Botanica Erotica: Exploring Sensuality and Aphrodisiac Herbs
Hello Beautiful!
I’m so glad you are here with me right now! May I ask you a personal question?
Do you crave intimacy on your terms? Do you desire to experience a deeper more spiritual and sensual connection with yourself or your partner?
Welcome to “Botanica Erotica”, today we will embark on a sensuous journey connecting to our inner sensuality and discover which herbal aphrodisiacs are right for you. I will offer intuitive, and herbal wisdom to soften and deepening your sensuality with yourself and your partner.
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How Do Aphrodisiac Herbs Work?
Throughout time men and women have eagerly imbibed substances called aphrodisiacs in our never-ending quest for better more satisfying sex. The word “aphrodisiac” comes from the Greek Goddess, Aphrodite which means love and desire. Like sexual desire itself, aphrodisiacs work mysteriously, often in a myriad of intricate ways. Some herbs are known for their ability to excite sexual arousal by increasing blood flow to your sweet spots, others work by toning and tightening genital tissue, increasing sensitivity, others enhance bodily moister or juiciness.
Most aphrodisiac herbs are tonics, affecting the imbiber over a longer period of time to increase health, stamina and an overall hearty willingness to go for it. Others help you ease into intimacy by inducing a relaxing sensation that relieves anxiety and quiets the mind.
Aphrodisiacs Are Known To….
Increase blood flow, strengthen and tone the reproductive and sexual organs, restore vitality and stamina, support the endocrine system by balancing hormones, relax and calm anxiety, increase energy, nourish the heart, enhance our five senses, increase sperm count and improve female fertility.
Where Has my Libido Gone?
Most common culprits: stress, depression, anxiety, pharmaceutical side effects, emotional disinterest, feelings of guilt or shame, history of abuse, fear of pregnancy, feeling touched out from nursing a baby all day, poor body image, not enough time for intimacy or lack of privacy, lack of foreplay or compassionate communication, not as attracted to partner like before, hormonal changes (As we age our hormones change. As estrogen decreases often women experience vagina dryness. Estrogen drops in later half of our menstrual cycle and in menopause).
Sexual Arousal
The forces that excite sexual arousal are both mental and physical. Sexual arousal may be triggered mentally by thoughts and fantasies, reading an erotic book, talking about sex, or reacting to a provocative sexual remark. It may be triggered by purely visual stimuli- a sexually attractive person, an erotic movie, nonverbal body messages, or nudity. Or it may be stimulated by messages from other senses- hearing a sexy voice, listening to music, smelling an evocative fragrance, or being touched. Sexual arousal is usually triggered consciously, but it can occur involuntarily. For example, having an orgasm while you sleep in an example of involuntary arousal.
How is all this related to aphrodisiacs? Sexual arousal can be triggered both mentally and physically. The body’s biochemistry plays a huge role in the functioning of the body and the brain- the ultimate controller of our sex drive. Our biochemistry is greatly influenced by the substance we consume and by your lifestyle. Whether it is our food, drugs, herbs, hormones, vitamins and minerals, essential oils, all of these are chemicals that affect our biochemistry and our sexuality.
Herbal Aphrodisiacs
There are many herbal aphrodisiacs that work very differently from each other with varying results. Some herbs are fast-acting and are taken prior to having sex. These herbs might increase blood flow to the genitals or calm the emotional and physical body. Other herbs work long term and condition our body. These herbs taken over time provide us with the physical and emotional readiness for long term sexual desire, energy, and vigor. Whatever herb you ultimately decide to imbibe it’s important to understand how safely consume them for maximum effectiveness and pleasure.
How Do I Choose the Right Aphrodisiac For Me?
Choose the herbs with your body and open your senses wide! See the herbs, taste them, smell them, touch them, imbibe them. Start with a single herb by itself for a few weeks and see if you notice a difference. Be patient, attentively listen to what your body is telling you. Ask yourself, ask your body, “Why do I want to try herbal aphrodisiacs”? Is there a specific type of aphrodisiac that your body and spirit desire?
