Health Advantages of Tea

Do not believe we are simply what these eyes can see.

….Now we are music together,

sharing one cup and an armful of roses….

Let the beauty we love be what we do! --Rumi






I’ve quit drinking coffee. Yes, I've finally done it. How, you ask? It was obvious I needed to stop. My body was not responding, and I was requiring more to get that warm buzz, and I could tell I was ruining this Gift I've been given, which is my physical form! Strongly put, you say? When's the last time you have thanked your body for breathing, for walking, for seeing and reading? I hadn't in a long time, and now I do.

As a result of this new-found gratitude, I’ve switched to tea as a form of comfort and soothing as I go through my daily routine. It's better for my body as it doesn't throw my pH out of whack as coffee did. That wasn't all though. I had another reason to quit coffee: As a metaphor for life, I want to show my children how to cultivate manners and etiquette through the form of tea time. When they get older and raise kids of their own, I want this time to be a positive memory where they learned to act out their imagination and learn social grace with whomever they choose to keep company.

Studies show that green tea contains antioxidants, fighting off free-radicals in your body. Depending on which tea you choose, if you have an ailment, a custom blend may help ease your pain, or heal you altogether. For as long as easterners have been drinking tea, a leaf from the stevia plant has been included. Stevia is a natural sweetener and has been found to not affect insulin levels in diabetics, and when used on it's own in a tincture it's been touted as a healing agent and an agent to keep infection away.

Another advantage to drinking tea over, say, soda is the effects of warm liquids vs. cold liquids on the body. Warm tea opens the valves in the body more and aids in digestion and cleansing in the body during detoxification. Cold fluids tend to restrict body response and take more energy from food breakdown during digestion. Besides, there's just something so soothing to drinking warm tea.

For my personal gain, however, I am curious about the culture of tea in the Orient. In China, the Buddhist tea ceremony could spur a form of Grace through mindful routine. By mindful, I mean down to the way one stirs their tea. Check out these two forms of teatime, and see if you can't help but embrace some of the ideas brought out by these two cultures!

Check out a charming interpretation of the history of tea here.

Tea Ceremony History

The evolution of the Tea Ceremony mirrors the growth and importance of tea within Chinese culture. In the beginning, tea was cultivated and used solely as herbal medicine mostly within temples. Monks began to use tea to teach a respect for nature, humility and an overall sense of peace and calm. In fact, the spirit of the Tea Ceremony is described as he, jing, yi, zhen which translates to peace, quiet, enjoyment and truth. Monks felt they could illustrate deep philosophical concepts through tea service. It is for that reason that the underlying philosophies of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism blend together through the Tea Ceremony. Over time, people recognized the health benefits of tea but also its overall enjoyment. Tea ceremonies could be seen in memorial celebrations for both emperors and family ancestors.

The first written account of tea ceremonies was during the Tang Dynasty over 1200 years ago. The term to describe the serving of tea was initially called cha dao or the way of tea. Japanese monks traveling through China during this period began to learn tea and tea culture. After bringing this knowledge back to Japan, tea ceremonies evolved in Japan as it blended with Japanese culture resulting in the well-known Japanese Tea Ceremony and is still called cha dao. Although cha dao originated in China, many felt a new term was needed to distinguish between Japanese and Chinese tea ceremonies. In 1970, a Taiwanese tea master Lu Zi Kuang coined the term cha yi or art of tea, to represent current Chinese tea ceremonies.

There are six major aspects to consider when performing a Tea Ceremony. The following is a summary of both the technical knowledge and subtle skills for a successful ceremony.

1. Attitude – The attitude of the person performing the ceremony should reflect both a happy and confident demeanor. The performer should exude a calm and relaxed manner to create a peaceful and enjoyable tea ceremony.
2. Tea Selection – There are many considerations when selecting the right tea. In addition to fragrance, shape and taste, the tea should have a beautiful story and name.
3. Water Selection – The best quality tea leaves will have poor taste if bad quality water is used. Therefore, select pure, light and clean water to ensure a wonderful tasting tea.
4. Teaware Selection – It is important to select the correct teaware for brewing your tea leaves. In addition, allow your participants to fully appreciate the teaware by selecting both useful and beautiful items.
5. Ambiance – A peaceful and calm environment can be created with a clean, comfortable and quiet room. Artwork can be used to enhance the overall atmosphere of the space.
6. Technique – The basic skills for brewing tea are needed but also a graceful manner reflected through hand movements, facial expressions and clothing.

Teatime in Tibet

“Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis
on which the world earth revolves - slowly, evenly, without
rushing toward the future. Live the actual moment.
Only this moment is life.” -Thich Nhat Hanh

Tibet's Tea History

The Chinese had introduced tea to Tibet by the dawn of the 9th century. Tibet's rugged climate and rocky terrain made cultivation of their own plants difficult, so tea had to be imported from China via yak caravan. The long, tiring journey into Tibet by yak took nearly one year and was threatened not only by the dramatic terrain of some of the highest mountains in the world, but by tea-seeking thieves and pirates. To keep up with the high Tibetan tea demand, nearly two to three hundred tea-laden yaks entered the country daily.

Tea became so popular in Tibet and the surrounding areas that it was used as a form of currency. Compressed tea was a common form of payment for almost anything, and workers and servants were routinely paid in this way.

Traditional Tibetan Tea
Traditionally, Tibetan tea is made by boiling the leaf for about half an hour before passing the liquid through a strainer made of horsehair (sometimes today made of plastic) into a long wooden container. Traditionally, yak butter and salt are added to the tea and churned until emulsified. These additives help replace the fat and salt lost by those living in the high-altitude regions of the Himalayan Mountains. Younger generations of Tibetans sometimes drink a variation of Indian Chai.

A Tibetan Staple
Tea remains a Tibetan staple, with per-person consumption of up to 40 cups or more daily. Tibetan etiquette dictates that no guest should go without tea and that his or her cup can never be empty.