LEARNING TO BE STILL WITH MAGIC HOUR TEA

As you guys know, this summer I was meant to produce my first documentary, in which I would be partaking an expedition across Wales. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 this had to be postponed, so I instead planned on spending my winter filming another documentary in Canada. And then, guess what? Postponed again! So I tried to do loads of mini documentaries in Wales whilst I worked at a small guest house in Aberystwyth, and again, both of these plans were put on hold due to the pandemic.

This left me incredibly restless, raring to start my life but unsure of how to start due to the sheer amount of obstacles. It filled me with so much restless energy, and I couldn’t for the life of me spend a day relaxing, as I felt as though I was wasting time. That’s where Magic Hour comes in.

I really wanted to try the tea from Magic Hour, because I had read so much about how they combine organic, sustainable, and fair trade teas with personal development and spiritual teachings – something that I was sure could help me slow down and really take in the life around me.

Whilst they do offer subscription box services, what they create is more in the vein of a whole experience, aimed at connecting the world through this idea of tea ceremony. Magic Hour offers both new and ancient ways to bring home wisdom in body and mind – and that’s what I was really needing.

They offer something new and dynamic to the subscription box category, teaching us to prioritise focusing on the things that really matter, starting with the small things. It’s such a unique way to connect to yourself and the world around you, and the whole process is swathed in positivity.

Their subscription boxes are all really cool, with my favourites being the Best Friend Box (which comes with friendship bracelets, a black tea straw and strainer bombilla, exclusive rituals to deepen the friendships, and a 10 things I love about you card to send to the friend), the Harmonize Your Home Box (which comes with a bonsai tree!), the Emotional Freedom Box (which comes with an exclusive Magic Hour transformational teaching video and Shoyeido essential oil incense), the Vibrant Decade Box (which comes with an absolutely gorgeous notebook!), and the Soulmate Box (which along with teaching you the answers to questions such as What is a soulmate? and What is the unknown secret to relationship success everyone needs to know?, also gives you transformational videos, a fill-in-the-blanks book you can share with your soulmate, Shoyeido incense, and two double-walled ceremonial glass tea cups). It’s pretty cool.

I order to learn more from the masters about the art of staying still and appreciating tea, I attended one of their Tuesday Tea with Zheng classes and it was a lot of fun. Zhena has such a calm and soothing voice, it pretty much felt like I was having a tea ceremony with a good friend – that also happens to be uniquely skilled at combining tea with meditative aspects. The energy was chill and relaxed, and I learnt a lot about simply taking out of the day to be aware of my senses and give thanks. It slowed down the fast-paced ticking clock that seemed to be running wild in my head, and brought me into the current moment.

I would also like to quickly mention that the  Magic Hour website is one of the most beautiful websites I’ve seen, and everything they sell, I would love to own. For example, the beautiful handmade golden leaf strainer, the Miyabi Japanese charcoal water purifier for tea, the book by Zhena Muzyka called Life by the Cup, vintage art prints, journals and notebooks, the stunning glass tea set, and endless other incredible things – I know for a fact that these would all look wonderful in my home.

My delivery came with a Raise Your Vibe poster, with the intention being to put it in your home or office to remind you to choose intentional ‘high-vibe’ emotions, which was certainly useful in my case! The chart helps me to identify these emotions so that I can work them into positive emotions and affirmations and attract more goodness. Designed by Zhena Muzyka, it was adapted from David Hawkins’s Power vs Force, a scientific study of emotional vibration, and is very very cool. At the top there is ‘magic’ (peace, joy, love, willingness, etc) and at the bottom is ‘limitation’ (grief, fear, desire, apathy), with the middle being ‘courage’. It really helps to put it all into perspective.

I also received what is, in essence, a small whiteboard, where you write your intentions on the new moon and visualise them on the full moon. I haven’t tried it out yet, but I have a good feeling about it.

In my package, I received the most beautiful tea in the most divine packaging – it is absolutely the best tea branding I have ever seen. I received one large violet jar filled with the Lucid Dreams tea, and learnt that it is actually great for filtering out harmful rays of visible light so that the tea remains as fresh as the day they were harvested. Apparently, the violet jar was originally created by ancient Egyptians to preserve their medicinal herbs and precious essential oils – so you know that it works! Light proof, leak proof, and air-tight, it’s pretty much the perfect way to store some good quality tea. Along with the jar, I also received a grand total of eight pouches of tea, along with a smaller jar of matcha (which I will be talking about in another post!). I was very excited to try them all out.

