Tea

This handsome tea is worthy of all our esteem and veneration because it comes to us from stands of a protected ancient growth tea plants in the Yunnan province of China, all of which range in age from 500 to 2,700 years old. The most alluring aspect of this tea is the deeply penetrating flavor, that is smooth and bit heavy at the finish with a little tannin, and an aroma of hint of rich soil and malt, which is unlike any other black tea on the market. Bold, dark, and inviting; this tea is partially fermented which will appeal to the senses of both the black tea lover and the green tea lover.

This tea has a very distinctive shape: smooth and perfectly flattened along the inside vein of the leaf, the result of highly skilled shaping in a hot wok. This process, known as pan-firing or pan-frying, was perfected in China by tea masters over the centuries and gives the tea an inviting, toasty aroma. Its sweet, rounded flavor with nuances of roasted chestnut makes this a truly satisfying cup of tea. It’s especially refreshing when sipped throughout the day

Named for its resemblance to gunpowder pellets, this type of delicious Chinese green tea is centuries old. Rolled to protect the quality of the tea leaves and preserve freshness, this green tea delivers a full-bodied cup with occasional smoky notes and a lingering citrus flavor.

Hibiscus is the tasty, ruby red tea enjoyed all over the world, especially in the Sudan, Egypt and the Caribbean. Recent research confirms a centuries-old traditional use: Hibiscus tea positively affects blood pressure and cardiovascular health!

But Hibiscus is more than just a popular alternative for blood pressure concerns! It’s a healthy source of naturally occurring bioflavonoids & immune-boosting vitamin C. Blend with Rose Hips and make a tasty “immunity tea” the whole family can enjoy!

Magical: If you use hibiscus herb in your rituals and spells, you can use them effectively to attract love/lust; divination; and dreams.

Promotes Psychic development, harmony

Use in spells to assist in psychic growth and clairvoyance, and to promote peace and tranquility.

White Peony, also known by the traditional name Bai Mu Dan, is a popular style of white tea made of young tea leaves and silvery unopened leaf buds. Our White Peony comes from Zhenghe town in Fujian Province, the original birthplace of white tea centuries ago. Distinguished by being plucked in "budsets" of one or two leaves and a bud, this tea has a sophisticated mouthfeel with a slightly stronger body than Silver Needles. A gentle and slow air-dry withering process results in a brilliant amber infusion with a honey-like viscosity and mild floral flavor with nutty undertones that pairs well with food.

Keemun Congou yields mild smokiness notes with wine-like undertones. The amber-red brew is sure to provide a rich, smooth, and mellow drink. A stronger flavor than Russian Caravan but is also lighter than the bold smoky flavor of Lapsang Souchong Black.

Keemun Congou comes from Qimen County in the Anhui Province of China. This is an area known as "The County of Chinese Black Tea." The area's high elevation and shady climate protect the tea leaves from direct sunlight, making the tea mellow yet rich

The smoky, deep and distinctive Lapsang Souchong originated in China accidentally many centuries ago! Tea was carried by horse in from Yunnan to Tibet and continental Europe, acquiring its signature smoky aroma along the way thanks to exposure to the smoke from the fires burnt for warmth during the cold nights!

Our Traditional Lapsang Souchong Superior is a deeply aromatic leaf, similar to a smoky campfire, yet infuses a cup with a distinctive smoothness, topped off by hints of signature smoked pine.

To create the refined smokiness, freshly plucked leaves are withered over an open fire to infuse naturally, before being pan-fired to slow down the oxidation process and then individually hand rolled. After rolling, the leaves are pressed and stored in wooden barrels, covered with cloths and allowed to complete their oxidation.

Our Traditional Lapsang Souchong Superior smoked tea contains only the highest grade loose leaf black tea, and works well as an accompaniment to savory dishes, as well as being equally delicious on its own. If you only keep one Lapsang Souchong in your tea collection, this superior grade offering would be the perfect pick!

