Cha-no-Aji - The Taste of Tea - using the shinwa ritual

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How to use the SHINWA RITUAL.

First a few tea tips: All “real tea” comes from a single type of plant, the camellia sinensis, where and how it is grown and processed accounts for the differences. Any other tea like beverage is a Tisane and does not contain the same properties found in real tea. Green tea contains catechins which are antioxidants and have been shown to function as anti-inflammatory and anticancer agents. Green tea with its high levels of Theanine relaxes and calms the mind, rehydrates the body and helps eliminate toxins. Applied to the skin active ingredients fortify cells supporting a healthy foundation to prevent and defend against UV damage. Green tea has anti-bacterial properties and a positive affect on “mood” making it a natural for those seeking optimum wellbeing. Japanese Green Tea gives us the inexhaustible commitment to clean perfection indigenous to a culture deeply rooted in aesthetics and a Tea Lifestyle. So how can you incorporate Japanese Green Tea into your daily rituals?

Begin by knowing water is tea with all the good stuff missing! Now think of all the ways you use water and replace it with the restorative properties of Organic Japanese Green Karigane* Tea. Preparing a cold infusion is easy to do, does not result in the astringency typically associated with Japanese teas and because of the high Theanine levels creates an alert but calm feeling. Theanine has been linked to brain alpha activity. Recent Japanese research has shown positive results in preventing and reversing senility in people who regularly drink Karigane green tea! Most people in Japan drink 10 cups of green tea a day, maintain good body weight, beautiful skin and live to be the oldest living people in the world.

We all know beauty begins from within and drinking green tea either as a cold infusion or as a hot drink is an obvious choice when concerned about health and beauty. However green tea doesn’t stop simply as a beverage. The options for use on the outside of the body are limited only by your imagination. Here are a few examples to get you started!

Face/Body Toner
Helps the skin resist external pollutants and protect against free radicals. Useful with UV exposure, alleviates fatigue, depression and enhances an overall sense of wellbeing. Using your personal spritzer apply green tea to the entire body after the shower. Use before or on top of makeup to balance skin, take your spritzer along with you on flights and arrive with hydrated refreshed skin. Apply before sun screen to enhance UV protection.

Eye Treatments
Compresses will reduce puffiness and smooth fatigue lines. Never use teabags directly on the eyes, as they may be too strong, instead fully infused tea liquid should be used to create compresses.

Facials
Soak paper mask in tea liquid and apply to clean, cool and heal. Anti-bacterial properties make green tea a good choice after sun exposure. Allowing mask to remain 20-30 minutes results in a firmer, thicker feeling skin. Tea infused masks can be used as part of a deep cleaning facial as well as an anti-aging moisture intensive regime.

Foot Baths
Place green tea in a muslin bag and add to warm water bath bowl. Antibacterial properties helps heal, slimming properties benefit the ankles while soothing smoothing moisturizing properties enhance the overall appearance and feel of your over worked feet. Remove the muslin bag after about 10 minutes and set it aside to use again

Full Body Baths
The natural fresh aroma of Japanese green tea is non gender or age specific and appropriate for individuals who may be sensitive to the artificial fragrances found in many bath products. All of the healing and slimming benefits of green tea can be enjoyed in a full body bath while the calming time soaking will feed the spirit.

Most are able to see how the health and vitality of the planet are interconnected with how we treat one another. This is the basis for why we choose green products and implement environmentally friendly practices. Of course applying the ancient principles of Japanese green tea in treatments certainly enhances our commitment, it doesn’t stop there. Japanese green tea properties contribute to health and beauty and equally to a lifestyle of sacred space, rituals and ceremony. The basis of a tea lifestyle is called Chado or The Way of Tea. The spirit of Chado is WA harmony KEI respect SEI purity and JAKU tranquility. So it is easy to see how a tea lifestyle and the goals of spa experience are one in the same!

Green Tea is very “hot” and included in several body/bath products. However the highly valued catechins in green tea are very unstable and may not even be existent in the products claiming to have green tea as an ingredient by the time you purchase the product. Even if some of the properties are within the products, modern science with all its wisdom still pales when compared to Mother Nature. Science still does not know enough and studying the results of components is simply not the same as using the wonder plant as a whole. By using fresh tea in its entirety not an extract or powder you can be sure you will receive all of the benefits green tea can give; nourishing the body, mind and spirit.

Remember to freshly steep or infuse tea daily for use on the skin and buy Japanese green tea direct from sources committed to quality fresh teas.