Imagine the scent of a single flower...
That is so inebriating and so euphoric it had a majestic stretch of limelight back through thousands of years of history and across cultures as varied as the Egyptian, Mayan, Syrian and Thai.
This beautiful flower is called Blue Lotus.
Before we head into the nitty gritty of this enchanting flower...
It's important to note that the flower we are speaking about in this blog and which we provide in our shop is the Nymphaea Caerulea – known as blue Egyptian lotus, blue water lily, blue Egyptian water lily, sacred blue lily or blue lily of the Nile. Despite its common name “Blue Lotus” it isn’t a lotus flower but a water lily in the genus Nymphaea.
Which differs from the Nelumbo nucifera – also known as Indian lotus, sacred lotus, bean of India, Egyptian bean or simply lotus. This is an aquatic plant in the family Nelumbonaceae (water lotus). It doesn’t help that this plant is sometimes incorrectly called water lily.
So, What's the difference between Blue Water Lotus and Blue Water Lilies?
Both are different plants with different effects.
On the other hand, the two have something in common: they both share one active chemical ingredient, the alkaloid Nuciferine.
In regards to consuming them, the Egyptian “Blue Lotus” Nymphaea Caerulea is known to offer more pronounced effects.
And we will see these effects more in detail in this blog.
Now that we've got that sorted out...
The FIRST thing you should know about Blue Lotus:
WHAT IS BLUE LOTUS?
Blue Lotus is regarded as the "Flower of Enlightenment" has an intoxicating fragrance and is a truly mesmerising and beautiful flower to behold.
It is a flower that features day-blooming, star-shaped flowers, each with upright, pointed, light blue petals spread flat on the water surface.
Although once abundant and native from Egypt in the Nile Delta, Blue Lotus has now mostly disappeared from that area where it is now considered to be an endangered flower.
Luckily for us, the Blue Lotus now has spread to other places and can be found in regions such as Thailand, China and India.
HISTORY OF BLUE LOTUS
The most famous ancient societies that revered the Blue Lotus as sacred were among the Ancient Egyptians and the Mayan thousands of years ago and it was seen as a symbol of creation, rebirth, fertility and enlightenment:
Egyptians once believed that the world was originally covered by water and darkness.
From this darkness a large Blue Lotus appeared in the depths of the water, and when it opened the light radiated in all directions, thus ending darkness on Earth.
From the centre of the Blue Lotus was born the solar deity RA.
The flower thus became a symbolic depiction of the origins of life and thus deeply interconnected to the Sun.
Blue Lotus also has been historically used in Egypt for a variety of other purposes including as a stimulant, aphrodisiac, sexual enhancer and remedy against general illness. It was also to be apparently their "sacred party drug":
imagine secret temple gatherings of elite society - sharing sacred wines specially imbibed with blue lotus extract. These parties, much as the rest of Egyptian society, were sexually themed and the famed aphrodisiac qualities of the blue lotus led no doubt to religiously charged orgies.
You can see evidence of this in countless murals, papyrus and temples throughout Egypt - including the Turin Papyrus shown above.
Blue Lotus flowers have also been widely as a common motif in Egyptian art and architecture. For example, King Tut’s body was found to be covered with blue lotus petals when his tomb was opened in 1922.
Finding its way out of Egypt around 300 BCE, the lotus then landed in Greece where the prevailing culture incorporated it into the religion of Isis and Serapis.
Finally, near the close of the Roman Empire, Blue Lotus was being traded to the far corners of the known world, from Brittania to India. The lotus even features prominently in Mayan religious art, costumes, and ceremonies.
It has been used in religious rites and ceremonies led by shamanic priests to induce into a trance state so one could commune with the Gods...
Traditional Aboriginal medicine in Australia has used the Blue lotus eating the roots, stems, flowers and incorporating this plant into daily culture. There are traditions and secret womens business around this plant that go back 40,000 years within recorded botanical scripts.
So we can truly convey that Blue Lotus is a precious ethnobotanical treasure, filled with spiritual meaning, as the lotus rises from the depths of the muddy waters, untouched and pure, to blossom into its majestic beauty.
Purchase the Blue Lotus Bundle
WHAT IS BLUE LOTUS USED FOR AND WHAT DOES IT CONTAIN?**
This is the juicy part:
Blue Lotus flowers have truly an alluring fragrance that carries surprising therapeutic properties:
It contains alkaloids Apomorphine, Aporphine and Nuciferine, that help release dopamine and serotonin to influence our mood and produce mild psychoactive effects that are known to induce euphoria.
Apomorphine is a non-selective dopamine agonist that is often used in clinical settings as anesthesia, as it activates dopamine receptors and enhances motor performance known to treat diseases such as depression, schizophrenia, Parkison's disease and erectile dysfunction.
Aporphine is a psychoactive compound that acts as a dopamine agonist, meaning it can instill a happy and euphoric feeling and may also help with muscle control in those with conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and erectile dysfunction like apomorphine.
Nuciferine is compound thought to act as an anti-psychotic drug that induces feelings of calmness and is used as an antipsychotic in treatment of alcohol use disorder.
(**cited from Healthline.com)
Given its incredible adaptogenic benefits, Blue Lotus can be used:
- as an anxiety reliever and sleep aid
- for calming effects on the mind
- as an antidepressant if you have been struggling with feeling down for too long
- to increase sexual vitality in both men and women as the adrenal glands begin to heal and the androgen hormones come back to balance, thus allowing libido to return and bloom
- as an aphrodisiac
- as a detoxifying agent
- to encourage lucid dreaming
- to treat menstrual irregularities, ease the cramps and stabilise the menstrual cycle
- may reduce signs of ageing, so is wonderful in skin care as well
So, in the true context of an adaptogenic, Blue Lotus has the power to repair all of the body without taking on any particular organ, system or illness into account.
It is quite undiscerning in its selection of what it heals, which is often the case with adaptogens. It targets the area in need of healing, and it shifts energy into that the true constitution should be.
It just does it all: a full spectrum medicine that targets mind, body, soul and emotions.
HOW TO USE BLUE LOTUS FLOWERS?**
Blue Lotus Flowers can be used as infusion in teas, for Yoni Steaming sessions, and/or smoked.
We also have an extraordinary multi-purpose Ritual Oil, for your self love and self care rituals.
This is such a delicious flower that you can seriously add it to anything.
From Chocolate to salads, to nut milks, to desserts... Its delicious smell as a chocolatey aroma, with hints of spice.
Here is one of our favourite recipes made with Blue Lotus flowers:
INSTRUCTIONS FOR TEA:
Add boiling hot water to a teapot or in a large cup and steep 1 Blue Lotus Flower inside for 6/7 minutes, not more as if it steeps longer it will only get bitter and loose the delicate floral aroma it provides. Drink the full cup and top up again with boiling water 2 to 3 times. One flower makes about 2- 3 cups of tea.
Consume during the day or before sleep.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SMOKE:
Grind up to 3 soft petals and add to a small Pipe, a vaporiser (we love Pax 3) or sprinkle over rolling papers. Works great on its own or mixed with other herbs too.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR YONI STEAMING:
Use a single flower as herb to steam with for your steaming sessions, or add 7-8 soft petals if using in combination with other herbs ( for more detailed information/instructions on how to steam head read the blog post here)
** Blue Lotus Flowers are an alternative therapy and should not be used to diagnose or treat serious medical conditions. If you have a serious medical condition, please consult your healthcare physician first.
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