Flower Power for Love
My latest learning obsession has been using herbs and flowers for healing. I attended a DYI herb blending workshop close to my home called “Revitalizing the Spirit”. The workshop was led by clinical herbalist Arielle Hayat who works with the 25-year-old NYC medicinal herb shop Flower Power.
The exact purpose of the workshop was to explore natural ways to revitalize and nourish our intimacy and pleasure. In addition, we meant to learn how to revitalize the mind and spirit to cultivate space for affection and relations with others as well as ourselves. I can’t say the description was calling out to me but I’m always down to learn some more about the power of flowers and herbs. Also, free herbs and flowers + Upper East Side = I’m definitely there. In the past, I’ve dabbled a bit in Bach and Alexis Smart remedies and have felt some pretty positive results. My basic knowledge is super limited and I’ve been meaning to explore this world for some time.
The class description further goes on to state “feeling sexy may not come as frequently when we feel depleted, exhausted, or overworked’’. Perhaps we've even experienced some kind of trauma and have difficulty with, or connecting to our own intimacy. I mean I can feel that. It ain’t easy being a seductive, in my femme, super goddess about NYC. I’ve felt generally depleted since grad school and it’s become my norm. Let’s just all agree adulthood is exhausting for everyone involved. I think most women about the city feel tired and I’m certain we often ask ourselves if this is really how we are supposed to feel. Can herbs and flowers really help us to slow down, ground back into our energy, and embrace our femininity and sexuality? I know I’m down to try. Arielle explored several potent aphrodisiac herbs and flowers during the workshop.
Damania is a wild, woody shrub that produces small yellow, flagrant flowers that stimulate the sacral chakra while boosting sexual desire, excitement, and potency.
Epidemium or otherwise known as “horny goat weed”. It feels like no further definition is required. Just close your eyes and use your imagination.
Lavender, probably best known for relaxation, ironically when inhaled has been shown to cause arousal in men. When I smell lavender I want a nice bath. It figures men would get aroused when I just want to relax.
Milky Oats are the oat tops harvested when they are in their milky stage, during which the oat tops release a white, milky sap when squeezed. These work to relax the body helping you to get more in the “mood”. (Again, the description here produces lots of visuals, good and bad)
Ashwagandha, an adaptogen, has become a common form of treatment for loss of libido and erectile dysfunction. It’s also been proven to raise the levels of testosterone significantly in both men and women.
Passion Flower with its strikingly beautiful purple petals and woody vine is known for its calming effect and, as its name implies, its ability to stimulate passion.
Rose, fragrant and sensual, has been used since ancient times as a favorite ingredient in love potions and as an aphrodisiac. Roses, arguably, have come to be the most symbolic representation of love in our times.
At the end of the overview of the history, individual properties of each herb and flower, and directions on uses including steep times we were invited to take several personalized blends home to brew on our own.
Have you ever seen the show from the 90’s where contestants get two minutes to run through a supermarket and push all the most expensive products into their carts for free? That was legit me but with herbs and flowers minus the cart. I was slightly ashamed but, honestly, it only lasted a few minutes. I have a high tolerance for shame when it comes to free products.
I walked home with my free flower and herb sachets in a tote bag eager to get my earthy, witchy tea brewing jam on. That afternoon I brewed some milky oat and passion flower tea. Arielle recommends letting the milky oats seep for at least 4 hours. So I boiled some water, filled up my handy new tea leaf infuser, and left it to do its magic. In the meantime, I unsuccessfully attempted to grind my ashwagandha root in my cheap food processor and proceeded to cover myself and all the contents of my kitchen in white dust. Just in case you were wondering nothing happens from unintentionally snorting ashwagandha. I guess more people would snort it if it did. I had my tea before before bed and it tasted….like tea. It had a pretty floral aroma and was very mild. Ironically, I had a very sleepless and panicky night which is the exact opposite of what passion flower and milky oat are known for. I can’t definitively blame it on the tea. Sometimes when things are awry I blame it on astrology. Maybe it was the planets or the stars or the moon. Or maybe I just had an off night.
I did find more success at my next attempt at magic herbalism. My friend’s birthday was the perfect vetting ground for trying out more of the feminine and sexuality-enhancing blends. I mixed some rose and damiana which I seeped for about 25 minutes while I took my lavender-infused salt bath. I added a dash of organic stevia to my brew and sipped at the delicious fragrant witchy concoction while I got ready. It felt quite ceremonious and I had a sensation of really grounding into my feminine energy. I also felt very calm and in my power. I headed to the bar down in Tribeca in my newly acquired female glory. Hence, no single attractive men were hanging about that caught my eye. I did perceive what I would describe as emitting a type of magnetic energy and I felt I could easily pull people in for a chat. It was a fun, interactive night minus the handsome, single, successful, and sane man who was obviously at the wrong bar.