Monday, November 29, 2010

Planetary Teas – Magical Herbs for Sun Through Saturn



An Interview with Wes Brown

© 2010 by Joyce Mason 
All Rights Reserved 
In Flower Essences and Astrology, I shared with Radical Readers how one form of “energy medicine” can be helpful during challenging transits. On one of my many daily finger walks on Google (more like jogs), I stumbled across a different form of infusion with astrological properties—planetary teas.

Meet The Amazing Wes Brown, as he introduces himself on his website, Herbalist/Thaumaturge, and Master of Vedic Science. Let’s have tea and an interview with this creative, astrological entrepreneur.

Joyce: Wes, I’ll as the tough question first. Since The Radical Virgo is a Western astrology site and not all our readers will be familiar with the Vedic perspective, what are the major differences between them? I know there is no short answer to this question, so feel free to refer those interested to web sites or other sources that can expand their knowledge, if they want to dig deeper.

Wes:  Vedic Astrology is the Astrology of India. In Sanskrit, it is called Jyotish.  There are many differences between the two, so I will just name a few. 

Vedic Astrology recognizes Navagrahas or nine planets which are the seven luminaries (Sun-Saturn) and the lunar nodes or shadow planets  The names, animal forms, and general significations of the zodiac signs are the same as Western but how we measure the zodiac is very different.  Jyotishis use the sidereal zodiac based on fixed stars rather than the tropical zodiac of Western Astrology, which turns 1 degree every 72 years. 

Perhaps the most confusing difference to the layperson is that Jyotish uses the rising sign as the “birth sign” rather than the Sun sign, which is used in Western Astrology.  Jyotishis require the exact time of birth to determine what sign you are, whereas Western Astrology only needs your date of birth to determine your birth sign.

If you are curious to know more about the System’s Approach to Vedic Astrology, Professor V.K. Choudhry has a website that might be helpful linked here.

Joyce: Since Vedic or Jyotish considers only the traditional planets of Sun through Saturn, that explains why we don’t have teas for the outer planets. Still, that’s plenty of turf to tend! Tell us how they work.

Wes: On the physiological level: chemical compounds in the herbal infusions act upon the mind/body complex in various ways medicinally.    
On the sensory level: the taste, aroma, and experiential qualities of the tea are designed to embody the planet that the tea represents.  On the esoteric level: the herbs are selected based on their planetary ruler, ritually consecrated, and the appropriate planetary mantras are invoked.  They are then bagged in unbleached hemp and wood fiber filter bags and tagged with the mathematical yantra of their patron planet, which is also colored appropriate to that planet.  The desired effect is to shift the awareness a little closer to Cosmic Consciousness through the simple act of drinking tea.

Joyce: The question I’ve been dying to ask! Where did you get this fabulous idea? How did it evolve?

Wes:  The idea appeared in my head during meditation one day long ago, just as did the name Planetary Teas.  The knowledge came later, bit by bit, through conventional research and metaphysical channels. 

I was just starting to learn about Vedic Astrology at the time and, in particular, how it could be applied to the diagnosis of physical ailments according to Ayurvedic Medicine. 

I was also learning about the application of astral remedies through various material mediums such as colors, yantras, mantras, metals, and gems.  Then something just clicked, “Why not herbs?”  That’s when I started doing intense research and working out the formulas. 

It took several years to look at the physical and metaphysical (Magical and Ayurvedic) properties of the herbs-to create blends that are potent and safe as well as delicious.  My goal was to create teas that could be enjoyed on the merit of their flavor alone with the planetary remedy and medicinal benefits serving as pleasant side effects.  

Joyce: There’s a section on your website called Personal-I-Tea, which explains how you make custom teas that are magic talismans for individuals. Tell us more about that.

Wes:   All of our teas are talismanic in addition to being medicinal.  However, most medicinal teas are designed to treat specific symptoms or particular ailments in the body. Our teas are designed to address the root cause of all suffering, which are individual karmic influences. 

The Personal-I-Tea option is an in-depth analysis of the natal chart.  First, we determine your rising sign based on your birth information.  We then look at each planet individually to diagnose problems in life and prescribe teas and other astral remedies to address those issues.