Would you like to relax more? Are you looking for a bit more…ahem…enhancement? Try some yummy stimulants. Are you feeling tired, or general unease? Discover a nourishing daily tonic. Maybe your heart simply isn’t in it. Explore some comforting heart healers. I have to add this in just to be safe if you have any health issues or illness make sure you do your reading to rule out any contraindications. Above all, have fun and go with your intuition. We have a “gut” instinct for a reason….
Experience this guided meditation
Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.)
Hawthorn is medicine for the heart on all levels. Indigenous to countries across the northern hemisphere, this small thorny tree has a long recorded history of medicinal use in Europe, China, and North America. Hawthorn is a member of the Rose family.
The leaves, flowers, and ripe berries of Hawthorn taste great and are easily consumed in teas, infusions, and tinctures. Consistent, long-term use of hawthorn is especially recommended for aging hearts, weak hearts, damaged hearts, and those with hypertension, angina, arrhythmia, heart valve disease, or broken hearts from love loss.
Hawthorn helps open the heart to giving and receiving love and can help in healing heartache. It encourages self-love and self-acceptance. As with many heart-acting energy remedies, hawthorn helps us to develop courage. The very etymology of the word courage draws our attention to the heart: cor is Latin for heart. And courage is truly an open-hearted state.
Maca
Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a root plant consumed as a food and for medicinal purposes. Powdered maca root can be added to smoothies, juice, shakes it blends nicely with chocolate. Or can be taken as a pill or liquid extract. Maca is also known as "Peruvian ginseng" (it is not a member of the ginseng family), because it has been renowned traditionally for thousands of years to increase stamina, energy, and sexual desire. Maca is an aphrodisiac, naturally improving sexual performance and fertility.
There are different types of maca, gold, black, and red. The black and gold maca appears to have the greatest effect on men's sperm count.
One small study looked at the effect of 4 months of treatment with maca tablets on semen quality in nine adult men. Treatment with maca resulted in increased semen volume, sperm count, and sperm motility.
Health Benefits of Maca:
Improve fatigue
Reduce the symptoms of menopause
Improve mood in menopausal and postmenopausal women, reducing anxiety and depression
Increase sexual desire in both men and women
Studies show that maca can improve sexual desire in depressed people who take SSRI's and lost their libido due to the medication.
Kava Kava
For those of you familiar with the effects of kava aphrodisiac properties might not be the first thing that springs to mind. In general, kava has the effect of relaxing you, reducing anxiety, and promoting sociability; while none of these effects are directly aphrodisiac in themselves, kava’s ability to help people let go of their inhibitions and loosen up in social situations is enough for many people to label kava aphrodisiac as well as anxiolytic in its effects. Like alcohol, kava consumption has the effect of lowering social inhibitions: people often find it much easier and more relaxing to make conversation with others after a cup or two of kava, especially those who suffer from social anxiety and related anxiety disorders. Yet while kava encourages conversation and openness, unlike alcohol it won’t disorient you or dull your thinking; you won’t have to worry about getting “drunk” or losing control with kava!
Kava is a recognized empathogen that many people have called the “anti-shy” herb for its ability to spur even normally shy or anxious people to greater emotional openness and social ability. Drinking kava can boost overall self-confidence as well as sexual confidence in people and can enhance the potential for emotional connection in both long-term relationships and couples who are just getting to know each other. The empathogenic and anxiolytic effects of kava can be quite conducive to sexual experiences because it removes certain inhibitions but still leaves you in control of all your faculties.
Damiana (Turnera diffusa)
Damiana tea affects the psyche and is emotionally uplifting. The sensations can last for about an hour and a half. A cup of damiana tea before bed relaxes one for love-making and promotes pleasant dreams.
Damiana as a tea is a tonic for the kidneys, the sexual organs, and the nervous system. It is excellent at balancing hormones and emotions. The effect of this tea is definitely more noticeable when one is feeling down, out of sorts, grumpy, angry or upset, giving one an immediate and natural feeling of well-being. Damiana contains essential oils that stimulate the genital tract and alkaloids that can increase the sensitivity of the sexual organs.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Not enough is known about the use of damiana during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
Looking to fill your loving cup with something sensual this Valentine's Day? Lover's Passion is a rich blend of herbal aphrodisiacs perfect for a night in with that special someone. Supply is limited, so be sure to order soon!
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