Athene Wellness

Tea, Tarot and Massage may not seem like all three go together, but to me, it’s the perfect healing combo. 

In today’s world, we’re inundated with stress, anxiety and depression. We’re under immense amounts of pressure – from society, work, friends and family. Most of the time we forget to breathe, to take that moment to ourselves, to find our inner zen. 

As someone that’s had anxiety since childhood, finding mediums that can help me relax and re-centre is important.

Tea Healing

Camellia Sinensis teas (black, white, green, oolong, yellow and puehr) all contain L-Theanine, a polyphenol with proven studies showing how it helps to relax the mind and body. 

Herbs such as lavender and chamomile have components that aid in sleep and recovery, and help soothe the mind. 

But sometimes, it’s not just the tea. The ritual of heating the water, adding the leaves to the teapot, and watching them brew forces us to slow down and take time out of our days for a bit of self care. 

Sitting there and drinking a pot of tea enables us to carve out a time and space to just enjoy our own company. Sharing a pot of tea with a friend brings us closer to that friend, whilst sipping the warming brew. 

Tea is not just about the physical benefits the leaves and herbs provide, but the mental benefits of the mini rituals. And when the body and mind are in harmony, so is the spirit. 

Tarot Healing

Remember when you were a kid and the whole world would feel on your shoulders, but then you’d go to one of your parents, a family member or a teacher. You’d be wound up into a knot over this seemingly massive problem, but when you told a grown up, suddenly the problem wasn’t so big. To them it was so simple… They could offer you a variety of advice and solutions… 

That, to me, is what Tarot is. It’s like telling your problem to a grown up, and getting sage advice far beyond your own years of wisdom. Re-affirming that you’re not alone in the world.

Be it talking to your subconscious self, your higher self, your spirit guides or The Universe. Tarot helps you clear the clutter from your mind and re-connect with yourself. To discover your own wants and needs, to get advice on situations you’re not ready to or don’t want to face. 

Massage Healing 

Massage has been proven to stimulate the body to release happy hormones and endorphins such as dopamine and serotonin, whilst also reducing the release of cortisol and adrenaline. 

Fight or Flight Anxiety

So how can these mediums help with anxiety? 

When we experience feelings of anxiety, our body enters into fight or flight mode. This response goes back thousands of years, back to when we used to hunt for our food and may come across predators. 

Imagine you came across a tiger in the jungle… Your body would flood with adrenaline, which in turn increases heart rate and blood flow. 

These responses allow you to make quicker decisions (note I said quicker, not better). By increasing heart rate and blood flow your muscles receive more oxygen. If you’re going to run from the tiger, your body needs to prep itself so you don’t pull a muscle. It’s giving you optimal chances to get away and survive. 

If you’re going to fight the tiger, you need your muscles to respond quickly, again, without the risk of injury. 

Our bodies still experience all these symptoms when facing anxiety, except now it’s not a tiger in the jungle… it’s financial troubles, or a chat with your boss, or meeting someone new… all problems that you can’t fight or flight. 

It’s not like you can physically fight the rent due this month, or run away from the important client meeting… Our bodies are still experiencing these reactions, priming for physical activity, but with nowhere to go. So we need to learn different ways to soothe these responses. 

Tea – The L-Theanine present in tea can help to physically soothe the body and mind, minimising these responses. 

Tarot – Knowing you’re on the right path can spiritually ease you, knowing you’re heading in the right direction can act as a preventative measure. 

Massage – Physically soothing the muscles and releasing happy endorphins and hormones such as oxytocin and dopamine whilst inhibiting the release of cortisol and adrenaline will help negate symptoms.