Joyce:  People have to prioritize their spending more than usual these days. Is there a way to try the teas in small volume to test how well an individual resonates to them before making a larger-scale commitment?

Wes:  Part of my reason for creating Planetary Teas was to make astral remedies affordable, accessible, and practical to Western society.  Traditionally, an astrologer might prescribe certain gemstones to wear or ceremonies to be performed in order to address problems found in the chart.  While those recommendations are valid, for most people, they are simply out of depth either culturally or financially.  I tried to do smaller sizes and free samples when I first started out but the amount of time and energy that it takes to analyze a chart and make a batch of tea is immense. 

I value my work very highly and personally believe the benefits of the product to be priceless.  How much should one pay to receive the blessings of Heaven and Earth?  I would love to be able to just give tea away free but everything has a cost. Right now, we are offering one size: 28 bags for $22.00 (plus shipping)—a little bit expensive for tea but for an astrological remedy, it is very affordable. 

My fees for astrological consultation are separate from the cost of the tea and are on a sliding scale between $30.00-$120.00 depending on how deep down the rabbit hole you want to go.  Consultation is not required but I do strongly suggest my services, if you want to maximize the metaphysical benefits of the product.

Joyce: Where can we purchase them?

Wes:  Well, a lot of exciting things are happening in the company right now and with change comes both opportunity and obstacles. 

This month we are teaming up with Organo Gold to launch Planetary Coffee, a retail distribution outlet for coffee products containing ganoderma lucidum extractOrgano Gold products are not mine exclusively but they will be used to replace my Saturn Tea formula. 

Most of the herbs attributed to Saturn (other than coffee and cocoa) are either deadly or somehow unpleasant which made Saturn Tea the most difficult for me to formulate.  I was never really satisfied with the results of my efforts but Organo Gold has achieved perfection in both flavor and medicinal quality with their products and I am proud to be able to offer our brand of magical enhancement to this healthy coffee.

Our website is currently being upgraded accordingly and new orders are on hiatus until after the winter holidays.  We are projected to re-launch the website and begin taking orders through it again on January 20, 2011.  Soon you will also be able to purchase all of our products and services through our Facebook page as well. 

To inquire about a consultation send an e-mail with your name and “consultation” in the subject line to: wesley@planetaryteas.com 

Please include your date, time, and place of birth in the message if you want your natal chart cast and analyzed.  If you do not know your birth information then let me know and we can discuss other possible forms of divination.

Joyce:  Any closing comments or additional information you’d like to provide?

Wes:  I would just like to say how grateful I am to The Radical Virgo for giving me this opportunity to share my vision and to wish all of your readers perfect health, peace of mind, and prosperity.

~~~

Wes Brown's Bio
“The Amazing” Wes Brown (Vaksiddha Yogacharya Suryadevananda Puri)
Direct Disciple of: Viswaguru Mahamandeleshwar Paramhans Swami Maheshswarananda Puri
Time of Birth: 6:49 am
Date of Birth: July 19, 1978
Place of Birth: Crossville, TN

University of North Carolina at Greensboro (1996-2002)
BA in Religious Studies, BA in Broadcasting/Cinema
Maharishi University of Management (2005-2007)
MA in Philosophy/Vedic Literature

Research Assistant: MUM Center for EEG, Consciousness, and Cognition
Sanskrit Teacher-AGAMA Language Institute
Adjunct Faculty: Maharishi University of Management-Vedic Science Department
Lecturer on subjects pertaining to Vedic Literature and Neurophysiology
Instructor: Astroview’s Introduction to the System’s Approach to Vedic Astrology
Teacher of Yoga-in-Daily-Life-Sarva Hitta Asanas (Postures for All People)
United States Representative for Yoga-in-Daily-Life: Ayurveda Academy
Disciple Trainer: Heavenly Body Chi Gong for Fitness and Health
United States Representative for Yoga-in-Daily-Life: Ayurveda Academy
Founder and CEO: Planetary Teas and Planetary Coffee


Photo Credit: Celestial Brown, 2007

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