Salus Organic Monastery Herbs Tea
The era between antiquity and the Renaissance is often referred to as the ”Dark Ages“. Not because there was so little sunshine, but due to a drastic lack of education. Only a few centuries before almost every child could read and write in the Roman middle class. The Romans wrote down their discoveries in science, medicine or architecture to preserve them for future generations. In numerous libraries they collected and copied the classical works of Roman and Greek philosophers. Due to the high literacy rate a lively culture of letter writing existed. With the fall of the Roman Empire the writing and reading skills of the population went down the drain as well. Especially north of the Alps books became a rare commodity. Because of that valuable knowledge fell into oblivion. Even today, engineers are amazed at the skills of the master builders and physicians are amazed at how much knowledge healers had of plants 2,000 years ago.
Without the monasteries it's unlikely that the fragments of the intellectual heritage of the antiquity would have survived the Middle Ages. It was a time in which the written word was completely inaccessible to the majority of the people. Even the rulers were often unable to read and - if at all - were only able to write their own names. Thanks to Benedict of Nursia the brightest minds of the Middle Ages were almost all clothed in a cowl. In the 5th century he father of Western monasticism wrote a set of rules for living in a monastery. Its motto ”Ora et labora (et lege)“ which means ”pray and work (and read)“ is a guideline for monks and nuns up until today. Because of this rule, monasteries were far more than just places of spiritual retreat. They were also self-sustaining economic communities and - in a time of illiteracy - an oasis of knowledge. In the scriptorium sacred texts but also ancient manuscripts were copied by hand and then bound. Each of these artfully illustrated books from the scriptorium was worth a fortune. Since the monks also copied and translated ancient and Arabic medicine books, the monasteries turned more and more into centers of the healing arts. In order to produce pharmaceuticals extensive herb gardens were created behind the convent walls. Especially monastic orders, who cared for the sick and often operated their own hospitals studied the healing properties of plants intensively.
The writings about the art of healing from the Benedictine nun Hildegard of Bingen became especially famous. The knowledge of this universal scholar and mystic has been one of the foundations of herbal medicine for centuries. Although women's access to education was almost completely blocked in the early Middle Ages, behind the walls of their convent the sisters could safely devote themselves to their studies. Hildegard's work revealed an intellect that outshined most of her (male) contemporaries. Because of her holistic look at the world, she was a sought-after counselor for doctors and monks trained in the art of healing. Her specialty, however, was the herbal medicine. With the herbs from the traditional monastic art of healing Salus has created the tea series ”Monastery Herbs“. Three exquisite blends combine the wealth of the monastery gardens with tasty teas.
The ”Organic Monastery Herbs Tea Silent Hours“ will help you step back from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Lemon balm leaves, lime blossoms, blackberry leaves and hop cones taste delicately fruity and have a relaxing and balancing effect. The aromatic ”Organic Monastery Herbs Energy Tea“ awakens the spirits with a mixture of sea buckthorn, rose hips, elderflowers and galangal, while the alkaline-rich Salus ”Organic Monastery Herbs Cure Tea“ supports the body with proven herbs from the traditional monastic art of healing such as elderflowers, nettle leaves, anise, mint and heather. Enjoy exceptional recipes that turn proven monastery herbs into delicious Salus tea specialties.
