Purifying, Strengthening Tea

For a vessel I like to use a “salsa” jar – one of those clear, cylindrical 16 oz glass jars that one finds non-refrigerated-type salsas in.

Pour in hot, pure water to about an inch below the rim.

Add a little less than one teaspoon or of roasted barley. The kind I find locally in the bulk herbs section at a natural foods store is the whole grain, not ground as I would prefer, but that’s ok. I think with the whole grain you need to use a little bit more.

Add a slight bit less of roasted dandelion root. I source mine from the bulk herbs section also.

Add a pinch of roasted chicory root. Again found in the bulk herb section at the local natural foods store. Chicory is strong so only a pinch is needed.

Now here is the amazing twist: The above formula is for what might be considered a kind of coffee-substitute. But now its time to amp it up: To the foregoing mixture add few pieces of sliced Panax (a.k.a. red or Chinese) ginseng. The pieces I have are nickel-sized.

Cover the jar with a small, round ceramic dish if you have one and let steep for about 20 minutes (or even longer).

Notes: It would perhaps be even nicer if the Panax were powderized since the slices don’t really exude all their nutrients when steeping. That is why I usually prefer to just chew the slices.

My “regular” ginseng is American ginseng which is usually less expensive and less speedy. Luckily in my city there are a number of excellent Chinese herb stores where I can get a half pound for around $35.

American ginseng is the ultimate stress herb. I’m often under a lot of environmental stress and sometimes the acute stress feeling after exposure to some harmful incident almost feels like a burning. The one thing I know that counteracts this enormous stress is American ginseng. Actually its not the only thing: There is one other, highly important thing that is essential.

That essential thing is to tell myself, to believe, to know, and to commit myself to overcoming the stress, to tell myself that, no matter how great the stress may be, I am greater. I am more than it.

The stress – always caused by human ignorance – is something that may affect one for a while. But it will pass. Ignorance always consumes itself. Darkness always consumes itself in the end. Its important to understand that, fragile though we are, we are also stronger.

This may seem like a paradox in some way, that we are at the same time fragile and strong, but it is true. Being sensitive is a source of strength. Most people could not handle it. The way the human physiology adapts to chronic stress is to become shut down and impaired, and that is exactly how many if not most are. It is no surprise therefore that we have a society based on dysfunction and now a planet that is increasingly dysfunctional at alarming levels.

Its important to not let anyone or anything ever fool you about what is really strength and true power. Those who are weak are always busy grasping at and making displays of “power”. But true power is a type of inner strength that is content to just be. While others are busy going up and down in their cycles of attachment and suffering, one just quietly goes about living day to day, grounded, balanced, peaceful, and strong.

That is the type of person that this special tea mixture is for.