The Creation of 'Soothe Me'
Usually my teas are inspired by someone who moves me deeply. I often reflect, how can I give something back to this soul? 'Soothe Me' is no exception to this. I had a beautifully vulnerable man approach me, hearing of what I do with tea blends purely through word-of-mouth. I could feel his uneasiness in speaking about what he considered a flaw... He told me of his extreme anxiety. That he was on medication for it, however needed a brew to just settle his nerves.... something he could enjoy before going to bed..... Now this gentleman was already doing yoga classes to assist his mind and was making beautiful progress in allowing opening to take place with a lovely teacher and friend of mine, Shanti Meera of Aum Unlimited Yoga. My teas are a tool for self-help. I recommend breathing in a relaxed way- see my blog on Finding your own Tea Meditation Finding-Your-Own-Tea-Meditation as a good starting point.
So, coming out from our meeting I felt the need to create a blend to soothe this soul. He was asking to be soothed before bed. Here's what I came up with:-
Organic red rose flowers was the ingredient that came through first. When you smell them it's delicate sweetness is like a hug from a beautiful feminine woman. Rose is known to create self-love and is a mild aphrodisiac (no wonder Cleopatra used it)! So, it acts as a little pick-me-up, a sweet subconscious scent which lingers in the sinuses and filters through to the mind....
Lemon balm, which was used throughout Europe thousands of years ago to relax the 'mind and spirit'- assisting to calm anxiety and promote healthy sleep patterns, is also proving effective with graves disease and other auto-immune diseases linked to thyroid problems- for more information go to www.herbwisdom.com .Not only does it calm the mind, but it shows how connected the mind is to the stomach and digestive abilities of the body by also soothing those areas. Clearly, Lemon Balm is a 'super herb' and forms the backbone of this brew.
Brahmi, a well known ancient Ayruvedic herb, is included not only for it's earthy, grounding effect and flavour, but also it's positive effects on the brain. It is brain medicine! Scientists are studying Brahmi's impact on increasing the regeneration of brain cells and returning balance to chemicals within the brain. They are having positive results with reducing the impact of Alzheimers Disease, minimizing effects suffered during the chemical imbalance of Schitzophrenia, and also is being studied with it's positive effects on Parkinson's Disease, due to Brahmi's effect to increase cell formation in the brain! For more information on this, read www.globalhealingcenter.com.
Spicy Cassia Chips (cinnamon) was not only included to balance the flavour of the rose flowers, but also to balance the mind and assist with focus. This herb has been known to assist an individual to focus for thousands of years, and is also used in Ayruvedic medicine.
Clearly, this blend is a powerful brew, but is mild enough to be used with most medications (still consult your Doctor if on medication). This 'Soothe Me' blend is perfect for taking that moment to regenerate and renew a tired and anxious mind. Slow down. Enjoy the aroma, the feel and the taste of 'Soothe Me'.