Magical Tea
A sure sign you are in a Kundalini yogi's household or in a Kundalini studio is the unforgettable smell of cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom wafting from a pot of yogi tea. This balanced chai tea has many healing properties and tastes delicious too.
Yogi Tea acts as a tonic for the entire nervous system. It reduces tiredness and helps restore mental balance. Yogi Tea is a remedy and preventative measure for colds, flu and sinus problems.
The story goes that when Yogi Bhajan was an officer in the Indian army, he gave his men Yogi Tea to keep them healthy. During a particularly bad outbreak of the flu, as entire platoons got sick, Yogi Bhajan had his men drink Yogi Tea instead of water. Nobody under his command got sick.
Named “Yogi Tea” by Yogi Bhajan’s students, this traditional Ayurvedic chai spice tea was made according to a family recipe Yogi Bhajan brought with him from India. Inspired by the belief in the power of herbs on the body and mind, some of Yogi Bhajan’s students set out to share this delicious tea and created the Yogi Tea Company in 1984.
Below are the spices used to make Yogi Tea and their properties:
Cinnamon: is known to kill bacteria and help prevent infections Aside from working well as an antiseptic, cinnamon can help lower blood pressure and blood sugar. The natural compounds in cinnamon work like insulin to help promote the absorption of glucose into cells. It may also prevent blood clotting and reduce cholesterol in people with diabetes. Cinnamon acts as a catalyst for all the other ingredients. Cardamom is thought to engage the mind and improve memory and clarity.
Cardamom: is good for digestion. It can reduce flatulence and is also beneficial for heartburn. For some people, cardamom activates the appetite. It can help with stomach ulcers and nasal conditions by soothing the mucous membranes.
Ginger Root: Ancient Greeks used ginger as a digestive and to reduce motion sickness. It is found that ginger is effective in the treatment of migraines by reducing the pain. Ginger root has been used to successfully treat inflammation such as rheumatoid arthritis, body pain, lower cholesterol, treat stomach ulcers, alleviate high blood pressure, reduce the severity of the effects of chemotherapy, and ulcerative colitis because of the anti-inflammatory properties. Ginger is believed to aid and repair the digestive and respiratory systems as well as strengthen the immune system. Cloves aid the body in generating heat and can be valuable during the cold and flu season.
Cloves: In addition to the properties that are used for cooking, cloves are also used as remedies for bad breath and tooth conditions. Cloves aid the body in generating heat and can be valuable during the cold and flu season.
Black Pepper: Black pepper contains very potent solar energy, and is a powerful digestive tool. It also activates the plasma and the blood, the nervous system, the spleen, and reduces fat. It is beneficial for chronic indigestion; helps with toxins in the colon, sinus congestion, and can bring about circulation to help warm cold hands and feet.
I recommend making a big batch and keep it in the fridge so you can have a supply for several days.
For 1 gallon of tea:
Boil 16 cups water.
Add 5 rounded tablespoons of Bulk Organic Yogi Tea Mix
Cover and simmer (low boil) gently for 20 minutes.
Add a teaspoon of black tea. Then add 5 cups of milk (almond, coconut etc).
Leave the pot cover off and heat just to the boiling point. Watch carefully to avoid boil over. Strain the tea immediately. This is exactly the preparation method given by Yogi Bhajan for original Yogi Tea.
The minute amount of black tea is considered to activate the cloves in the formula.
The milk is used as a carrier for constituents of the spices. For non-dairy preparation, leave the milk out or replace with non-dairy substitutes.
Large amounts of tea can be made without the milk and black tea and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Heat tea and add milk and black tea when ready to serve.
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