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Well...I've beentrying to get in shape, you know? Just take better care of myself. So I've been drinking a LOT of Chai flavored tea. It keeps me from dozing off midway throught the day, and it tastes great~

It has a side effect on me, for some reason. I'm pretty sensitive to aromatherapy, and maybe it also stems from the fact that, after I squeeze the rest of the water out of the tea bag, I rub the moisture on my face, like perfume, you know?~

So...ever since I started drinking it, I've had heightened magick. I mean, skyrocketed. It's helping me feed better, and I've been able to shift a lot easier, and more frequently. I'm having much clearer dreams, and everything I cast seems to work [save the job spell, but that was only days ago, so it still has time mrgreen ~]

Plus...I've started to lose weight. I'm back in a size 14, for the most part. So...~

Chai tea. Any corrospondance you could find would be great. I want to know why this is working. I don't even charge it; the closest I do to that is think, "Yum! I love this stuff!"~

Why is it so effective, when other teas do not have the same effect?~

Catnip by itself does it too...but it's also a strong sedative on me, so I just either burn it or chew it. I love the taste of it as tea, though. I just can't brew it for too long or it'll knock me out for 14 hours. Yeah, it's that strong on me. I don't even get that effect from alcohol!!~

I've never really been one for tea either. I think it's just because it's usually hot when I try it, and I don't know, I think I just prefer water because it's been preferred by me for ages, as far as I know.

Though one day I might grow into it. I use gum instead though. It isn't exactly the same, but peppermint gum is an excellent replacement for Peppermint tea if you have a stomache-ache or a headache if chewed long enough. heart

Good idea. I'll do that tonight~

Anything that makes you feel empowered, or refreshed, will increase your energy, and mental capacity.

My friend burns scent cakes, and it makes him a lot stronger. You can tell when he's been burning it in his room.

According to conversations I've had with some of those spices, plus a smattering of Chinese herbal theory, those effects sound perfectly within range.

Cinnamon perks up awareness and one's connection with the universal awareness (sounds hippy, but that's what it said). Yes, that's different from connection with the ancestors. It's more to do with racial memory and that.

Cardamon and ginger both can enhance one's connection with the heavens and the wisdom of one's ancestors (mostly read that about ginger, but cardamon was mentioned by at least one teacher as being in the same family of aromatics in the five-element scheme of things). Cardamon also, to my personal knowledge, enhances feelings of satiety so there's less urge to snack, plus it provides that same sensation of being well-nourished to one's organs, resulting in less urgent storing of fat. Has some connection with aromatic Summer flowers and the indication by those strong scents that winter (famine) is a long way off yet. That would be the weight-loss angle. From acupuncture theory, both spices also support proper functioning of one's digestive organs so that the food can be properly broken down into nutrients, rather than stored as excess phlegm (chub).

Cloves, being highly aromatic, provide another connector with the heavens, but with a certain amount of grounding to keep the earth connection (try a big spoonful, and you'll notice it tastes like dirt). Net effect - a connection with the higher functions of the earth itself.

Vanilla does a veritable cornucopia of nice things. Extends the nurturing effects of ginger and cardamon, and also with, for lack of a better phrase, the ancestors of the earth, ie those long-extinct moths that used to pollinate the vanilla plants (and, since it reaches back that far, it encourages a certain amount of reaching back in time to who/whatever you're looking for). Also enhances the senses, which creates not only greater sensitivity to energetic flows around you, but also clearer perception and fact-gathering. It provides a wonderful sense of well-being so that one is less likely to become muddled because of trying too hard. And, of course, it partners wonderfully with chocolate. wink

Nutmeg is sometimes included as well. It's another aromatic, so that will support a heavenly connection, plus it's also a universal-consciousness-booster like cinnamon. But wait, there's more! It's also an incredible mood-booster, meaning you're less likely to look at your results and declare them crap (a big factor in one's successfulness, I've found). Anytime you really want to make someone cheer the hell up and stop grousing, give them something laced with nutmeg. I do it all the time. Just don't go overboard, because sensitive people (which would be most magic-users) tend to collapse a bit after the effect wears off.

So yeah, that's what I've got for you. Can't say I've really noticed a similarly strong effect, but everyone's got different needs and sensitivities. For a fun change of pace, you could always try drinking jasmine tea. Even doctors agree that with sufficient intake of jasmine tea you'll start hallucinating. Good times, man, good times. On the down side, for most people "sufficient" means roughly several pots of tea a day for about a month. Of course, with non-excessive intake, it's also a great calming agent which enhances one's connection with the heavens. (Note: that connection-with-the-heavens thing is a swank way of saying it's really aromatic. Most any aromatic will have a similar effect, some stronger than others.)

I always thought it had a gentle kick to it and one of my super healthy friends endorses it. That's some great bonus side effects.

Over lent I gave up caffeine and smoking (now that's self-discipline) and took up drinking herbal teas instead. I still couldn't get into Chai though, now I kind of wish I did.

A lot of herbs have an oversensitive effect on me...~