Qalbi (my heart) ~ Herbal Tea Blend
Qalbi ~ aka “Albi ” means my heart in Arabic. This tea blend came through feelings of deep longing, grief, prayer, and reverence. I was guided and inspired to make an herbal tea blend that bridges the East and West, my familial lineages of Mesoamerica & SWANA (colonially termed as the Middle East), the worlds that have known celebration of traditions & interconnected colonial struggles. Qalbi is a prayer to bring healing and attention to our hearts, within and globally.
Flor de jamaica (Hibiscus/Sorrel), Cacao (grown and brought from Nicaragua), Rosehips, and Cardamom invoke the senses to engage with the heart and wider heart. They remind us that the heart is truly sovereign - and yet, we tend to neglect the heart often. I also hand-rolled each fireweed leaves and fermented them, which is a beautiful and laborious process that tastes like fruity black tea (without any caffeine). Then, I added Linden’s heart-shaped leaves & beautiful flowers that I harvested, each time reminding me of another world within that is full of hope and support the process of integration.
Hand-collected Rose petals are added for LOVE, LOVE, LOVE - supporting heartbreak, grief, anxiety, overwhelm, overheating, rage. And Licorice adds a touch of sweetness and immune support.
Without a heart, one cannot live or love (i.e., feel the spectrum of emotions). May these plantitas support you to be with all of your heart, while offering the body support via easing tension, vitamin C, and prayers. My prayer is that you know you are not alone AND supported in seen and unseen ways.
Amor: Linden leaves/flowers, Fermented Fireweed leaves, Rosehips, Hibiscus, Nicaragüense Cacao, Cardamom, Licorice root, Rose petals
Work with Qalbi: about 2tsp per 12oz water, adjust to preferance. Smell the herbs, and pour herbs into the water. Let the water boil. then turn lower heat to simmer. Let herbs simmer on low for 15-20mins. This is a good time to check in your heart, and your body, offering any prayers and gratitude. Turn off, may allow to steep a bit more if needed. Enjoy♥
** Hardier plants like Cardamom, cacao beans, rosehips, and hibiscus benefit from a simmer/decoction process to pull more of their flavor and medicine as opposed to more delicate plants (i.e chamomile, rose, leaves, etc).
— about 2 oz by weight
