Blue Lotus – The Ancient Egyptian Dreaming Flower
My Lotus Obsession… all stems from my work with this delightful sacred flower over the last few years. My work as a Yoga Teacher evolved to that of holding space in Women’s circles and during this time, I was exposed to the magic of this plant medicine. The scent was ethereal, otherworldly, so delicate and beautiful yet so complex.
It became quite tedious seeking out an authentic product from a seller only to be disappointed, time and time again. By this stage I had started thinking about how I would love to integrate the scent and the flower into different products, to be able to integrate the benefits of the plant into my daily rituals and to be able to share that with others. A search ensued to find reliable suppliers with beautiful, authentic oils and flowers and the process of creating MLO began.
The Blue Lotus Flower or Nymphaea Caerulea is also known as the Scared Blue Water Lily and the ancient Egyptians didn’t consider the blue lotus a sacred plant of the Gods without good reason. The Blue Lotus flower holds cultural and spiritual significance for the Egyptians and is found carved in the walls of temples, tombs and the pyramids.
The flower was linked to the story of creation and the Sun god Ra as “The Egyptians saw that the blue water lily opened up each morning, seeing the intense golden centre set against the blue petals, seemingly an imitation of the sky that would greet the sun, releasing sweet perfume. Each afternoon they would close again, only to open up again each day.”
It has been speculated that the flower was used in ancient Egyptian culture as part of healing and shamanistic rituals dating back to the fourteenth century B.C. Today, blue lotus flower is used as a sleep aid and anxiety reliever, but has also been described as a mild stimulant.
Though widely cultivated thousands of years ago, today the blue lotus is among the most endangered plants in the world. Only in recent times, with increased popularity of the plant, has the cultivation of the blue lotus seen an increase. With its magnificent beauty and the various beneficial effects, the blue lotus is enjoying a modern-day renaissance.
What is the difference between Blue Lotus and Blue Lily?
Nymphaea Caerulea – This is the Egyptian “blue lotus” we are talking about in this blog. It is also 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.
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 Water Lotus and 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.
Why is it so expensive? Well, it takes about a 1 tonne of Blue Lotus flowers to make 1 kilo of oil. It’s an endangered plant that needs the right conditions to thrive. At My Lotus Obsession we source our flowers from 2 organic farms; one in Sri Lanka and one in the North of Thailand. The flowers are naturally grown, hand-picked and sun dried with no dyes or chemicals added. We import them directly from the farmers.
This is so important if you are going to be using the products on your skin or ingesting. When purchasing Blue Lotus ALWAYS check the country of origin, whether it is an oil, extract or plant. It pays to research country of origin, farming and manufacturing processes so that you are not getting ripped off or more importantly, doing harm to yourself by using fake or chemically enhanced products. It’s also good to know where your money is going; are their farming practices responsible and sustainable and are the workers that pick and dry and plant these flowers adequately reimbursed? At My Lotus Obsession we consciously follow the footprint of each product before adding it as an ingredient.
A big giveaway as to whether or not your Blue Lotus products are fake is the price. As a guide you could expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $100 for 2 ml of Absolute. 2ml does not sound like a lot but you only need 1 drop in most instances to reap the benefits of this wonderful plant medicine for mediation and relaxation purposes. The oil can also be diluted in a carrier oil to make it go further. All of our Blue Lotus oils at My Lotus Obsession are Absolutes from Egypt, and our infused oils are handmade with the organic flowers that we import.
Benefits and contraindications
Nymphaea Caerulea contains the compounds Aporphine and Nuciferine.
“Aporphine is a psychoactive compound that acts as a dopamine agonist, meaning it can instill a happy and euphoric feeling. It may also help with muscle control in those with conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and erectile dysfunction.
Nuciferine is compound thought to act as an anti-psychotic drug that induces feelings of calmness through mechanisms that aren’t yet fully understood. It has also been shown to improve symptoms of erectile dysfunction.” (Cited from Healthline)
Blue Lotus has been used as a sleep aid, an anxiety reduction aid and an aphrodisiac! It's used to encourage lucid dreaming and to elevate consciousness.
The aromatherapy benefits of Blue Lotus oil - can also include an elevation in consciousness and a mild, natural 'high'.
As there have not been enough scientific studies done on the effects of Blue Lotus, it is generally recommended that it is not suitable or safe for use by pregnant or breastfeeding Women. It is not considered safe for infants or children and if you are concerned about contraindications with any medications that you are taking, you should consult your doctor before using Blue Lotus.
How to use your Blue Lotus flowers
TEA
We like to make tea out of our Blue Lotus Loose Leaf Tea flowers. Place a couple of tablespoons into a mug and allow it to steep in boiled water for 10 minutes. You will notice the colour of the petals changing to an almost white colour, and the tea becomes beautifully golden. The flavour of the tea by itself can be quite bitter, a bit like green tea that has steeped for a long time. You can of course add a sweetener of your choice if you wish. Our flowers are organic with no dyes or chemicals added. We use this tea as a relaxation aid before bed time and it can also be added to a blend of other teas and herbs if you like.
WINE INFUSION
The Ancient Egyptians steeped Blue Lotus flowers and leaves in Red Wine and this was drunk in ceremony and celebration. You can steep the flowers for a few hours in white wine or spirits too.
CACAO
A beautiful addition to your Ceremonial Cacao ritual; after preparing your Cacao to your taste, take it off the heat and add your Blue Lotus leaves and allow them to steep for 10 minutes before removing. How much you add really depends on how many people you are serving for. We prefer using the Whole flowers in our ceremonial Cacao as it’s not as messy when removing the flowers and it looks really beautiful! Use a drop of Blue Lotus Absolute meditation oil on your wrist and inhale to complement your ceremonial ritual for a heightened, heart opening experience.
INFUSIONS, OILS, TINCTURES AND SMOKING
You can also use your Blue Lotus flowers to prepare your own infusions, oils and tinctures. Traditionally, the leaves were also smoked to help induce a euphoric effect or to encourage lucid dreaming. Just one drop of Blue Lotus Absolute can aid in relaxation, meditation, reduce anxiety and a sense of calm.
COSMETICS AND SKINCARE
The Nymphaea Caerulea flower extract can be found in some of the most advanced skin care products. The flower extract can act as a natural moisturizer to help improve the look and feel of dry, rough or flaky skin and it won’t clog pores. This ingredient is suitable for nearly all skin types, as it can also help to balance the skin’s oil content, which may help to combat acne blemishes.
The Blue Lotus flower is full of potent antioxidants, flavanoids, vitamins and polyphenals and reduces inflammation and scaring whilst fighting free radicals and the signs of ageing.
So, there you have a quick overview of this ancient, sacred, magical, beautiful and potent flower.
We hope you enjoy our Lotus products as much as we love creating and sharing them with you!
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