Sipping Sattva: Rose Fennel Tea

If Sattva means light, clarity, peace, balance, harmony, then wouldn’t you say summer is the most Sattvic of the seasons? Fruit has ripened, flowers are blooming, the sun is strong, its light is clear, life seems to slow, nature is at ease, days linger.

Beauty is summer’s prime pacifier: tonifying, refreshing, relieving

If you listen closely, you can almost hear summer’s Sattva: underneath the urban drone, rural buzz, summer sounds of freedom, there is a certain quietude. A quiet that almost reaches out beyond this world to a place where summer never has to end…

Rose Fennel Tea is naturally sweet and sattvic

To taste Sattva, I invite you to try this soft, sweet, harmony-loving tea. You can make it ahead of time and serve it at room temperature, or add cool coconut milk to make an Ayurveda version of “Iced Tea.”

Mint releases heat, while fennel offers balancing, sweet relief.

The ingredients are simple: Fennel, Rose, Mint. Fennel is sweet and cooling. Rose is soothing and astringent. Mint is light and refreshing. Together they create a gentle medicine to balance summer’s heat, with a delicate, subtle taste that makes you want to slow down, sink in, taste and listen deeply.

Rose Water

Rose Water adds elegance. You can make your own or find it bottled and sold at Asian or Persian markets.

To make one serving: Boil one cup water. Stir in 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, cover and reduce heat. Allow this to simmer for a few minutes, then turn off the heat. After it has cooled, toss in 4-5 mint leaves, and give it a stir. Allow to steep 5-10 minutes. Pour through a tea strainer into mug or serving glass. Add 1 teaspoon rose water, and optionally coconut milk to taste.

Generally, though, I make enough for two servings, and simplify by pouring the boiling water over the fennel seeds in a teapot to let it brew, adding the mint and rose water as it cools. In that case, it is 1 tablespoon of fennel, 6-8 mint leaves, 2 teaspoons of Rose Water.

Rose Fennel Tea Happiness

I served this last Sunday to Rod Stryker, author of The Four Desires. Rod is a pure expression of Sattva, who has described life masteryas a harnessing of nature’s elegance. I’ll drink (a Rose Fennel Tea) to that!