Drawing Down the Mind
Aquarius season is here, and I’d like to share a few thoughts about what that means, and how it can relate to herbs, wellness, and your daily tea ritual.
Under the stewardship of Aquarius, the current skies are brewing up an overarching vibe of intense intellectual creativity, and ushering in powerful energies of idealism, innovation, authenticity, and curiosity. This month, we will have the opportunity to test out and build upon the organizing structures we put in place during Capricorn season, but with an emphasis on challenging norms, busting up areas of stagnation in our perception and life, and evaluating our beliefs in such a way that that we can both recognize and embrace the limitless possibilities that lay before us. Aquarian energy calls us to dream big; express ourselves in an unvarnished, authentic way; think in out-of-the-box, innovative ways; use our energy for personal and cultural transformation; and commit ourselves unwaveringly to the principles of freedom.
Conversely, we may notice ourselves struggling more this month with an urge to escape, rebel against, or transform situations or concepts that feel limiting to our self-expression or sense of freedom. Ultimately, Aquarian energy helps us push forward the evolution of self, culture, and planetary community in a way that serves the highest and common good, and raises collective consciousness.
According to astrological herbalism, the sign of Aquarius corresponds with the lower legs and ankles, blood circulation and the venous system, the electrical currents of the body, and the oxygenation of the blood. Aquarius is a fixed air sign, which means its energy is intensely intellectual. It has a penchant for stirring up mental restlessness, and pushing the mind into states of over-stimulation, tension, and fatigue that also contribute to nervous depletion and emotional disengagement, and a tendency to self-isolate.
This all said, our wellness focus this month is the cultivation of mental calm and heart-centeredness. We choose plant allies that specifically connect the mind and heart, and provide a deep sense of grounding, nourishment, and strength to the heart and nervous system. Additionally, it is important to utilize herbs that provide gentle circulatory support, that nourish the blood, and that support mental clarity, focus, and healthy brain function.
Happily, our Aquarius blend is formulated with plant medicines that are ideally suited to the Aquarian sun, moon, and rising signs, as well as anyone wishing to be more in tune with the energies of Aquarius season. Reishi mushroom and astragalus root help ground and center the highly sensitive and analytical Aquarian, while hawthorn and goji berries help build strong blood, and improve circulation and heart health; St. John’s wort and passionflower help stimulate feelings of connection, empathy, and love; and ashwagandha and gotu kola help soothe nervous overstimulation while helping tone the vagus nerve, balance para- and sympathetic nervous function, and boost mental clarity.
And last, but certainly not least, Aquarius is built on a foundation of two very special dark teas: the first is a rare and distinctive black tea that comes from 200-400 year old wild tea trees. These ancient trees are tall, gangly, not particularly attractive—yet, captivatingly authentic, and resolutely themselves. This wild black tea has a distinct, unapologetic self-expression when translated into the cup—a vivid aroma of grilled stone fruit and white flowers. The second tea is a beautifully balanced, yet complex oolong whose super power is drawing us in, demanding our attention as our mind works to sort through its taste layers, and the ways they interplay with notes of goji, hawthorn, astragalus, and reishi.
In this way, a mindful tasting process can become its own kind of ritual, or gentle meditation, offering us a bit of mental respite and restoration.
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