Spring is here, you can feel the love in the air.
Perhaps it’s the gentle cool breeze carrying the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers, or the warm sun shining down on us. Regardless of the reason, the feeling of love is palpable and fills our hearts with joy. At Waking Herbs, we believe that Cacao, Blue lotus, and Bobinsana are powerful plant allies that can support and enhance one’s spiritual journey.
Love has many meanings to each one of us. In Vedic studies the heart chakra (Anahata chakra) located at the center of the chest is linked to the feeling of love and our ability to feel. The opening of the heart chakra allows one to experience life more profoundly. It welcomes the ever-flowing river of love to enter our bodily temple.
In many ancient traditions, there have been practices focused around the opening and healing of the heart chakra, from breath-work to the use of plants, dance, movement and meditation. It is believed the heart chakra collects traumas and blockages over the years of one’s life. Working on opening the heart chakra and healing these blockages allows one to fully feel love and other emotions which make life all the more magical.
At Waking Herbs, we are currently focusing on love, and we would like to take a moment to shine a light on our humble plant allies, which have always been here for us. Let us introduce and shed some light on some of the plant allies which play a key role in the feeling of love and in aiding the opening of the heart chakra.
Let’s talk about Cacao
The first one that came to our hand when we dipped it in the wizard’s satchel. We aren’t talking about your packaged chocolate, although it comes from the same plant, the everyday chocolate you see is heavily processed cacao with loads of added sugars, losing its magical properties in this process. So what exactly is this magical Cacao we are talking about?
The word chocolate originates from the Aztec Nahuatl word “xocoatl” or the Latin name which translates to food of the gods. Why the food of the gods you may ask? Well it’s cacao’s ability to make one feel ecstatic, but not only that, it is also rich in magnesium and healthy fats making it a superfood, or better said, a “food of the gods”, being complete in its composition for a power packed nutritional treat.
Used in a ceremonial setting, cacao has the ability to make one transcend emotions and fill the heart and soul with love and a feeling of bliss. The ceremonial use of cacao can be dated back to early civilizations of the Olmecs and Mayans (c. 1200–400 bce).
In recent times Cacao has gained popularity and is used as a tool for healing across the globe. Apart from its incredible heart-opening and love-fillin’ goodness, cacao is also extremely nutrient rich in iron, magnesium and calcium.
If you are curious about this tasty yet power-packed treat, head over to our web shop, where we feature the finest cacao essence.
As we dip our hands in the magic satchel once again
We find another gem of a plant, Blue lotus (Nymphaea caerulea) that has been used in Egyptian tradition for longer than one can remember. It is believed that the Egyptians used the plant soaked in wine during their communions to bring on a state of ecstasy that led to all-night orgies under the full moon. How much of that is true is unknown, but what we do know is that the Blue Lotus offers aphrodisiac qualities and is also mildly psychedelic.
Blue Lotus, when ingested, brings upon a feeling of wholeness and a blissful surge of energy. It is also said to have an effect on dreaming and can aid in inducing states of lucid dreaming and overall better sleep. Blue Lotus can be consumed in many forms and ways – it can be steeped to make tea, the flowers can be smoked, its extracts can be vaped, and it can also be used as an essential oil for massages and aroma therapy.
The Blue Lotus has significance in many civilizations and mythologies. The lotus rising from the mud and blooming as a flower from the dirt is a symbol of purity, strength, resilience, and rebirth. In Buddhism, the Blue Lotus is the symbol of the victory of the spirit over the senses, of intelligence and wisdom, and of knowledge.
The Blue Lotus has come as a blessing to us, and we love using it during our full moon rituals as a catalyst for love. At our web-shop, we have a range of Blue Lotus delights – from straight flowers to essential oils, extracts, and even infused vapes.
As we dip our hands again, reaching for that perfect third for our story, our hands tug on some Bobinsana (Calliandra angustifolia) Native to the Amazon basin. With its tantalizing, fragile, bright pink petals, it’s a delight even to look at, filling us with joy every now and then when we pass by a Bobinsana tree.
Bobinsana, a relative of the Mimosa tree, grows along rivers and streams and is often used alone or in Ayahuasca ceremonies to enhance the brew and bring about a heart-warming glow. It is also taken in the Amazon during shamanic ceremonies for healing the heart, to reveal empathy, create a strong connection to nature, and offer clarity and a sense of serenity.
Bobinsana can be used by itself or in conjunction with other plant allies. Its flowers can be brewed as tea, its extracts can be ingested and also smoked. It can also be extracted into an essential oil and used for aromatherapy and sensual massages.
With all this being said, we at Waking Herbs would love to wish you a love-filled, heart-opening, satisfying, and healing time! We would love to make your time all the more enchanting with our selection of entheogenic and heart-opening plants that have been hand-picked and sustainably harvested for you! Head over to our webshop to give yourself or your loved one some sweet lovin’ goodies.
By Psyjit • 8 May 2023
A little about Psyjit:
Psyjit is the founder and director of Tibetan Flag Trail, a project created out of love with sustainability at the heart of the mission. Doing so by a range of products that aim to change the way we consume, from hand-blocked printed clothing, medicinal mushrooms, and photo books.
Psyjit, born in India, spent his childhood obsessed with plants, especially entheogenic and psychedelic plants. His later years were filled with explorations and research into different mind-altering and healing plants and compounds. This love for exploring one’s consciousness and a shared love for botanicals brought his interest to mushrooms, which he now devotes his life towards and wishes to inoculate the world with spores of well-being through his Mushroom-based brand TFT.
Social media: @psyjit_groove
www.tibetanflagtrail.com (website). @tibetanflagtrail (instagram)
