Tea and Spirituality: Ayurveda and Tea

Ayurveda is the complete knowledge for long life; it originated in India during the Vedic Period (somewhere in the second millennium B. C.).  The word is derived from two Sanskrit words: āyus which means “longevity” and veda which means “science” or “knowledge.”  It is still prevalent today as a form of alternative medicine.

Ayurveda involves a lifestyle revolving around meditation, exercise, massage, dietary recommendations and daily and seasonal disciplines.  In Ayurveda, the physical and mental health of a person is controlled by three Doshas or energies (Vata, Pitta and Kapha).  Any illness that affects a person is the cause of an imbalance between these three Doshas.  One way that Ayurveda deals with these illnesses is through…you guess it….tea!  Ayurveda teas are specially mixed with difference herbs and fruits that can aid in memory retention to digestion.  These formulas are created to help fix the imbalances caused by everyday living.

Another way of looking at Ayurveda is through an old legend.  During the Vedic period, humans had spent most of their time and energies in deep meditation, only subsisting on the prana (vital energy) of sunlight and breath.   One day a piece of tar fell from the sky.   A curious bystander ate it and became seriously ill as well as indigestion.  Lord Brahma administered hot water to his patient as a cure.  All was good.  The moral of this story is that hot water gets the energy moving faster.  Thus drinking hot tea gets things flowing!

Sounds cool, no?  Mind you, there is no scientific study that backs this form of healthcare as a sure way to cure your ailments; it should not be a replacement for proven healthcare.  However, tea is still good for you so drink up!