is a perfect opportunity to enjoy the wonders of the Ordesa National Park or the surrounding areas.
Facilitators
Wu De
Author and teacher Wu De is a true Chajin (tea person). He has been a practitioner of Cha Dao (The Way of Tea) for over 20 years. He has reached over 100,000 people through his writings, classes, workshops, seminars, and interviews.
Born Aaron Daniel Fisher in rural Ohio, Wu De knew from an early age that his interests lay to the East. His martial arts practice began at an early age, and led him to discover the wisdom locked inside tea leaves when he was a teenager.
Upon graduating from university with a degree in anthropology and philosophy, he moved to India, where he lived and worked in a meditation center for some years. During this time, he prepared tea daily as fuel for his intensive meditation practice, and he laid the groundwork for his later work with tea as a spiritual vehicle.
Wu De then left India to study meditation in Burma, Thailand and eventually Japan. Working closely with a Zen teacher who often used tea ceremonies as a way of conveying Zen wisdom, his insights into The Way of Tea and the ability of tea to convey deep peace were strengthened. After being ordained in the Soto Zen tradition, he began studying gongfu tea under Master Lin Ping Xiang in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Master Lin taught Wu De about how to serve tea with more skill and focus.
Daniel Benito
Co-director of Casa Cuadrau, Dani is a yoga and meditation instructor and mountain guide, as well as an ecological builder.
From a young age Dani felt deeply connected to the mountains and it was in the Pyrenees and the Himalayans where he discovered hiking to be a powerful meditation practice and a way of deepening his connection with nature.
Dani completed his yoga teacher training with Bharat Shetty (RYT 500) and his meditation practice is based on Buddhist teachings, inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh (Zen) and S.N. Goenka (Vipassana).
Duration
The retreat starts on Monday, September 7th. Check-in is from 14:30 to 16:00 followed by orientation, a light dinner, and the opening of the retreat.
The retreat finishes on Wednesday, September 16 at 8:30am after breakfast.
IMPORTANT!!
Try to arrive in Barcelona 2 – 3 days before the retreat to adjust to the time.
Rates
CASA CUADRAU's RATES
Casa Cuadrau is a Social Interest Cooperative Society. This is a sustainable project thanks to a delicate balance between all participants as well as collaborators & facilitators at Casa Cuadrau.
We propose scale rates, where contributions are variable, according to the economic possibilities of each person.
They operate based on trust, solidarity and reciprocity.
Rates vary depending on the type of accommodation:
Assisted: For those in need of financial assistance. This rate is available through the generosity of other retreatants. *Limited availability only in shared dormitory, please contact us to apply for it.
Basic: Covers the essential costs of the retreat.
Sustainable: This rate fully covers the retreat costs and contributes towards facility maintenance.
Generous: in addition to covering the retreat costs, your contribution helps sustain assisted rates, fund future projects to improve our facilities. This is just a reference, the sky is the limit.
Please consider paying the highest rate you can afford based on your circumstances. Thank you so much for supporting what we do!
Scale rates
Casa Cuadrau rates include accommodation*, meals, meditative hikes, taxes and insurances.
| Types of accommodation | Basic | Sustainable | Generous |
| Shared dormitory | 1.600€ | 1.700€ | 1.800€ |
| Double room with shared bathroom | 1.700€ | 1.800€ | 1.900€ |
| Double room with bathroom | 2.100€ | 2.200€ | 2.400€ |
| Single room with bathroom | 2.400€ | 2.500€ | 2.700€ |
| Cabin with bathroom + kitchenette – double | 2.270€ | 2.370€ | 2.470€ |
| Cabin with bathroom + kitchenette – single | 2.500€ | 2.600€ | 2.700€ |
| Suite double room | – | 2.600€ | 2.800€ |
| Suite single occupancy | – | 3.700€ | 3.900€ |
| Without accommodation | 1.350€ | 1.450€ | 1.550€ |
TEA & ZEN TEACHINGS
The teachings and activities led by Wu De are offered on a donation basis.
Minimum donation for teachings and activities is 1100€ per person to be paid in full before the retreat.
*Global Tea Hut staff will contact you by email after booking with us.
Recommendations
Where to fly?
We recommend to fly to Barcelona – El Prat airport.
Try to arrive in Barcelona 2 – 3 days before the retreat to adjust to the time.
Transporatation
The transportation is not included in the rates.
If you are interested we can help you to organize a shared transportation from Barcelona to Casa Cuadrau and the way back, once you have completed your booking.
Departure from Barcelona to Casa Cuadrau would be on Monday September 7th.
- 9:00 am from Barcelona City near Metro Palau Reial
- 9:30 am from El Prat Barcelona Airport T1
For the way back from Casa Cuadrau to Barcelona on September 16th.
- 9:00 h departure from Casa Cuadrau
- 13:30 h approximate arrival time at El Prat Barcelona Airport T1
- 14:00 h approximate arrival time at Barcelona City near Metro Palau Reial
The transportation fee will be confirmed depending on the number of participants interested in this option.
Before coming
Please check the following information:
- What to bring to a retreat
- How to get to Casa Cuadrau (check the link, the best option is Barcelona airport)
- Frequently asked questions