Hey. We’re pleased as punch (sorry, “tickled as tea” just didn’t sound right) to announce our new Chakra boxed set of tea.
But since everything tastes better with a backstory, we figured it was worth taking a little time to explain what the chakras are, why they matter — and what they have to do with Big Heart Tea Co.
Consider this your primer post — but for more information on each of the individual chakras, click on the links below:
What Do Chakras Have to Do With Tea?
In a word, everything. In fact, chakras have everything to do with Big Heart Tea Co.’s origin story. It’s not something we’ve talked about much in the past, so brew up a cuppa’ and enjoy our story.
Let’s go way back to 2012, when BHT founder Lisa was coming out of ashram life.
It’s tough to take that lifestyle back to the real world with you, but Lisa wanted to integrate all the good hatha/kundalini goodness she’d appreciated into the rest of her life.
Tea became the key manifestation of that goal. Why? Because tea offers a lot of bang for the energetic buck. Not only do the herbs and ingredients help support your body and energy systems, but they’re accessible to just about everyone.
Big Heart Tea Co. was borne of a desire to share this good stuff with the world.
What’s a Chakra, Anyway?
The chakras are a series of energy systems that have specific “hubs” in your energetic body. Having trouble picturing it? Here’s a little chart:
But how? Why? Let’s dig in.
Once upon a time, in what is today India (some say 5,000 years ago, some say more), there were very spiritual monks who would sit in meditation and receive info from the universe. What they collected was compiled into a massive text known as the Vedas. These Vedas are the source of the chakra system and Ayurveda and Eastern knowledge as we now know it.)
(This is a good time to note that we’re not Vedas experts. We know a bit about yoga, but we’re not experts. These posts are informative only, and based on our own knowledge/research. Don’t take anything we say as medical or spiritual advice. Always consult a professional.)
Now, before we noted that the chakras have hubs in your energetic body. But they’re not limited to your physical body. For instance, while the energy center of your throat chakra might be associated with your throat area, it doesn’t exist solely in your throat. It’s an aura and energy center. You couldn’t get throat surgery to fix your throat chakra, because it’s not just a bodily thing.
That also means that there’s no quick fix when it comes to balancing, maintaining, and healing your chakras.
However, it’s well worth taking the time to get to know and nurture your chakras. It’s a deeply healing practice that can get you more in touch with your own human experience. Working on the chakras is sort of like burning through the layers of yourself so you can be more authentic internally and externally.
Ultimately, the chakra system is a means of helping you live a more integrated and connected life — both with yourself and with others.
It can also be used as a tool to help manifest and digest in your own life.
That’s pretty heady stuff — and it’s part of why body and color system associations have been developed to help give us a tangible way to understand and grasp the concept of chakras.
Side Note: How Do You Say “Chakra”?
Do you say chakra with a hard or soft “c”? Sh-akra, or ch-akra? Turns out, there’s a bit of a debate on the topic.
In the west, we tend to use the “sh” pronunciation. But in ashram life, Lisa learned the “ch” pronunciation as the more proper and traditional way.
But you know what? How you say it won’t hold you back in life or chakra balancing, so you say it however you want.
An Easy Way to Understand the Chakra System
There’s so much to the chakra system that it could become a lifelong study. But we know you’ve got stuff going on, so here’s an easy way to grasp it…
Think of the chakra system as a ladder. It walks you through the basic feelings and senses that we have as humans. You can apply this to any creative process or any process in life. It is a model to connect within our human experience.
Tea and Chakras
What does this have to do with tea?
Big Heart Tea Co.’s original line of 7 teas was organized and inspired by the chakra system.
But that inspiration wasn’t just about color-coordination. It was about aligning the herbs and message behind each tea with a specific chakra.
But even beyond that, the entire process of making and enjoying tea can be aligned to chakra balancing. For example:
- The root chakra could be represented by the vessel: What you choose to put your tea in.
- The sacral chakra could be represented by the creativity that goes into the herbs you’re brewing.
- The Solar plexus chakra could be represented by the action necessary to brew the tea, pouring the hot water on the tea.
- The heart chakra could be represented by the process of giving the tea space to brew and do its magic.
- The throat chakra could be represented by the tea going down your throat and helping clear the way for you to speak your truth.
- The third eye could be represented by reflecting as you drink and setting intentions.
- The crown chakra could be represented by integrating the benefits of all of the above and moving forward in the world with a greater sense of connection.
At a Glance: Tea and the Chakra System
Root Chakra
- Foundation, grounding & security
- Color: Red
- Yogic path: Hatha, which is about action and movement
- Tea: Big Heart Tea Co.’s Chai
Click here to learn more about the root chakra
Sacral Chakra
- Creativity, sensuality
- Color: Orange
- Yogic path: Tantra
- Tea: Big Heart Tea Co.’s Fake Coffee
Click here to learn more about the sacral chakra
Solar Plexus Chakra
- Power, confidence, and joy
- Color: Yellow
- Yogic path: Karma yoga
- Tea: Big Heart Tea Co.’s Cup of Sunshine
Click here to learn more about the solar plexus chakra
Heart Chakra
- Life force, compassion, and connection
- Color: Green and pink
- Yogic path: Bhakti yoga
- Tea: Big Heart Tea Co.’s Cup of Love
Click here to learn more about the heart chakra
Throat Chakra
- Your inner truth + voice
- Color: Blue
- Yogic path: Mantra, or speaking prayer
- Tea: Big Heart Tea Co.’s Royal Treatmint
Click here to learn more about the throat chakra
Third Eye Chakra
- Intuition + spidey sense
- Color: Deep indigo
- Yogic path: Yantra
- Tea: Big Heart Tea Co.’s Minty Blue
Click here to learn more about the third eye chakra
Crown Chakra
- Highest awareness + consciousness, universal connection
- Color: Purple
- Yogic path: Meditation
- Tea: Big Heart Tea Co.’s Blushing
Click here to learn more about the crown chakra
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Important note from BHT founder Lisa Govro:
In offering our Chakra set, I feel it is important to acknowledging my own cultural background. As a white, cis-gendered woman of European descent teaching about the chakra system and tea, I must recognize that my cultural background might influence how I approach and present this knowledge. Please see this blog post for more information.
Click here to read the full letter.