The Tea Journalist: absurdiTEA | MY BLEND

TEA JOURNAL - Several months back, I was given a bag of loose Jasmine Pearl Green tea from Ten Ren. It was subtle and elegant with a quality of lightness that pleased the senses. No wonder it had that effect, considering the correspondence of jasmine and third eye stimulation.

I have recently purchased a few ounces of Citrus Lavender Sage, a new herbal tea from Teavana which was previously sold as a blend with Oolong with much success, but was recommended to be blended with Jasmine tea. Excitedly, I took this cue and brought it home to mix and match with my preexisting tea collection. The Jasmine Pearl Green from Ten Ren was naturally my first choice.

Close your eyes and picture the ocean for a moment. It is late afternoon on a clear summer's day and the sun has nearly set into the horizon. The sky is still glowing and the waves are gently rolling, crashing softly on to the beach with frothy foam, dampening the sand, and drawing backward in perfect rhythm. You are standing there, with bare toes wiggling in the moist sand, feeling the warm, gentle waves roll over your feet, linger briefly, and gently slip away back to the ocean as a soft breeze cools the moisture left on your feet and shins. Close your eyes and imagine the waves rolling over your feet and feel the peace and calm that comes with this soothing process. Beautiful, isn't it? Are you smiling?

The effect of blending the Citrus Lavender Sage with the Jasmine Pearl Green creates a rolling wave of comfort and calm for the senses. Upon first sip, the gentle rolling wave of citrus and sweet fruits surrounds the taste buds, igniting them with pleasurable warmth. No wonder this is the initial effect since sweet fruits trigger the sexual and creativity center of the Sacral Chakra. The corners of the lips begin to smile as the wave of sweetness subsides and leaves the taste buds with an herbal, cooling sensation. The aroma and flavors of jasmine, sage, and lavender blend nicely into a cool aftertaste much like a breeze blowing over the damp sand of the ocean when the waves return to the sea. Each sip brings back the next gentle, foaming wave, gently rolling over the taste buds and bringing back the warm sensation of summer bliss.

For years now, I have found resolution and solace with my toes in the sand as the waves roll over them and surround my ankles and shins. I find it to be grounding and soothing, comforting and safe. Savoring sip after sip of this blend has given me the same warming hug that the warm summer ocean often does and as I close my eyes and enjoy, I can find myself there no matter where my physical body is. Perhaps what I am feeling is the spiritual effects of the teas' components as they open and activate my energy centers. Sage and Green Tea work in harmony to stimulate the Heart Chakra which is the center for healing emotional hurts. The Throat Chakra is stimulated by the herbal tea which gives the body a sensation of safety and pure honesty. As you breathe out through the nose gently after each sip, constrict the throat slightly with the "hahhhm" sound of the exhale using Ugia Breath. The combination of lavender and jasmine help to awaken the third eye sense of the Brow Chakra which is the center for spiritual truth. Overall, I give the combination of these teas an excellent review.