Tea, healthy nourishment for the body that also lifts the spirits!

The history of tea and its expansion across China and Japan is directly linked to the development of Buddhism. In fact monks have always seen tea as a valuable aid to their spiritual process and meditative practice.

During visits to ancient tea gardens in the southern provinces of China, we often noticed that tea trees were planted by monks around their temples, as with Hangzhou, near the famous Dragon Well (Long Jing). From this we can conclude that tea was one of the first « foods » used to nourish both body and mind.

These simple leaves infused in a little water form the centrepiece of deeply meaningful ceremonies. The best known of these is the « chanoyu » (the Japanese ceremony) during which tea is not only a hydrating and stimulating drink, but also has a symbolic dimension and an entire ritual which revolves around it with the aim of being completely in the moment and becoming receptive and aware of the beauty and simplicity of the here and now.

Focusing the mind through the nourishment of the body is therefore a familiar experience for tea lovers and it is perhaps one of the simplest and most effective ways of achieving the serenity and inner calm that we all need.

In an ideal world, each meal should be as much a moment of spiritual contemplation through our sense of taste as an act of physical absorption. There is something almost sacred about becoming one with the planet by absorbing parts of it. The act of eating should not become something we do mindlessly, without thinking: it is the most important way of sustaining the spark of life we receive when we are born.

But more than that, recent scientific research demonstrates the influence of the quality of our gut flora and what we eat on our emotional well-being and the way we behave.

We can therefore make a direct link between what we eat and our ability to appreciate life, and to quite simply be happy …

What if, in the end, the search for happiness begins with what’s on our plate?

We still have to source healthy foods.

For nearly 30 years, living things have been at the centre of our preoccupation. We are committed to a global approach which respects mankind and the Earth and as pioneers in the sale of organic, fair trade and biodynamic teas and herbal teas, our aim has always been to offer products that are as delicious as they are good for you. In 1994, this approach might have seemed a little bit crazy when it was difficult enough just to bring a leaf tea from the other side of the world. But it is a gamble that has paid off.

Respect for the tea workers, their health, their land and helping them get through crises has always been part of our company DNA, which puts the well-being of our producer partners, our employees and our consumers in the forefront. It is a long-term vision and a virtuous chain which is bearing fruit today.

« Every day, we take pride in selling noble products, which are delicious and good for our bodies and minds, in a responsible and sustainable way, because what is ‘good for the Earth’ is “good for mankind »… »