The point of the tea ceremony is to really be apart of the ‘now’ and take in all the little things going both around you and within you. It’s a chance to finally listen to ourselves, and pay attention to the passing of time that we usually ignore. The teas from Magic Hour were perfect for this, and I fell in love with the varied, dynamic flavours as soon as I tried them.

HARMONIZE

Ritual – ‘Meditate on how your home is a mirror of your life and when you make changes to your home, you make changes to your life.’

Ingredients – Silver needle white tea from Fujian Province, rose, organic essential oil of Sicilian bergamot, natural tangerine essence

Preparation method – 1tsp of leaves per cup, water brewed at 85°C, steeped for 3 minutes

Appearance – Beautiful, delicate, fine needles with bright rose petals mixed in. Leaves have shimmery white hairs, flowers are a beautiful ombre made up of orange to pink to purple. Becomes a pale yellow liquid.

Smell – Citrus, rose, tangerine

Taste – Delicate, soft, like rose water. Slightly sweet

Aftertaste – Not overtly powerful, with a very pleasant and subtle aftertaste

Overall thought – I am a big fan of white tea, not least because it’s the lowest caffeinated tea and as such as I can drink it 24/7 and not drain myself, and think that this is one of my favourite teas from the batch. Apparently, legend has it that this tea used to be harvested on full moons with Sterling Silver scissors, to be presented to members of Royalty. Ancient Chinese history also says that it was only the virgins who were allowed to harvest this tea, as purity was believed to beget purity.

The tea is full of Vitamin A, B, C, and E, along with the rose petals being an antidepressant with antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties, which makes it a pretty healthy beverage, too.

RASPBERRY EARL WHITE

Ritual – ‘A tea for beauty and love’

Ingredients – Organic, fair-trade white tea, Sicilian bergamot, organic freeze dried raspberries, organic raspberry extract

Preparation method – 1tsp of leaves per cup, water brewed at 85°C, steeped for 3 minutes

Appearance – Chopped green and dark red leaves, dotted with dehydrated raspberries. Becomes a golden liquid with tiny specks of tea dust, and on the second brewing, it becomes an almost orange colour

Smell – Very fragrant, fruity, raspberry, citrus

Taste – Stronger taste of raspberry on second brewing, and the flavour of the white tea flavour is subtle but complements it well

Aftertaste – Slight lingering taste of raspberry

Overall thoughts – A very delicate tea just filled to the brim with antioxidants and metabolism-boosting compounds, I think that it is definitely one of my favourites – but then again, I think that they were all delicious. There is a delicate hint of Bergamot orange, too, which is considered a natural anti-depressant, so it’s a pretty all-round win-win tea.

GODDESS GREEN

Ritual – ‘Stillness is also a warrior’s virtue.’

Ingredients – Organic, fair trade green tea, organic lemongrass, organic-compliant apricot & lychee flavour essences

Preparation method – 1tsp of leaves per cup, water brewed at 85°C, steeped for 3 minutes

Appearance – Dark green leaves with small blades of lemongrass, becomes a pale green, almost blue-tinted liquid

Smell – Tropical, fruity, almost a caramel sweetness, apricot

Taste – A lot subtler than it smells, apricot, soft lemongrass

Aftertaste – Tropical soft apricot

Overall thoughts – It has been suggested that I try this on ice, and as I’ve been drinking about four hot cups a day, I might just switch it up and give that a go!

I have been reading a lot recently about how tea originally came about to be used solely for medicinal purposes, and so I find it interesting that most people don’t know the sheer extent to which tea can be used for healing – so I love that Magic Hour goes into detail about the benefits of each particular brew. For example, as this is a green tea, it is rich in polyphenols & antioxidants, and the lychee is high in Vitamin C. Along with that, lemongrass helps with relieving anxiety.

‘The origins of green tea are attributed to China, the cradle of tea traditions and medicinal applications, but the magical drink quickly gained popularity in other countries. One of the famous legends claim that around the year 1190, a Zen priest returned to Japan with tea seeds after having studied Buddhist temples and rituals in China; using his experience, he taught the tea ceremony to his fellow countrymen as a way of connection and meditation.’

ALMOND MATCHA

Ritual – ‘Japanese tea ceremonies have been using matcha since the end of the 12th century in their mindfulness rituals, embodying four sacred principles – harmony (wa), respect (kei), purity (sei), and tranquility (jaku).’

Ingredients – Organic sencha green tea, organic almond slices, organic black currant fruit, organic matcha green tea, organic stevia leaf & natural almond extract

Preparation method – 1tsp of leaves per cup, water brewed at 80°C, steeped for 2 minutes

Appearance – Gorgeous dark leaves covered in matcha powder, with slices of almond, little green balls, and dry dark red berries also in the mix. When it becomes a liquid, it turns to a dusty pale green, almost caramel-coloured.

