Tea is deeply personal.  It can also be very sociable.  It’s to be brewed with the upmost care to detail.  The water.  The heat.  The correct ratios.  The kettle.  The gaiwan.  Or you do like me who is in a hurry because Threes Company is about to start.  Boil tap water and pour over carefully crafted Pu erh.  Camellia Sinensis.  We’re not talking Lipton lemon, or any of those other “teas” that we can all buy at Saveon.  We’re talking about teas that are to be respected.  White, Green, Black, Oolong, Pu erh, and the incredible Kombucha that The Healing Tree brews themselves.  Teas that were hand picked in small batches, nurtured with nothing but sun and water, and rich soil.

Tea can be both light and invigorating or dark and heavy.  Its all in the processing.  Its also about what you prefer, your state of mind, your present mood, and what you wish to gain from a cup of tea.  In the morning a heavy or dark tea is appropriate whereas in the afternoon a white or green tea is refreshing.   In the evening an herbal, like camomile or Tulsi, will prepare you for a good nights sleep.  Teas possess both culinary delight and medicinal properties.  There is enough historical data and modern medical and scientific studies to support the healthy effects that tea has on our mental and physical state.  Yet, despite all the claims about tea, the number one reason we drink tea is because it is delicious.  Same goes for anything in life, we do it because we like it.

In this brief video, we go beyond flavor to discuss how concepts of Taoism are infused in the tea culture.