Yogi Shop

Original Yogi Tea
1 pound bag, $20

I love everything about tea -- making it, drinking it, trying new blends. After my first Aquarian Sadhana at Divine Yoga, I was introduced to Yogi Bhajan's Original Yogi Tea, served at all the Divine Yoga special events. Yogi Bhajan, who brought Kundalini Yoga to the west, shared his original version of this ancient tea with cookies after classes and events -- a warm and welcoming tradition that Divine Yoga has been keeping alive at all the Divine Yoga special events. Yogi Bhajan's tea is so well liked it was replicated for tea bags along with many other herbal and medicinal teas, and the Yogi Tea bags are now sold in stores worldwide. 

But the freshly brewed Original Yogi Tea is a rare to find treat! The ginger's bite on my tongue, with that first sip, was both slightly alarming and immensely pleasing. The heady clove was balanced by the softer cinnamon, and I recognized the perfume of cardamom from Indian cooking. The subtle black pepper grounded the other spices, while the milk and honey smoothed and sweetened this complex tea. Before long, I was simmering pots of my own blend of Yogi Bhajan's recipe at home, making my house smell so cozy and welcoming. 

Original Yogi Tea is available for sale, $20 for a 1-pound bag. Ask your teacher after class, or, to order more, email me at laurawilli@gmail.com.

How to prepare Original Yogi Tea:

Mix ingredients well. Stir 1 heaping tbsp of Original Yogi Tea tea into a pot of 2 cups of water. (If you want to make more, increase tea and water proportionately.) Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 1/2 hour. Strain, add milk (cow's, soy, almond -- any milk will do) and your favorite sweetener. (I use honey, maple syrup or agave nectar -- whatever I have on hand.)
Options: You can add extra ginger for colds, flu, menstrual cramps or upset stomach. Add black tea for extra energy. 

INGREDIENTS:
Ginger aids in digestion, and helps keep the spine and cerebrospinal fluid healthy. 
Black pepper is a blood purifier, and can prevent gas. 
Cardamom is for the colon, and has been found to improve metabolism. 
Cloves have mild anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. 
Cinnamon is for the bones, and has been found to lower cholesterol levels. 

Milk aids in the easy assimilation of the spices and avoids irritation to the colon. And black tea, an anti-oxidant, acts as an alloy for all of the other ingredients.