Points Newsletter - August 2005

Human use of tea began between four and six thousand years ago.

Today, tea is the most commonly consumed beverage in the world (after water) and with good reason. In addition to being a delicious, low-calorie beverage, research has shown that tea has numerous health benefits.

What is tea? We tend to call many beverages “tea”. Technically, tea is the dried and processed leaves of Camellia sinensis, a tree indigenous to Asia. There is also herbal tea - which is not really ‘tea’ at all, but rather an herbal infusion or tisane made from various herbs. Herbal teas may be consumed simply as beverages or for their medicinal properties. Herbal decoctions, as are dispensed from Tao of Wellness, differ from herbal infusions in that they are cooked for a longer period of time and are formulated and consumed specifically for their medicinal, rather than culinary, properties.
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One summer during my childhood, I had a very bad toothache that began around noontime. By 2:00 p.m., my toothache was so severe that I was begging for an acupuncture treatment. My mother told me that I had too much 'fire' and proceeded to go to our garden to get some herbs. I watched her wash and blend the herbs into a thick juice. The taste was miserably bitter. She proceeded to say that the bitter taste is good for quenching the fire and that I must drink the whole cup. Reluctantly, I drank the whole cup and managed to fall asleep right afterwards. When I woke up two hours later, not only was my toothache completely gone, I felt a sense of coolness and well-being throughout my whole body.
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The words Jin Shin Do can be interpreted as “the way of the compassionate spirit”. The concept central to this practice is that at the core of our being there exists a whole consciousness, a type of unity, an innocence and innate goodness. This form of bodywork is based on the belief that all disease, sickness and symptoms are a reflection of the imbalance in an individual’s energy system or Qi. Jin Shin Do can be applied to the physical and emotional body as well as the spirit. This healing art is designed to replenish and harmonize the vital Qi energy of the body. Iona Teenguarden developed Jin Shin Do in 1972 by blending Traditional Chinese Medicine, Western psychotherapy and Taoist Philosophy. Jin Shin Do combines the “five elements theory” with the use of the eight meridians.
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