The benefits of tea can be realized by consuming three cups a day, which is the historical average for most Asian tea drinkers and the base line for many recent studies. Check out the benefits of drinking tea:
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promotes healthy cholesterol levels
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increases metabolism
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improves mental performance
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inhibits plaque buildup on teeth (green tea, that is)
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helps the body deal with stress (green tea again)
When making tea, pour the water over the tea and steep according to these guidelines:
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White and Green Tea: Use boiling water that has cooled for a couple of minutes (to about 185°F) and steep for 2 to 4 minutes.
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Oolong Tea: Use boiling water that has cooled for 1 minute (to about 195°F) and steep 3 to 5 minutes.
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Black Tea: Use boiling water that has cooled just enough to lose its boil and steep 3 to 5 minutes.
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Herbal Tea: Use boiling water and steep 3 to 5 minutes.
Loose-leaf tea will keep for several months or longer if kept in an airtight container in a cool, dry and dark place. Avoid glass or plastic containers if possible and do not refrigerate or freeze tea. For best results drink tea shortly after preparation. Tea that’s old or mishandled will lose its briskness, aroma and color.
The Way of Tea
by Mikael Zaurov of Teamuse.com
There was once a famous Chinese master named Zhao Zhou. He was so famous that he had visitors all the time who would come seeking the meaning of enlightenment. One day two young seekers knocked on his door begging for words of wisdom. Zhao Zhou welcomed them into his small hut and told them to sit down at a table where an old monk was already sitting. "Please tell me the meaning of Buddha," the first student asked. Zhao Zhou replied, "Drink some tea!" The second student then asked, "What is truth?" and Zhao Zhou excitedly replied, "Drink some tea!" The old monk sitting there was quite perplexed about this interaction and wondered to himself, "Why does he tell them to both drink tea instead of answering their questions?" Zhao Zhou, being a great Zen master, read the monk's mind and said to him, "You drink tea too!"
This story symbolizes the relationship that the Chinese and Japanese traditions have with tea. As you're probably already aware, China and Japan are both tea embracing cultures. Tea has specific symbolic qualities that relate to the view of Asian philosophical traditions. The first is simplicity. In a culture dominated by strong tastes, tea provides an opportunity to tune into more subtle flavors. Both Buddhism and Taoism stress that a life of simplicity brings great peace. Yearning for extravagance never brings satisfaction. The taste of tea is thus very special because it's not extravagant or excessive. It is beautiful in its simplicity. Many people who are addicted to strong tastes will find tea to be too boring or bitter at first. After acquiring a taste for tea, they will never again desire to drink overly sweet and artificially flavored drinks. This is symbolic of the Buddhist view on life. We desire exciting escapades and fancy cars to make life more thrilling because life seems quite boring without additions, but if we relax into a more simple life we will find great peace and happiness. Tea not only serves as a symbol for a peaceful life but the act of drinking tea can provide the means to come in contact with it.
Since we specialize in preserving and spreading the ancient art of Kung Fu & Tai Chi, drinking tea compliments these cultural traditions. It is extremely important that students stay hydrated during training and one of the best methods to accomplish this while taking class in either Kung Fu or Tai Chi is through drinking tea. That being said, we would like to encourage all of our students to drink more tea!