 Ahhh winter. Tis the season of death and decay.
Not what you were expecting? Hear us out. Winter is the time of releasing life, allowing trees to go dormant, preparing for new life. This is a time that the forest honors where it came from, the life it has lived, and the prospect of a new life to come. We don’t think about it, but that is what human beings do as well. For some, this comes in the form of a resolution: “This year, I will _______” usually translates to this year, I intend to shed this old habit. While we do not condone forcing yourself to change and set inextricably high goals that will fall by the wayside come March, we do invite you to go inward and see what you’d like to shed. What aspects of your life need to die off in order for you to prepare for this new year? For your new life? We had the opportunity this week to lead a workshop on release, in which participants formed flower mandalas, practiced restorative yoga, drank tea, and contemplated the year. For those who were unable to join us, we would like to share some of the themes of this workshop and present you with a ritual that you can perform at home to release this year. Flowers release their petals when they are dying, shedding their old selves before they go to seed and set the groundwork for next spring. Not only is this process completed to close out one life in exchange for another, but those petals also help provide the soil with nutrients for those brand new seeds. The flowers decompose, re-enter the earth, and provide sustenance for their successors. Their energy is transmuted, just as our emotional and spiritual energy can be. Ritual for death and rebirth this winter What you’ll need: -Petals from a dying flower (please don’t remove them from a healthy fresh flower. Wait until your bouquet releases these petals on their own or visit a florist for some recycled petals that have already been used in an arrangement and are destined for the trash) -Bowl of water -Paper -Writing utensil
Whatever we seek to achieve or embody this coming year requires that we make space for it. This ritual, and many like it, will help us to create that space within ourselves. The new year is an easy time to perform these rituals as change is all around, but ties can be cut and healing can occur any time.
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 Before saying anything else, we want to clarify that we know how to spell! Magick spelled with a “K” at the end is used when referring to ritual magic, as opposed to stage magic. It can be spelled without the “K” and hold the same meaning, but this difference in spelling is often used to delineate ritual magick within text.
Now that we have said that, we can talk about tea! Different herbs and teas have been used throughout time in religious rituals, spellwork, meditation, and other routines. Different ingredients are thought to bring certain qualities or luck to the drinker. Ingredients may be associated with different seasons, elements (earth, air, fire, water), or with different ruling planets. Knowledge of these associations can help when selecting a tea with intention. Although there are innumerable combinations and magickal correlations, we are only going to lay out the ingredients and descriptions of the teas at Curiositea Wellness currently. Daydreamer Peppermint- Ruled by Air and Mercury. Used for protection in travel, dreams, and money. Lavender- Ruled by air and Mercury. Used for dream work and intuition. Cacao- Traditionally used for love, and as an offering to calm a sacred space. Vanilla- Ruled by water and Venus. Used for luck, prosperity, and love. As a blend, these elements come together to enhance your manifestations. Create a calm space with the cacao. The peppermint and lavender aid in reflecting upon your dreams and tapping into your intuition to decipher what about your dreams you most desire. Allow the vanilla to bring you luck and make your dreams a reality. Sweet Slumber Chamomile- Used for insomnia, cleansing, and purification. Lavender-Ruled by air and Mercury. Used for dreamwork, intuition, and peace. Vanilla- Ruled by water and venus. Used for luck, prosperity, and love. It is no secret that this blend was created to help you sleep. Both lavender and chamomile have been used medicinally for insomnia and anxiety. The combined magickal elements of these two ingredients will help to clear the mind and bring the drinker to a peaceful state. The vanilla is there to enhance good dreams and fill them with love. Moonbeam White tea- Lunar magick, divination, and reflection. Rose- Highest frequency flower. Ruled by water and venus. Brings harmony. Cardamom- Ruled by venus and water. Aids in intimacy, love, and insight. White tea has often been used in conjunction with lunar magick. This appropriately named white tea blend may be the perfect addition to moon rituals, especially if you are reflecting on matters of the heart. Both rose and cardamom are ruled by the planet, Venus, named after the goddess of love. Cosmic Chai Black tea- Used to bring courage, strength, and energy. Cinnamon- Both a fire and air element. Used for money, patience, and love. Cardamom-Ruled by venus and water. Aids in intimacy, love, and insight. Clove- Earth element. Used to banish evil, attract friendship, and bring prosperity. Ginger-Ruled by Mars and fire. Used for health and optimism. Black pepper- Ruled by fire and mars. Used for fearlessness and motivation. Containing elements of fire, water, air, and earth, Cosmic Chai is a balancing motivator. The black pepper and black tea leaves are the initiators that help get you moving. The ginger and cinnamon keep you optimistic and patient, as any work worth doing will probably require both of those traits. The cardamom will let you revel in your success, while the cloves keep you grounded and protected. Although these are the historic uses and magickal properties of tea, you should know that they may affect you differently. If your body moves right past the caffeine in Cosmic Chai, and goes straight to feeling warm and sleepy, embrace that magick that you have created uniquely for yourself. Throughout life we will each find our own lucky charms, rituals, personal magick. Take whatever comes to you as you need it!  If you haven’t already integrated tea into your meditation practice, you should really start! You are already preparing and drinking tea, so you won’t need a lot of extra time for these meditations. You will need a little extra mindfulness! Start by mindfully choosing a tea. If you know that caffeine easily affects you or causes anxiety, it may not be the best choice for an evening meditation or a grounding meditation. If you are trying to bring more energy and focus into your day, however, a caffeinated tea may be perfect!