This is a sweetened powder mix that dissolves easily in any drink of choice, so it’s great for making smoothies, milk teas, flavored milk, and various blended drinks. (about 1 Serving per bag)

Ingredients: Non-Dairy Creamer (Glucose Syrup, Fully Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Sodium Caseinate (Milk derivative), Dipotassium Phosphate, Distilled Monoglyceride, Silicon Dioxide), Glucose, Sugar, Matcha Powder, Silicon Dioxide, Artificial Flavoring, Sodium Carboxymethyl, Cellulose

This leaf derives from a female Ecuadorian evergreen tree and is commonly used as a spice called Ishpingo. The Ocotea leaves make a wonderful tasty cup of tea.

This spice is similar in character to cinnamon, deriving from a tree in the same family, however its actual level of cinnamaldehyde is less than 5%, compared to its cousin, at up to 50%, meaning that it is less toxic and less likely to cause skin irritations. When taken internally Ishpingo may help reduce blood sugar levels.

It's aroma is warm and spicy, mentally relaxing, affecting the sacral and solar plexus chakras.

Metaphysical: Purification

Oolong tea represents only 2% of the world's tea, but it's well-worth discovering!

It combines the qualities of dark and green teas, giving it several interesting health benefits, for example, it may boost metabolism and reduce stress, helping you feel great each day!

Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea, it's made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, the same plant used to make green tea and black tea, the difference is in how the tea is processed.
All tea leaves contain certain enzymes, which produce a chemical reaction called oxidation, oxidation is what turns the green tea leaves into a deep black color.

Green tea is not allowed to oxidize much, but black tea is allowed to oxidize until it turns black, Oolong tea is somewhere in between the two, so it is partially oxidized.
This partial oxidation is responsible for oolong tea's color and characteristic taste.
In addition to caffeine, oolong tea contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids and beneficial tea polyphenol antioxidants.

Raspberry leaves are among the most pleasant-tasting of all the herbal remedies, with a taste much like black tea, without the caffeine. Raspberries were said to have been discovered by the Olympian gods themselves while searching for berries on Mount Ida.

Herbalists and midwives continue to copy Red Raspberry’s traditional uses from the Chippewa and other Native American groups: as an effective herbal support throughout all stages of a woman’s life from menstrual discomforts to pregnancy and childbirth.

Red Raspberry is more than just a women’s tonic though, the nutritive herb builds healthy blood (high in iron), soothes gastrointestinal distress and eases digestive discomforts.

Herbalist Hint: Red Raspberry makes a pleasant tasting tea with a black tea like taste and a delicate fruity floral aroma. It blends well with fruity Hibiscus and lemony teas like Lemon Verbena & Lemongrass.

Magical:
Raspberry is served as a love inducing food and the leaves are carried by pregnant women to alleviate the pains of pregnancy and childbirth. Also used for Love and Protection. Raspberry magic is the magic of patience in fertility. First year canes do not produce fruit but are essential to the fertility of the plant, establishing her root system and filling her canes with the strength and energy she'll need. After the cane has weathered a year, she's ready to bloom and fruit. Raspberry reminds us that maturity and proper conditioning are essential to abundant and healthy reproduction.

It is best to be patient, Raspberry councils, when beginning any creative endeavor. Raspberry's thorny canes remind us, too, to be protective of the fruits of our labors. If we truly want to share our work, we would be wise to be picky about who will carry it into the world. Birds, who cover a wide territory and have adapted strong beaks and feet that are undaunted by Raspberry's thorns, are welcomed by thorny Raspberry's canes. Bear, with his delicate claws, thick coat, and wide range is another welcome forager in Raspberry's thicket. Raspberry offers up her bounty knowing her seed will be carried far and wide by friends who have evolved the tools and techniques to pass her thorny test.

Pronounced ROY-boss

Rooibos, is an herb of the mountainous regions of the Western Cape, known as the Cedarberg mountains. It is a member of the pea family, whose name simply means 'red bush' in Afrikaans in allusion to the color of the infusion made from its leaves. However, the tea only develops this color after the herb has undergone a fermentation process similar to that of black tea, which completely changes its flavor. Unfermented leaves produce a yellowish/green tea. The fermentation technique was originally developed by the indigenous Khoi people (also known as 'bushmen'), who introduced white Afrikaans to their 'tea herb' in 1772. Ever since then it has slowly, but surely conquered the taste buds of the general population of South Africa and increasingly around the world.

