CURRICULUM VITAE
Jake "The Jedi" Jackson
Founder of Steeping Sensei
Overview
Jake, the visionary behind Steeping Sensei Tea, blends a deep appreciation for global tea cultures with mindfulness, performance art, and transformational leadership. With a unique background spanning from Engineering to a Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a minor in Leadership Studies, Jake’s approach to tea goes beyond ceremony—it’s about creating meaningful experiences that foster personal growth, connection, and adventure through the curriculum of Transformational Tea Time. Jake’s vision is for these tea experiences to ripple out through your life, bringing vibrancy and color to places where there is presently grey or red.
Professional Highlights:(2 Minute Read)
Through the curriculum of "Transformational T.E.A. Time", Jake weaves together venue entertainment as well as personal life enrichment coaching, courses, and talks. Integrating adventure therapy, mindfulness practices, and a holistic approach to leadership and success principles into a proprietary blend built just for you.
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Founder and Tea Curator: Jake established Steeping Sensei Tea to offer immersive and transformative tea experiences. This Stemmed from a personal practice of tea and the relationship that formed where Tea became a Teacher and a Transformational Tool...
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Transformational Leadership Practitioner: Drawing from extensive studies in communication, leadership, and interpersonal development, Jake’s Transformational Tea Time brings insights from programs like Gratitude Training and Landmark Forum, helping participants cultivate a deeper sense of self-awareness and motivation.
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3 years of Engineering study, up through advanced physics and calculus, which shaped your understanding of reality and how scientific principles intersect with transformational leadership.
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A decade of mentorship, learning from top-level achievers, blending hard-earned wisdom from multiple domains, including business, wellness, and personal development.
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Action-based philosophy coursework, where your study of applied philosophy and leadership became the foundation for your approach to personal transformation.
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200-hour YTT (Not currently certified) Budokon Yoga Teacher Training and holistic wellness practices, integrating physical, mental, and spiritual growth.
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Six years of coaching experience, helping individuals and groups in practical and theoretical ways, with a strong focus on leadership, mindset, and personal growth.
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Performance Art and Mindfulness: With a background in performance art, Jake integrates mindfulness practices into tea ceremonies, creating a captivating yet tranquil atmosphere that invites reflection and transformation.
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Global Tea Enthusiast: Jake curates teas from around the world, fostering a global tea culture that inspires curiosity and connection, making each tea experience a journey of exploration.
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Event Specialist and Educator: Jake’s expertise in organizing tea experiences at large events and personal gatherings creates spaces for mental clarity, emotional well-being, and community building through tea and mindfulness.
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Adventure Therapy Advocate: By incorporating adventure therapy into tea sessions, Jake promotes emotional balance, stress reduction, and personal breakthroughs, guiding participants toward clarity and transformation.
Curricular Education
(3-5 minute read)
Florida Atlantic University
B.A. in Communications
Amounting to approx. 1,800 hours of real-time classroom experience
Hands on coaching and support from professors.
Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Major)
Curriculum Focus: Interpersonal Communication, Authentic Leadership, ID/Reality Formation
Over the course of my studies in Communication, I have completed the equivalent of 120 credit hours of coursework. My focus areas included interpersonal communication, authentic leadership, and business communication. Through both theoretical and practical applications, I gained expertise in how to effectively communicate, lead, and inspire others in personal, professional, and organizational contexts.
I was also always fascinated with a concept I came to identify as "Intercranial Communication..." You can figure that one out.... This formal education—combined with years of applied practice—has equipped me with the tools and insights to help others communicate with clarity and authenticity. It has also fostered my belief that leadership isn’t just about titles or degrees but about actionable results, integrity, and meaningful connections.
Minor- Leadership Studies
Amounting to approx. 250+ hours and sessions with real leaders in business & institutions
Curriculum Focus: Business & Entrepreneurship | Mentor-Led Development
Throughout my minor in Leadership Studies, I completed approximately 270 to 360 classroom hours covering key topics in business, entrepreneurship, and authentic leadership. This focused coursework provided me with deep insights into leadership principles and real-world applications. One of the most transformative aspects of my education was working closely with mentors, where I discovered the critical importance of mentorship in personal and professional growth.
While qualifications are important, I’ve found that results-driven guidance is paramount. Working with mentors showed me that real-world experience and the ability to deliver results are often more impactful than formal credentials alone. I’ve seen first-hand how mentorship can propel personal and business growth, and I apply this same philosophy in my coaching practice.
Transformational Leadership Studies
Aprox. 1000+ hours
Curriculum Focuses: Identity Formation, Applied Philosophy, and Real-World Hands-On Coaching
In my academic journey, I recognized a significant gap in the curriculum: the power of identity formation and the concept of self. While these ideas were touched on indirectly, they were never fully explored in the classroom. I sought out solutions beyond academia and found them in transformational development work, which became the key to tying my studies together.