Prepare Your Tea Meditation does not require sitting still with eyes closed. Meditation can involve doing. As you prepare your tea, try to be completely present in the process. Don’t listen to music, have the TV on, or look at your phone. Rid yourself of distractions and entertainment for the few minutes it takes you to heat the water, steep the tea, and add any sweeteners or creamers to the tea. As you give your full attention to the task at hand, notice any thoughts that come up, but don’t dwell on them. Return your thoughts to the task at hand if your mind wanders. If there are periods of waiting, ground yourself by bringing your attention to the tools you are using. Hold the mug in your hands and notice its color, texture, weight, etc. If you are not drinking your tea on the go or with a meal, see if you can maintain this presence while drinking the tea. Stir in Your Intention When you have finished steeping your tea, remove the bag or steeper. Add any sweetener or creamer that you enjoy in your tea, and then use a spoon to stir the tea three times. During each full circle that you make while stirring, speak your intention aloud each time. Then tap your spoon on the side of the cup three times before setting it down. If you don’t like adding anything to your tea, you can still stir it. You can also speak your intention aloud into the tea without stirring it. Bring your cup up to your mouth, take a deep inhale and full exhale. As you drink your tea, contemplate your intention for the day. Take Your Tea with Gratitude Even if there are distractions, you can make your tea drinking a mindful practice. Try thinking of something that you are grateful for with every sip that you take. There is not a set number of sips, and thus there is no set number of things to be grateful for. Not having a list, a set number, or goal will help you to stay present. Gratitude has been studied extensively by neuroscientists, and has been shown to steadily change our brains over time and increase overall happiness even when circumstances have not changed.  As you may already know, tea is the second most popular beverage on earth. There is always something new to learn about it! If you are a casual tea drinker, looking for a little more information, allow us to share with you the bare necessi-teas.
When you are picking a “tea”, you are most likely picking the same plant with a different harvesting and cultivating process. This magical plant is called Camellia Sinensis, which is commonly found in India and China. If you grab an herbal tea, though, you’re getting just that- HERBS. Good ole’ Camellia won’t be in these blends. White Tea White tea is harvested the earliest from Camellia and gets its name from the little white hairs that grow on the buds of the unopened leaves. It is usually harvested during the early days of spring. Each baby leaf is plucked and dried right away, leaving no time processing. It is considered the most delicate of Camellias. Notes: fruity, floral, sweet, delicate Green Tea The process for green tea is slightly different, yet it shares a commonality with white tea- no oxidation. Oxidation is the process by which the teas are dried, withered, rolled, and treated with heat. Since green tea is not oxidized, it maintains many of its amazing components: minerals, tannins, antioxidants, and that awesome color! The leaves are plucked and heated by steaming or pan frying. It has more caffeine than white but less than the darker teas. Notes: sweet to earthy Oolong Tea Oolong (often pronounced “wu-long”) leaves are semi-oxidized. Because of this, it displays characteristics in-between green and black teas, including varying caffeine levels. The leaves are rolled, pan fried, and oxidized one or many times depending on the processor’s desires. Notes: light, nutty, grassy, floral, robust Black Tea Black tea is the most oxidized of Cammelias. The dark color comes from this oxidation process, which occurs before heating and drying. Black tea has the highest caffeine content of these teas as well. Notes: earthy, malty, citrusy Herbal Tea Ahh herbal teas. Personal favorites of ours (mainly because we have a hard time choosing a favorite and there are SO many options here). This type of tea does not contain any part of Camellia Sinensis. It is a blend of varying plant parts (eg. roots, leaves, flowers, fruit). This doesn't mean it can't have caffeine, though! Notes: dependent on herbs included in the blend! Rooibos Tea Many place rooibos in the herbal tea category. Rooibos, AKA “red tea”, comes from the Aspalathus linearis plant, which is found in South Africa. The leaves are withered, rolled, oxidized, and dried which turns the leaves into the traditional red color. This tea is full of antioxidants and contains no caffeine. Notes: woody, sweet, spicy Yerba Maté Yerba Maté is also placed in the herbal category. Unlike most other herbal teas, though, this one packs some serious caffeine! Found in Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil, this tea is high in antioxidants and is a great mood and energy booster! The leaves are picked and immediately exposed to heat to slow oxidation. They are then crushed, dehydrated, and stored for up to 24 months before being milled. Notes: Earthy, strong, bitter Within any one of these categories you will find even more varieties, with increasingly specific methods of harvesting and producing the final product. If you try a tea, and don't immediately like it, consider looking into its origins and seeing if another tea in its family would better serve you! |
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June 2023
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