Commercial production began in 1930, but it wasn't until the dawn of the new millennium that the general public became aware of the fact that Rooibos doesn't just make a tasty brew, but also a very healthy one that lacks the tannin and caffeine of the regular cuppa. The mild flavored, fruity tea is a very rich source of antioxidants, which have many well documented protective health benefits.

Medicinal: In general, Rooibos tea is simply enjoyed as a healthy alternative to regular tea or coffee. However, recent research has shown that it has a number of interesting health benefits. Rooibos is very rich in antioxidants (especially the unfermented type), which help fight the damaging attacks of free radicals and can thus help protect against serious cell damage. Free radicals play a role in the development of cancerous cell mutations. They are also protective against heart attacks and strokes.

Animal studies have shown that Rooibos protects cells against radiation damage (better than green tea) and have also shown a significant protective effect against degenerative brain cell changes in ageing rats.

On the more empirical end of the scale, a South African woman started experimenting with possible health benefits of Rooibos after noticing that it had a calming effect on her baby's colic attacks and also seemed to have a positive effect on allergies.

It was found that it was helpful for irritability, insomnia, headaches and nappy rash. There are also some claims that Rooibos has some protective effect on the liver, but much more research is necessary to substantiate any of these claims.

Magical: Not much is known about the traditional uses of Rooibos among the San and Khoi Khoi people. Modern practitioners may use is for rejuvenation and to promote inner peace. It can also be helpful for dream work.

Sencha is a steamed green tea made from small-leaf Camellia sinensis (tea bushes). Japanese sencha tends to have a refreshing flavor that can be described as vegetal, green, seaweedy, or grassy. Flavors vary with different types of sencha and how they are brewed.

A South American relation of the Holly tree, Maté enjoys great popularity - at least in South America. In recent years that popularity has caught on in other parts of the world as well. The secret to its high esteem are not its looks, but rather to be found in its properties
. Maté is the South American equivalent of Coffee or Tea. Maté bars are as ubiquitous as coffee houses in Europe or North America. But its consumption is far more ceremonious than that of our favorite brown brews.
Mate is traditionally served not in cups, but in little gourds, from which it derived its name (Mati was the name of the gourd, which in time attached itself to the herb itself). The gourd is half filled with the cured and cut Maté leaves and topped with hot (not boiling) water. The resulting tea is sucked through a 'bombilla', a metal straw that ends in a kind of sieve, which prevents the leaves from clogging up the tube.
Maté contains less caffeine than coffee, but more than black tea and is a hugely popular stimulating beverage. It first became known in the West via the Jesuits who learned about Maté from the Guarani Indians of Paraguay. They tried the tea and liked its effect - so much so, that in the early days it was also known as 'Jesuit tea'. Today, worldwide demand has risen dramatically and Maté plantations have been established to meet the demand.

Medicinal Uses:
Maté tea is an effective, refreshing stimulant, which can be drunk as a substitute for Tea or Coffee. As an effective nervous system tonic it refreshes the mind and enhances memory, while combating fatigue, nervous exhaustion and stress. It also counteracts certain types of headaches and depression. In Western herbal medicine it has been used for attention deficit syndrome. Maté is rich in vitamins and amino acids an can suppress appetite, a property which has made it a popular choice in certain herbal weight-loss formulations. In South America it is used as a blood cleanser and antioxidant, immune system stimulant and anti-inflammatory agent. Its anti-inflammatory properties rely on its ability to stimulate the production of cortisone.

CAUTION: Contains Caffeine

Magical Uses:
The Guarani Indians consider Maté one of the most important herbs the creator God has given them. It is widely used in ceremonies to facilitate clearing the mind to focus on the ritual. It is almost always used in healing rituals as a base for other healing herbs. Guarani shamans sometimes use this herb to achieve a clairvoyant trance. It also plays a role as an aphrodisiac.