Bai Mu Dan

Today's tea tasting adventure was with Bai Mu Dan, a white organic tea from China.

Bai Mu Dan has a few different names. It is also called Pai Mu Tan in China which means White Peony. But the name that I like is White Hairy Monkey Tea.

This type of tea is only picked between March 15 and April 10th. It is grown in the Fuijan Province in China. The downy silvery buds inspired its name, White Hairy Monkey. This tea is said to benefit and strengthen the immune system. It helps prevent cold and flu and fights free radicals both internally and externally, so maybe a few splashes on the face wouldn't hurt.

I was sitting here, tasting my tea and reflecting on the White Hairy Monkey and I allowed this image to inspire me. Our minds are like a hairy Monkey, jumping from bush to bush, just as our thoughts race ahead towards the future or dwell in the past. Training the hairy monkey of our minds is no easy task and takes constant vigilance to bring the mind into the present to be here now. Many times we dwell in the past, we are thinking about past events. What I should have done, could have done or would have done type of thinking. The mind also loves to run into the future, building castles in the sand or falling into fear because one does not know what the future will bring. Training your own hairy monkey to be in the present moment take conscious awareness in every second of your thought process. One has to pull back the mind to the moment.

The tea tradition in Japan was closely related with the Samurai tradition. The Samurai went to battle and

saw and experienced the horrors of war. When they came home, they would visit the garden of the Tea Master, this was a part of their therapy. A good Tea Master created a artistic atmosphere of beauty that involved all the senses. The ceremony was very ritualistic and there were even moments of Awakening (Kensho) that could self arise from a tea ceremony. The Samurai for a moment could realign themselves with the way of sensitivity, beauty and being in the Present Moment.

Bai Mu Dan or Hairy White Monkey Tea one should use one or two teaspoons tea per cup. The white teas are lower in caffeine then your oolongs, black or green tea. One should use water that is 60-70 c.

Infuse the tea 3 minutes or up to 6 minutes for a stronger brew. It makes a very good lunch or afternoon tea.