The sacred blue lotus, Nymphaea caerulea, was revered by the ancient Egyptians, who may have used it for ceremonial purposes as well as for a general health tonic. For the ancient Egyptians, the sacred blue lotus was an aphrodisiac for both men and women, and was used to relieve illnesses of all types and promote feelings of well-being.

People today continue to use blue lotus tea, tinctures and extracts and benefit from its mild sedative and euphoric properties. In addition to its aphrodisiac and sedative powers, blue lotus relieves pain, stimulates circulation and improves memory.

The Sacred History of the Egyptian Blue Lotus

The Egyptian blue lotus is a spring-blooming water lily that grows in the wet soil along lakes and rivers. It has been depicted in various ancient Egyptian texts, including the “Book of the Dead,” and appears in the frescoes decorating ancient Egyptian tombs, including the tomb of Tutankhamen and the tomb of Nebaum.

Though it was commonly used and considered sacred in ancient Egypt, the ancient Mayans also revered the blue lotus. Ancient Mayan art depicts the blue lotus in a sacred context, in temple inscriptions and on pieces of pottery. Scholars believe that the Mayans also used the blue lotus during religious rites.

Chemical Compounds Found in the Blue Lotus

The blue lotus contains nuciferine, an anti-spasmodic alkaloid compound, and aporphine. It’s also been found to contain apomorphine. Apomorphine has been used to treat erectile dysfunction; it’s one of the ingredients used in Viagra. It has also been used to treat Parkinson’s disease.

Apomorphine does not contain morphine and does not act on the opioid receptors of the brain. It gets its name because it has been derived in the past from breaking down morphine in a laboratory setting.

Blue Lotus Health Benefits

The ancient Egyptians were very familiar with the benefits of using the blue lotus flower, especially as an aphrodisiac. Blue lotus has been used historically to stimulate sexual appetites in both men and women.

Blue lotus has also been used to boost energy levels and promote healthy circulation. It’s been used as an effective pain reliever. It can also promote feelings of well-being and relaxation, supports memory and eases muscle spasms.

Using Blue Lotus

There are multiple ways to use blue lotus to support health and enhance feelings of well-being. You can eat or smoke the blue lotus flowers, use them to make a tea or use them to make blue lotus wine.

Blue lotus tea is golden in color and sweet to the taste. You can use loose blue lotus flowers to make tea using cloth tea bags or a tea ball. Use about five grams of blue lotus flowers to one cup of boiling water. Let it steep for about ten minutes. Use honey or lemon juice to add extra flavor to this sweet-tasting herbal beverage.

Blue lotus tinctures or resin extracts can be used by mixing them with hot water or juice. If you are using blue lotus resin extract, mix it with hot water and stir until dissolved to create a tea-like beverage. You can also use blue lotus powder in this fashion by mixing it with water or juice. If you are using blue resin tincture, mix six to 12 drops, or up to one teaspoon, in water or juice. You can use blue lotus one to three times a day.

Some people like to use blue lotus flowers to make an infusion with wine. To make blue lotus wine, place 25 grams of dried blue lotus flowers in a bottle of wine and let it soak for at least three days. The wine will take on a blue tint when it’s ready to drink.

You may notice mild pain relief, sedative or euphoric effects from blue lotus about half an hour after ingesting it. You may increase your dosage for enhanced effects.

Blue lotus flower image By Peripitus [Own work] [GFDL [http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html], CC-BY-SA-3.0 [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/] or CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0  [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Contributing blogger Karen Bertoli has been working as an herbalist for over 20 years. She recommends www.ArenaEthnoBotanicals.com to anyone looking for quality blue lotus flowers, powders, resins or extracts.