Sensual Herbalism
When you hear the word sensuality, what comes to mind? Close your eyes, take a deep breath, explore what feelings, thoughts, or sensations arise.
Sensuality is the engagement with the senses as we move through life. It is embodiment, a state of awareness and appreciation of ourselves which allows us to be intimately involved in the experience of aliveness. When grounded in our sensuality, we’re able to experience pleasure, interact with life, feel the free flow of creativity through us, and foster genuine intimacy with ourselves and each other. In relearning to tap into this well of sensuality through plants and practice, we live a more connected, creative and expansive life.
Our sacral chakra holds the well of sensuality and creativity. Sensuality and creativity– the two intertwine, as the creative act is the alchemy of sensory engagement into the tangible, and sensuality is the visceral awareness of sensory engagement.
As a society, we are disconnected from our sensuality. Stress, which spins so easily into anxiety, sweeps us up and out of the empowered, sensual state. Often, we’re too caught up in the mundane to fall again, and again, in love with wonder, curiosity, and awe. When was the last time you stood in reverence to the bees making love to flowers, their legs brushing up against the flower’s anthers? A disconnect from sensuality, is a disconnect from self, from creativity, pleasure, wonder, intimacy; the things that make life worth living.
Herbalism is the holistic practice of bringing balance through communion with the natural world. It softens, strengthens, and harmonizes, guiding us back to ourselves, back to the natural state of energized vibrance, back to sensuality, back home. Here, we are free to live to the full extent of our expression, the plants as our guides.
The term “ aphrodisiac” refers to something that stimulates sexual desire or pleasure. A huge variety of foods and herbs have been used as aphrodisiacs, and a number of herbs will have “aphrodisiac” listed as one of its actions. In the most basic sense, herbs work by balancing the body’s imbalances, supporting its detox processes, and unblocking the flow of vital energy and blood. When choosing an herbal approach to sensuality, and/or libido, we want to bring harmony to the system that is blocked or unbalanced.
The nervous system is the command center of the body. It has two aspects: the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. The sympathetic nervous system is responsive to our environments. It controls the fight, flight, and freeze responses, and directs the body’s involuntary functions (like speeding heart rate, bloody and oxygen delivery, instantaneous hormonal changes, and mechanisms of immediate survival. The parasympathetic system is the “rest and digest” state. Here, the body is relaxed. Digestion, absorption of nutrients, and cellular repair take place. Here, the “alert” alarms are deactivated, and the body is free to soften, open, and relax.
When operating from a chronically stressed state, access to sensually is severed. We’re tipped into a hyper-alert state of high stress and rampant cortisol, energy is diverted from all mechanisms that aren’t vital for imminent survival, and sexual, digestive, immune, and repair functions shut down. In this state, we hold ourselves tightly against all perceived possible threats and operate from a dis-embodied, tense state. Stress inhibits the flow of sensual energy.
Nervines are a category of herbs that work specifically on the nervous system. Some of our herbal aphrodisiacs support libido by calming the nervous system and dropping us out of the mental spirals into aroused, embodied, openness. Daniama, an all time favorite aphrodisiac herb calms the nervous system and supports serotonin and dopamine levels, inducing states of sensual, soft, creative, seductive, blissed-out embodiment. Rose is cardioprotective, supporting the heart physically and energetically, and soothes the nervous system. Rose, with her soft spreading petals and thorned body, is a lesson on boundaries and beauty, delicate sweetness, an unfurled heart.
Adaptogens are medicinal herbs that bring equilibrium to the body as a whole, regulating the body’s stress response and hormone production via the HPA axis. Among our adaptogens, each presents different personalities and characteristics. Shatavari is sweet and moistening, nicknamed “herb of a hundred husbands” for her ability to arouse that juicy, sensual goddess energy. Ashwagandha is calming adaptogen, enhancing sexual desire and pleasure by soothing the body from overdrive into embodiment. Tulsi, or Holy Basil, is known as the Queen of the Herbs. She is sweet and harmonizing, associated with the goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of beauty, fertility, sensuality, and abundance.
Cold or depleted conditions call for increased circulation, especially to the pelvic region. Circulatory stimulants, like gingko, prickly ash, ginger, and hawthorn, increase sensitivity and levels of arousal by improving circulation to the extremities and genitals. Stuck conditions want lymphatic and alterative herbs, like red root and ocotillo, to move stagnation and improve blood supply. It’s important to note that when working with these herbs, specifically ocotillo, trauma that’s been stored and stuck in the pelvic area will often resurface, asking to be cleared out. When sensual energy is blocked or depleted, and the creative life force restricted to a thin trickle, these herbs thaw the dams, letting our energy rush through us full force.
Sensuality is a personal expression of self. Experiences of trauma, shame, insecurity, anxiety, and societal pressures affect our ability to feel safe in our sensuality. Flower essences are the vibrational medicines. They communicate with the subtle energies in our body to shift emotional and spiritual patterns. Flower essences can be potent guides and allies to work with when exploring the spiritual and emotional sides to health imbalance.
Beyond just ingesting herbs, explore rituals and practices to enhance your sensitivity to sensuality. Feel your body, touch your body. Close your eyes and engage with this physical expression of self through each of the five senses, one at a time. Run your finger lightly over your lips. Feel your breath filling your body. Listen to your breath, how it changes or stays the same. Breathe in the scent of your skin. And now, tap into your awareness, that 6th sense. What do you notice, what is trembling or alive inside of you right now? Create a practice of exploring the sensual, sensory experience of yourself: light a candle or incense, slowly massage yourself with a beautiful body oil, breathe, listen, drop in.
I encourage you to explore your sensual nature. When do you feel the most embodied, the most sensual? Pick one of the 5 senses, and go on a walk, exploring everything you come across through that sense. Pick one plant, and observe it, using all your senses. Feel the texture of the petals or leaves against your skin. What does her smell evoke? Bath your soul for a moment in the plant’s energy. Be present with what arises. Tap into this well of beautiful, embodied, sensuous energy. Play with the recipes below, and open yourself to the sensual nature of plants!
Rose infused body oil
Ingredients:
Oils of your choice (Sunflower, almond, olive, jojoba, rosehip, apricot kernel… all are beautiful choices)
Dried rose petals
Dried lavender
Rose essential oil
Cinnamon essential oil
Jasmine essential oil
Put the flowers in a jar, and add a cap-full of high proof alcohol. Shake, and let it sit for 24 hours. This will enhance the breakdown of plant constituents, to give you a stronger oil.
Cover with your oils of choice. Use a double boiler method, or a slow cooker, to heat the oil on low (around 100°F) for a few hours, until the alcohol smell has completely disappeared.
Add a few drops of your essential oils, cover, and let your oil infuse in a cool dark place for 2-4 weeks.
Press out with a cloth, making sure no plant particles get into your oil!
Use as a sensual massage oil, evening ritual oil, daily moisturizer, or however you desire. Be present with your senses, and allow the protective, sensual nature of rose to envelop you.
Sensual love potion:
Ingredients:
Cacao paste
Rose petals
Damiana
Hawthorn berries
Full fat coconut milk
Honey
Vanilla
Pink salt
Make a tea out of the rose, damiana, and hawthorn berries. (grind the hawthorne berries so they infuse better). Let it steep for 5-7 minus.
Strain, and put in a pot with the cacao paste, vanilla extract, a dash of pink or sea salt, and equal parts coconut milk. Heat until the cacao is completely melted
Stir in honey, pour in a mug, and top with rose petals
Take a deep breath, and drink., feeling the warmth spreading through your body.