Smell – Popcorn, sweet, almonds, quite a deep scent

Taste – Popcorn, marzipan, kind of nutty, reminiscent of rich toffee

Aftertaste – Roasted sweet, very pleasant

Overall thoughts – I absolutely LOVE matcha, and before drinking this genuinely did not think that the simple powder could be improved. Not only does matcha taste delicious, but it is also jam-packed with antioxidants, polyphenols, and L-Theanine, with the black currants in this blend featuring double the amount of antioxidants as blueberries, and four times more Vitamin C than oranges. Furthermore, organic almonds are very high in magnesium, and the stevia leaves makes it just that little bit sweeter.

The perfect dessert tea, it’s almost chocolate-y in its creaminess and richness, and is the perfect way to finish off an evening. Add in the health benefits, and it’s a very nourishing and delicious brew.

RASPBERRY EARL BLACK

Ritual – ‘As you steep this tea, infuse the concoction with the imagery of your life’s biggest dreams. As you serve it to yourself, imagine those dreams becoming truer each sip.’

Ingredients – Fair trade, organic, artisan blend of bio-dynamically grown teas from Sri Lanka, organic freeze dried raspberries, organic raspberry extract

Preparation method – 1tsp of leaves per cup, water brewed at 90°C, steeped for 4 minutes

Appearance – Black tightly-wound leaves with pieces of dried raspberry. Opens up into dark green leaves, with a golden, deeply pigmented amber liquid.

Smell – Deep raspberry

Taste – Slightly astringent in the first brewing, possibly because I should have steeped it for a shorter amount of time. Subtle fruity flavours come out more in second brewing, with the black tea being rounded and full bodied and strong

Aftertaste – Dry, raspberry, warm

Overall thoughts – The health benefits in this one are pretty enticing, featuring Earl Grey (which has been used for well ver two centuries to help the liver function at its best), with raspberries being rich in minerals and antioxidants, along with Ellagic acid and Vitamin C. The black tea leaves are exceptionally high in polyphenols, and the Bergamot is used in aromatherapy to soothe nerves and ease depression.

I have been drinking this tea in the mornings to really start off the day with a bang, and think that it’s definitely the perfect pick-me-up brew. Energising and tasty, I’ve been sneaking it into my writing breaks to keep my brain focus.

COCONUT CHAI

Ritual – ‘For lovers, chai brings sweet breath and kind words to your lips.’

Ingredients – Proprietary blend of fair trade, organic, artisan pu’erh, assam & bio-dynamically grown Sri Lankan black tea, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, black pepper, cloves, essential oil of cinnamon and natural coconut flavour.

Preparation method – 1tsp of leaves per cup, water brewed at 100°C, steeped for 4 minutes. Added almond milk and honey, to taste

Appearance – Black, dark red and green leaves, with the cardamom, cloves, and ginger standing out amongst the mix. When the water is added, the big leaves open up in the heat, and the liquid becomes a golden colour

Smell – Slightly spicy, cardamom, warm, coconut

Taste – Coconut, all of the flavours of a typical chai, dark. The black tea is quite bold, and yet perfectly balanced in the mix

Aftertaste – Pleasant, coconut

Overall thoughts – Made from nearly 70% spices, it’s no wonder that this tea has a little kick to it! Pu’erh is often considered the most prized tea of China, and it also just so happens to be my favourite dark tea. The flavours are bold and dynamic, and the spices give it warming properties that I sure cannot wait to try out this winter.

Health-wise, not only is this blend a probiotic and apparent weight loss helper, but it is also rich in powerful flavonoids (thanks to the Ceylon black tea), helps to stimulate the mind and help with healing digestion problems (thanks to the black pepper), and the ginger stimulates circulation whilst easing nausea and supporting digestion.

GYPSY ROSE

Ritual – ‘At dusk, this tea may be sipped to reflect on the beauty of the day, counting the rose petals as you count your blessings. Gratitude begets gratitude.’

Ingredients – Fair trade, organic, artisan blend of Assam, Rwandan, & bio-dynamically grown Sri Lankan black teas, organic rose petals, natural rose essence.

Preparation method – 1tsp of leaves per cup, water brewed at 85°C, steeped for 3 minutes

Appearance – Thin rolled black leaves, vibrant rose petals. Liquid is of a deep, golden hue

Smell – Mainly rose, very fragrant, unsurprisingly like Turkish delight

Taste – Smell of rose followed by taste of full-bodied black tea, followed by sweet taste of rose. As it is very sweet, I could see it going very well with savoury food pairings.

