by TeaLady on May 19, 2011
There is something that I don’t always talk about, but is a pervasive and identifying part of the Take Charge Tea experience. Aside from the food value, the medicinal benefits, and all the social implications of purchasing and drinking this ethically sourced product which is a labour of love there is another level of energy exchange occuring. The main reason this brand is called TAKE CHARGE TEA was the hope to educate and enable people to begin thinking about how they can TAKE CHARGE of their own health. But, being a real fan of wordplay and homonyms (you may have noticed that my main domain name is “maidenkanadah”) we have another meaning behind the name. That is to signify the quartz crystal point which is contained in every bag of Take Charge Tea.
These crystals are charged with Reiki energy and infused with the healing intention of the recipient only “for the highest good” and if the recipient allows. What this expression means is that sometimes the “highest good” is not the temporary measure we seek conciously but for the best in the long run. This of course is something only an individual’s higher self or higher power can conceive and determine. Overall, the energy of thought given to these crystals which go home with hundreds of people each week is healing. Healing is not Curing. They do not mean the same thing at all. Sometimes it is “healing” for a person to go through a particular ailment or difficult time….in the long run. Healing can also mean bringing some relief. It often leads to “curing” however it is not the ends but the means. This is why energy is so non-quantified; because healing is unique to each individual.
The common denominator seems to be gentle relief. Gentle relief is what we experience when we use herbs, and if the condition is more dramatic we need to drink several pots of “gentle relief” to feel and enjoy the effect.
The crystals are believed to store and amplify thoughts and visualizations. So, the instructions on the label encourage one to take the crystal and use it. Think about and visualize, and “feel” the state you wish to achieve. You will then have a little boost from the Reiki infusion, the amplification of the quartz crystal, and the personal will power that you have taken the time to create; thus taking some personal responsibility for the manifestation of your own state of physical or emotional health. Take Charge with tangible nutrition from the herbal teas, and with the power of thought using the crystal provided. Or just collect them for sun catchers. No harm done. If you have a belief system that is deep and true and which does not allow the use of crystals for healing, the reiki will not be activated because it has been sent out with the intention of healing only where welcomed by the user. It will just be a pretty clear rock to you. A collectable, like what used to be in the Red Rose Tea boxes in the 70’s. Does anybody remember those?
by TeaLady on February 5, 2011
Herbed Red Rice Medley
A wholesome crunchy rice dish that is high in iron, B-vitamins, protein and EFAs. It can be served as a salad or as a hot side dish or as a main lunch dish:
Cook 1 cup of brown rice and 1 cup of red rice with 3 cups water and a 1/4 cup of butter and a half teaspoon of salt in a rice cooker or over stovetop.
Sauteé in butter: one diced zucchini, one red pepper, 2 tomatoes, handfull button mushrooms and one onion.
Add tablespoon of oregano, teaspoon of garlic powder and a half cup of dry Take Charge Tea (nettle/mint/stevia).
Add cooked rice to crunchy sautéed veggies and herbs and stir into a big metal bowl or serving dish with a half cup of shelled hemp seeds
by TeaLady on November 5, 2010
Countless people approach my booth at the market and love the taste of my tea. They enjoy hearing about the different qualities and nutrition of each. Then they get a disturbed look on their face or even a flash of panic. “Do I need some sort of special “tools” in order to make this?”. Well, I try to make it as simple as possible when speaking about it, but there are numerous options.
The first thing I used when I started drinking loose tea was a 4cup measuring cup and a hand strainer; one that was about the size of the top of my cup and mesh. It wore out so I moved on to the tomato strainer. I had a couple of teapots but found them tedious to use and wash. But then I discovered the little tin teapot with the built in strainer in Richmond Hill when there visiting my Nonna. Every chinatown has them. They are $14.99 and sometimes on sale for $9.99. Shiny and easy to use and easy to clean because the basket is BIG and so the tea leaves don’t get caught in the spout like my old ceramic ones. The next time I went down I bought another. We drink a lot of tea around here and may go through 2 or 3 pots before we do dishes.
