Craft: Make a Full Moon Tea

Have you ever made Solar Tea? It is essentially an infusion of tea or other herbs but uses fresh cool water and is left out in the sunshine to brew. Some call this a cold brew tea. This tea is kind to the environment as no additional energy is used. When the infusion looks sufficiently steeped (to taste), simply decant and serve. I like it as an iced tea, with a few added cubes,  a wedge of lemon and perhaps even some chopped up fruit or a spring of mint.

Why not celebrate the Full Moon with a lunar-infused tea, full of that lovely lunar energy!

The process is very similar to making Solar Tea. I like to start it the night before the Full Moon, to use in my actual Full Moon rituals, but you can start it at any time during the three days (or so!) of Full Moon energy.

You can use any ingredients at all, perhaps choosing a favourite tea blend, some summer herbs (mint, lemon balm, rosemary, basil, etc), and maybe a few rose petals or even a few slices of summer fruits (citrus, strawberry, cucumber). Let your intuition guide you.

Scott Cunningham in his book Encyclopaedia of Magical Herbs says the following herbs and fruits are aligned with the Moon, and any would be a lovely addition to your Full Moon tea: lemon balm, cucumber, grape, pea, peach, pear, lemon, and papaya.

Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), aka Holy Basil, would also be a lovely addition to your infusion, as would dried berries such as Elderberry or Hawthorn (both so magical!) and Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis) which is said to possess all five elements of herbal and Chinese medicine (pungent, salty, sour, bitter, and sweet).

In the picture above, I am preparing a Rosalee de la Forêt recipe for Cold Brew Tulsi Tea (click here for the recipe) slightly ahead of the Full Moon.

FYI, I prefer my teas unsweetened, but season to your taste preferences with your preferred sweetener such as honey, agave, stevia, sugar, etc.

Method

• choose a selection of favourite teas, florals, fruits and/or herbs and add to a large clear glass container
• fill with cool water (spring or filtered would be best), and set outdoors at moon rise (just after sunset)
• seal the jar to prevent any insects (or faeries!) from enjoying your tea
• bring indoors in the morning, strain and sip throughout the day.

For a special treat,  add a few blossoms of butterfly pea flower blossoms to your jar
which will turn your blend a luscious blue colour (this can also be done just before serving).
When you add a drop of lemon juice, your tea magically turns purple!
Perfect for a faerie or unicorn party!