By Natalie Embiscuso

The sun’s rays nurture the land, calling forth the flowers and beckoning the plants. Each time it rises is an opportunity to appreciate the daily cycle of death and rebirth.  But the sun gives more than light and warmth to all living things, it is a powerful energetic source. In Pagan religions, as well as many other cultures, the sun is a symbol of God. Using the sun for herbal infusion means steeping with a deeply spiritual energy, one of positivity, clarity, and light. 

Brewing Sun Tea is one way we can integrate this solar magic. Heat is a key component for extracting plant constituents, which is why most teas are brewed with hot water – without it there’s a risk of leaving lots of nutrients behind.  With a longer extraction time, we can get a strong infusion by using the sun and its beautiful energy.  It is important to note that this process is exclusively for herbal teas, as black and green teas contain tannins that cause nausea when steeped for too long.  Some of our herbal teas that work great for this method include Gratitude Tea, Sexy Tea, and Cool + Calm because these blends contain tonic herbs. 

Tonic herbs are safe for everyday consumption and extremely nourishing for the body.  Most often enjoyed as a tea, these herbs are rich in vitamins and minerals that are best extracted in water. This can be done in personal doses, as in steeping a single cup of tea, or it can be done in larger batches. The daily recommended dose of herbal tonic for an adult is 4 cups, which can make brewing tea in larger batches very useful. It’s like meal prepping, but for tonics!

Sun Tea Recipe

Yield: 4 cups (32oz)

Ingredients:
4 Tbsp Herbal Tea Blend
32 oz Filtered Water

Materials:
Bell Jar (or any jar with a lid)

Method:
Add 4 Tbsp of tonic herbs to a Bell Jar or any jar with a lid.  Pour cool, filtered water over the herbs and cap.  Leave your jar in the sun for about 3 hours being mindful not to exceed 5. The tea should steep long enough to create a nice infusion, but without encouraging the growth of bacteria. Once brewed, strain and enjoy immediately. Make sure to store leftover tea in the fridge and consume within 3 days.  Because this recipe is 1 Tbsp herb to 1 cup water, it is easy to determine the ratio necessary for making smaller infusions.