This summer, celebration doesn’t have to come with side effects. More and more people are choosing alternatives that let them enjoy the moment fully—not because they “have to,” but because it simply feels better.

To Who We Truly Are The only "zen" you bring with you to a mountaintop is the zen you already have inside of you. The original quote is from Robert M. Pirsig's book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. The feeling of having lost ourselves Today's world is lost in the endless activities "out there." We are blessed with so much convenience, knowledge, and information. But we still feel empty, as if something is missing. When we get that next thing, promotion, house, car,

India’s tea landscape spans dramatically different terroirs and elevations. From the misty, subtropical Himalayas to the humid tropical plains. These differences in climate shape not just flavor but also the type of tea that is produced. Some regions focus on rare, high-end orthodox teas; others are built around large-scale CTC production for everyday drinking. India is colourful also in the area of tea!

A huge mango tree at the Glen Nevis, sustainable, biodiverse tea plantation in the Kandy Region, Sri Lanka. April 2026. The liver becomes more active during the springtime; it is a yin, i.e., a compact organ (zang). The liver works in tandem with the gallbladder, which is a yang, hollow organ (fu). Together they form the paired organs of the wood element, linked via the liver and gallbladder meridians, where the liver stores blood/essence, and the gallbladder distributes bile

My daily yoga practice, an essential, foundational aspect of my life. For a long time, in my life and through my yoga practice, I've had to reflect on and learn the simple but easy-to-overlook aspect of how much the foundation matters. To the extent we are able to root ourselves down, that will define our ability to manifest positively and sustainably in this life. Planting a cutting of the cultivar Tri2043 at the Glen Nevis Tea Plantation with its red porous, acidic soil. T

A place to come and stay, it will imprint itself deeply on you. The awarded Aratenna Silver Tips is produced from the cultivar TRI 2043 that was developed in 1958 from open-pollinated seeds. At Glen Nevis Tea Plantation , nestled within the hills of Sri Lanka’s Kandy region and experienced through the quiet elegance of Jade Villas , you will find a living expression of terroir—a concept often reserved for wine, but just as vital, if not more so, in tea. TRI 2043 (in the middl

The logo of the Monastery of Tea represents wholeness by the circle and forward movement through the person in the boat. When I visited the Monastery of Tea in Sri Lanka the other day, it impressed me deeply. I felt I was experiencing something rare but urgently needed: a shift in how we live. Set quietly among lush nature in the hilly Kandy region, the Monastery of Tea is not just a place where specialty teas are produced. It is a living philosophy. Everything they do is ro

A flush is a harvest, meaning that the tea leaves and buds have matured enough to be picked. The word flush is mainly used to describe the different harvests during a tea year in India and Nepal. Let’s look more closely at the famous Indian high-altitude region of Darjeeling and the main characteristics of the teas produced in each flush throughout the year. The expression "Darjeeling Teas" is protected under the Geographical Indication to prevent fraudulent use, similar to t

Tea can be more than just a drink and take us back to a place within that modern life often challenges us to connect with. When we slow down and truly engage with tea, it becomes a training ground for perception and deepened awareness. Let's explore how rushing changes taste, how stillness reveals layers, and the relationship between the palate and breath. A high-quality tea, steeped with care and attention, invites calm and focus, encouraging mindful tasting. How Rushing Cha

To be present is to be in a place before we sense, feel, and comment on what's happening. We are just our natural embodied selves. Life feels spacious and open, even magical—not contracted, narrow, and confined. It's a great place to be. But it's not a goal. Why? Because we cannot really create, do, or act in this place. To take advantage of our presence, we need to integrate it into action so that our actions become more skillful, which will make our lives flow more easily.

In the West, and quite often in Sweden where I come from, the potential in high-quality teas is often overlooked. People tend to choose tea based on added aromas rather than on the real quality of the tea itself. In classical East Asian traditions, however, high-quality tea is understood as something very potent and rich: a living substance that carries qi (氣 pronounced chee), the vital energy that gives aroma, flavor, and affects your physical and mental state. These are dim

Celebrations just got a healthier twist with this new sparkling non-alcoholic tea wine from Althaus. An innovative drink that is quickly becoming a favorite for those who want to enjoy festive moments without the drawbacks of alcohol or extra calories. Imagine the refreshing flavour of Tie Guan Yin oolong tea and Jasmine tea mingling with the sophistication of sparkling white wine! This is a delightful, low-calorie choice that perfectly aligns with today's wellness trends. A

And why we loose the spinal mobility as adults and how to reverse it! Our ankles provide the foundational contact with the ground. When our ankle joints are weak, stiff, or unstable, everything above adapts poorly. Ankles are often forgotten until they get injured! (as are feet - read about them in an earlier blog ). Our ankles are often the cause of other pains higher up in the body, but they rarely get "blamed". Why are our ankles overlooked? Probably because these joints a

How to find the light when winter is at its darkest in the northern hemisphere! And what the winter season invites us to do!

Prana is the vital life force that flows through everything in this universe, both external and internal. We find prana in nature, in the sunlight, and in the water, and it is distributed throughout the body via energy channels called Nadis in Sanskrit and Meridians in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Prana influences every facet of our being—physical, mental, and spiritual. You can survive several minutes without breathing, but not a single minute without prana. We cannot see

What do we mean by the ultimate truth? And how does it relate to tea?

Each fine tea is a reflection of the unique area and cultural heritage that created it.

How tea influences my sleep quality. This is the topic of this week's Elevenses!

In the Northern Hemisphere, we move towards cooler temperatures. Harvest season has begun!

Sri Lanka, the lovely island situated to the southeast of the Indian peninsula, has a rich history that dates back prehistorically 125...