Aftertaste – Rose, sweet, pleasant

Overall thought – An absolutely delicious tea that is both subtle and tasty at the same time. As the legend has it, rose tea has been used for medicinal purposes for over 5,000 years in China, as the drink is full of Vitamin A, C, and E, along with being high in antioxidants Quercetin and Ellagic Acid. The tea can also be used for its aromatherapy benefits, and if you happen to inhale deeply, you will be able to take in the delicious aromas and allow your heart to expand.

‘Gypsies are a people who do not see any one country as their home, but the whole world as their home, this is how your heart sees the world too. Allow that wisdom to fill you with compassion and love now. ‘

BOHEMIAN BREAKFAST

Ritual – ‘A potion to fall in love with your day all over again – the sun is not down yet and the possibilities are endless… Move with grace and confidence, but do not rush; allow yourself that much needed time to achieve miracles.’

Ingredients – Organic, fair trade, artisan blend of pu’erh, Assam & Rwandan black teas, organic black currant fruit, natural pomegranate flavour, organic-compliant bourbon vanilla flavour.

Preparation method – 1tsp of leaves per cup, water brewed at 100°C, steeped for 4 minutes

Appearance – Dark woody leaves, dried dark berries. Becomes a golden liquid

Smell – Very dark and deep woody smell, vanilla

Taste – Surprisingly sweet, vanilla, fruity

Aftertaste – Deep, vanilla, dry

Overall thoughts – Unsurprisingly, Magic Hour did it again with another delicious brew. This is another tea that I’ve been drinking to start off my day, taking a few minutes out to really focus on my senses and enjoy the art of being still. Initially, letting myself relax and be content with not rushing around was difficult, but it has definitely been getting easier – especially when I have such delicious teas to draw my attention to!

Pu’erh is interesting, as only the leaves that come from the province of Yunnan, that have been fermented under a very strict process, can be called Pu’erh – similar to how Champagne can only go by that name when grown in the Champagne region of France. This tea has definitely grown into it’s full, wine-like taste after its five years spent fermenting in a warm, moist cellar.

LUCID DREAMS

Ritual – ‘Indian legend holds that Tulsi to be the earthly manifestation of the goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth and Fortune.’

Ingredients – Krishna Tulsi, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, orange peel, peppercorns, cloves, & natural coconut & cinnamon flavour extracts (all organic)

Preparation method – 1tsp of leaves per cup, water brewed at 85°C, steeped for 3 minutes. I drank it straight, with only boiled water, but Magic Hour also suggests that you brew this by adding a teaspoon of the mix to milk and leaving it to simmer on the stove, resulting in a golden milk-chai drink. I haven’t tried this just yet, but will get back to yous when I do!

Appearance – Gorgeous packaging! The tea came in a very witchy-feel violet jar with golden embellishments, with a heavy lid that helps keep all that goodness inside. In regards to the tea, the dry mix is made up of seed husks, chopped green leaves, cloves, peppercorns, and turmeric. When brewed, the liquid is a pale golden colour.

Smell – Very warm, slight coconut, coconut incense, cloves, very fragrant

Taste – Exactly as it smells, the taste itself is quite complex. Very warming, feels as though it would be perfect to rid of demons/ warm you up in winter/ boost the immune system/ expel a flu. The spices are very blatant but not at all overpowering.

Aftertaste – Mixed spices, slight coconut

Overall thoughts – One thing that I really liked about this tea was that it was slightly different each time I tried it, due to the balance of ingredients differing slightly. It’s a delicious mix, but is also quite strong, so I don’t think that it will be an everyday tea for me – more of a special occasion. Due to the violet jar, I have no doubt that it will have a long life and be just as fragrant in six months time!

This herbal tea is made with delicious Tulsi, also known as Holy Basil. It’s an adaptogenic herb which helps the body to adapt to outside stressors, promoting mental balance by halting the stress hormone cortisol. The turmeric and spices in the blend is anti-inflammatory and great for digestion, and it all comes together to create something warming, nourishing, and tasty. For over 5,000 years in India, Tulsi tea has been used as a religious, spiritual, and healing herb – and I can certainly see why.

I would like to say a big thanks to Zhena at Magic Hour for sharing with me these delicious teas, and giving me the opportunity to really take time out from my self-inflicted fast-paced life to truly appreciate the art of being still.

And so, that concludes one of the best and most self-aware tea tastings of my LIFE. Have you guys ever tried Magic Hour tea or used a tea tasting as a way to practice the art of being still? Let me know in the comments below!

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