I enrolled in Gratitude Training, a program designed to cultivate personal growth and leadership. Though the experience was far from perfect, I took to heart one key piece of advice from my Part 1 leader: “Take the meat for your life, and discard the gristle and bones.” This meant focusing on the valuable insights and letting go of anything that didn’t resonate with me. Following this guidance, I completed:
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Part 1 & 2: Intensive 4-day, 10-hour-per-day workshops.
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Part 3 (Masterful Living): A three-month, hands-on experience working with a coach and team on long-term personal and professional goals.
Though the program had its flaws, I extracted key nuggets from each section that helped shape my unique leadership style and philosophy. Upon graduating from the course, I stayed connected by coaching and supporting other students as a staff member, combining my academic knowledge with real-world application.
After a decade-long break from this work, I reignited my passion for transformation through The Landmark Forum, continuing my exploration of applied leadership and coaching. My experiences have allowed me to develop a unique skill set and approach, blending theory from my formal studies in Communication and Leadership with hands-on transformational practices—addressing the vital areas school doesn’t always teach but that are essential for authentic leadership and personal development.
What We Teach From?
Jake’s innovative framework -"Transformational T.E.A. Time", makes Steeping Sensei Tea a unique and powerful offering. Whether facilitating at large festivals or hosting intimate tea sessions, Jake’s blend of cultural wisdom, mindfulness, and leadership experience plus the arts of performance & speaking provides a deeply transformative journey exploring the nature of Reality & Your Personal Experience.
T.E.A. "Teaching Excellence and Awareness"
Q: How we got to Steeping Sensei and "Transformational TEA Time"?
A: Exploring Ontology: A Personal Discovery
Ontology is part of this narrative, that could position you into breakthrough, as it did for me and many others. It is a personal discovery, an "inner"standing rather than an understanding. This concept complements my academic educations and pervades my practical experiences.
I want to invite you into the possibility that there is a way to weave these ideas into your life - in both your personal and professional journey:
Ontology is a branch of philosophy that deals with the study of being and existence.
It explores fundamental questions about what entities exist, how they can be categorized, and the relationships between them. Ontology seeks to understand the nature of reality, the essence of things, and how they fit into the broader structure of the universe. Essentially, it’s the study of what is—the nature and structure of all that exists.
For example, in the context of personal development or transformational work, Ontology might explore questions like, "Who are we as human beings?" or "What does it mean to exist with purpose?" It delves into the concept of being, how we perceive ourselves, and how our existence shapes our interactions with the world.
While Ontology wasn’t a part of my formal curriculum in 2012, I discovered it organically through my journey of personal development, leadership studies, and transformational work. Ontology, the study of being, has always fascinated me—just as psychology was once seen as an illegitimate science, I believe Ontology holds the key to understanding the foundation of human existence and how we relate to the world around us.
If courses like The Science of Happiness or How to Create Your Success had existed, I would have eagerly taken them, and perhaps that would have been the final course needed for my degree. As I continue to build on what I’ve learned and integrate Ontology into my coaching and leadership, I plan to return to FAU to complete my formal studies by the end of 2025, but for now, I’m working with the vast knowledge and experience I’ve gained through both academic and practical exploration.
Tea Specific Education
Tea Passport - Jai Li - Tea Tell Truth
Completed Part 1 of a 3 part Tea Masters Passport with Jai, a local legend in the tea world with familial roots where Tea first originated in the Yunnan province, China. Tea Tell Truth hand selects and imports tea from their farms in China and engages in Tea Culture Education.
6 Week Tea Ceremony Intensive - The Tea Crane
Completed a 6 week tea course offered by Tyas Sōsen of The Tea Crane. Tyas is an Organic tea sommelier and Enshu-ryu tea ceremony instructor and author of 'The Story of Japanese Tea'.
Work Experience
Atha Yoga - May 2024
Tea Ceremony Service for 100+ people, Mindfulness Zone in the Healing Oasis Tent
Suwannee Hulaween is an annual music and camping festival held over Halloween weekend at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida.
Private Birthday Gathering - January 2024
Tea Ceremony Service for 100+ people, Mindfulness Zone in the Healing Oasis Tent
Suwannee Hulaween is an annual music and camping festival held over Halloween weekend at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida.
Hulaween - October 2023
Tea Ceremony Service for 100+ people, Mindfulness Zone in the Healing Oasis Tent
Suwannee Hulaween is an annual music and camping festival held over Halloween weekend at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida.










