Tea Rituals To Help You Celebrate International Women's Day.

"There is nothing in life that can't be solved by a cup of tea with a friend."

I've been blessed with many amazing female friends throughout my life. When I think about my dearest friends, my memories often involve sharing tea and conversation with them. I grew up in a family that acknowledged the ritual of teatime every afternoon. We started our day with a cup of tea, had tea breaks at 11 o'clock, afternoon tea at 4, and an evening cuppa as my dad read aloud to us.

Tea has always brought me comfort and a sense of stability. Besides drinking regular black tea, I was drawn to herbalism and the magical properties of various herbal tea blends from around the age of twelve. When I was a tiny child, I was obsessed with making potions. I suppose as I have gotten older, tea has become my grown-up potion of choice! I brew different blends depending on the moon phase and my intent.

Sometimes I share these tea potions with women in ritual (Red Tent Ceremonies, women's circles, even at swap parties). A few years ago I was fortunate to participate in a Japanese Tea Ceremony with women I am close with. There is just something so magical, comforting, and quietly powerful about tea! In honor of International Women's Day, I am sharing some of my favorite tea blends with ideas for how you can create your very own tea rituals.

"She would cure people in her neighborhood by going into her garden, plucking a couple of leaves, and brewing teas." --Selenis Leyva

MOON MILK: A delicious milky tea to be drunk before bedtime, when you need a good night's sleep, or wish to engage in Dream Tending activities. You can use your favorite milk as a base (almond, hazelnut, regular cow's milk) and add different herbs. I like lavender moon milk best of all, but there are lots of different recipes available. Here is one I like:

Ingredients:
1 cup milk of choice
1 tbsp. dried lavender flowers
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp sweetener of choice
pinch of Himalayan pink salt
**1/2- 1 tsp healthy additions (such as reishi mushroom, ashwagandha, etc.) if desired.

Add the milk to a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring milk to a simmer, then shut off hear and add in lavender. Allow to steep for a few minutes and then strain out the lavender. Pour into a blender and add the rest of the ingredients. Blend until frothy. Pour into your favorite mug.

RITUAL: After you have your tea, sit in a comfortable place and sip your moon milk. You can use this time to visualize the dreams you wish to have when you go to sleep. The more you work with your dreams, the more you can begin crafting the dream you want. If you wish to engage in a sleepy time ritual instead, just drink your moon milk, savoring each sip. Engage in deep breathing exercise and allow the stress to slip away.

MUGWORT SCRYING TEA

Here's a recipe for a tea you can drink with witchy, wild women friends before meeting in circle for a ritual which helps you boost your intuition.

Ingredients
1 tbsp mugwort leaves
1 tsp peppermint
1 tsp Melissa (lemon balm)

Brew the tea and let it steep for a few minutes. Drink the tea with your women before gazing into crystal balls, choosing tarot cards, or other ritual activities which help you tap into your intuition.

PASSION CHAI

One of my fondest memories is of drinking chai in sturdy white mugs with friends at a festival. It was after midnight and we were shrouded in darkness except for the small bonfires we walked past. The chai tent had silk cushions on the ground and was lit by many candles in glass jars. I grew up making a particular chai recipe, thanks to a family friend from India, but this one experience helped me to see how magical the ritual of making chai can be. Since then, I have refined my recipe, and I drink this tea anytime I am feeling uninspired and run down. This tea helps to spark my passion and creativity. It's wonderful when drunk with close friends, or with a lover. Try to make it and serve it at a meetup with other creatives, like a writer's or painter's group.

Ingredients
black tea
water
cardamom pods
fresh ginger root
cinnamon sticks
milk of choice
sweetener of choice

Place the tea, cardamom, chopped ginger root, 1 to 2 cinnamon sticks in a pot and cover with water. Place on stove and let it come to a boil. Turn down to a lower heat and let simmer for an hour or two, adding water as needed. Strain into cups and add milk and sweetener to taste.

COMFORT TEA

My son and I have been drinking Lavender London Fogs anytime we need that extra bit of comfort. It's the perfect tea to share with a friend who is going through a rough time. Best when drunk on a rainy day.

1 tbsp Earl Grey tea (or 2-3 teabags).
1 tsp lavender flowers
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
milk to taste
sweetener to taste

Place tea leaves and lavender in a pot and cover with water. Simmer for a few minutes. Strain tea into blender. Add desired milk and sweetener and blend until frothy.

REGULAR BLACK TEA

This is my everyday tea, but that doesn't make it any less special. I start my morning by filling the kettle. I place it on the stove to boil and go about making my tea. As I make my tea, I watch the birds at the kitchen window feeder. When I've made my tea, I sit down at the table and spend half an hour writing in my journal--completing my morning pages. Sometimes I make a full afternoon tea with sandwiches and scones too. Regular black tea is the best tea for afternoon tea, or a cream tea. No matter how you choose to include black tea in a ritual, just still your mind and be present. Enjoy every sip. Count your blessings.

Ingredients
your favorite black tea (I use PG Tips as my everyday tea in a mug kind of tea, but if I feel like making loose leaf tea in a pot I use TeaLeaves Co tea or Ithaca Coffee Company English Breakfast).
milk to taste
sugar to taste (I never put sugar in my tea).

I hope you enjoy these tea recipes and suggestions for tea rituals. See if you can connect with your women today, preferably over a cup of tea.

I'll leave you with some quotes about women that I love. Have a blessed day friends!

"A wise woman is never far from her teapot."

"Women are like teabags. We don't know our true strength until we are in hot water." --Eleanor Roosevelt.

"Women are going to form a chain, a greater sisterhood than the world has ever known." --Nellie L. McClung

"A strong woman looks a challenge dead in the eyes and gives it a wink."

"A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture, and transform." --Diane Mariechild.