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by TeaLady on July 17, 2010
Herbfest was started Fifteen years ago by a small and intimate group of ottawa valley herb enthusiasts and small businesses. There were caterers, body care products, oils and vinegars, medicinal salves, and lovely household decorations like swags and wreaths. This group made it their mission to bring the beauty and
wonder of herbs to the general public in the Ottawa area. Herbfest became open to the public, inspiring the imaginations of creative souls who loved using herbs. They planted community gardens and brought experts to town to speak at dinners and conferences. The Herb Garden was lovingly tilled, sowed and rooted in such a way that we can all enjoy its allure and bask in the spiritual beauty and physical bounty. Our esteemed host, The Herb Garden, is a tourist destination like no other in the Ottawa Area.
Every major city in the world has gardens to visit, and Ottawa is no exception. The Herb Garden is a unique destination and a site rich with landmarks and historical virtue. Today we are lucky to live in a city that has grown tremendously, now encompasses The Herb Garden, and is the home to many successful health and wellness entrepreneurs who employ all sorts of creative ways to use herbs. Herbfest became the most enchanting gathering, with an exaustively wide ranging collection of visionary enterprises relating to herbs, health, and well being.
This annual event boasts an unbroken record of successful midsummer Sundays and an uncanny immunity to bad weather. Except for the occasional 10-
minute shower, Herbfest has NEVER been rained out. Last year when it rained in Ottawa and Stittsville, it did not rain on the Herb Garden. As such, this year we hope to find a way to get the word out to the public about The Herb Garden weather via Facebook, Twitter or local radio stations. Find us on Facebook as “Midsummer Herbfest” and check updates about programming and weather reports.
There has been a lot of talk about how Herbfest has grown and morphed into a larger and more varied event that may appear to have lost the primary focus of herbs. Nothing could be further from the truth. Please read on and be assured that this has not been the case. Loyal herbfest attendees have been supporting this event for well over a decade and they can be assured that the integrity of the herbal focus is strong. There have always been herbal vendors with a herbal focus. If the numbers of them have dwindled recently, the reason has been an evolution reflecting the individual herbal vendor’s personal journey. Yet, as a grass-roots non- profit event, Herbfest has a committee that is in touch with the participants and with the guests. We have heard the call for more Herbal
content and I am excited to announce that this year’s herbfest will be a profusion of herbal workshops and products likes of which you never thought possible!
The herb of the year is DILL and our talented chefs will pull out all of their culinary tricks to impress the judges with the flavour of Dill in a dish. You will not want to miss this. There will be herbal cheeses being sampled by a local cheese
sommelier, and the chef cook off will be MC’d by a local wine sommelier. We are grateful and honoured to have confirmed Grandmother Alma Lo as our “herb walker” and so try to be on time for one of the informative strolls through the flora and learn. We have two demo tents where you may find discussions, presentations and workshops on herbal first aid, herbal lore and magic, and herbal meditation. The herbal labyrinth is always open for meditative walks but we will have a guide offering a presentation and a group labyrinth walk. Of
course there will always be the herbal tea tasting table; the garden fairies will be frolicking around spreading their magic, and our line-up of talented musicians will feed your soul through your ears with non-invasive but uplifting melodies. We have an annual army of 70 volunteers who love to come and make this special day tic toc without missing a beat. In addition, we are sponsored by The Table; a vegetarian restaurant that is the Ottawa cornerstone of good local vegetarian eating and fine community involvement. Watch the facebook page or the website for updates about our guest authors as we have some exciting plans still to be confirmed.
ETA: Guest author is Diana Beresford Kroeger!!!! a local hero… botanist, gardener, and author of “A Global Forest”. follow the link to see a clip from her documentary series “Recreating Eden” i’ve linked you to the clip from this episode of “recreating eden”. My heart swells when i watch it. i can’t wait to meet this woman and buy her book: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xawq_eQRpyo
Herbfest really is an event like no other, and the offerings described do not even begin to cover the circle of friends, the sense of community and the captivating aura and energy of the gardens and the whole site.