The Alchemy Of Love: Organic Aphrodisiacs For Valentine's Day

Written by Lisa Stardust

Aphrodite, the ancient Greek Goddess of Love, bestows gifts to us mortals through her wine cup, filled

with sweet nectar, known as a Love Potion. These potions both relax and stir the senses through taste.

Aphrodisiacs are edible remedies to awaken our sensual nature. While there are many aphrodisiacs around the world, we have gathered a few of the most delicious recipes for manifesting some

serious self-love vibes this Valentine’s Day, and they are all very simple to whip-up in your own kitchen!

Enhance a Romance Elixir

Looking to add some sizzle to a current romance? Damiana is an ancient plant used to relax, intensify

desires, and fire up your loins. Simply add a touch of damiana to chai tea (another aromatic aphrodisiac)

to jump-start your libido. The spicy elixir will turn up the heat and open up your sacral chakra by calming

your body. Your shakti will be heightened with a lovely cup of tea. You can also work with fire if you are

so inclined. Smoke damiana mixed with mullein and lavender or rose petals to arouse the senses.

Catch a New Love Potion

Make your own Love Potion No. 9! Forget smoky witchy potions seen on the silver screen. The best

aphrodisiac to bring in a new love are figs. Discovered in the Garden of Eden, figs are considered the first

forbidden fruit. Known as Cleopatra’s favorite food, ingesting figs can lure unsuspecting objects of desire

to you. After all, Cleopatra brought men to their knees, presumably from eating this sensual fruit.

Delight in the succulent sweetness of food this Valentine's Day and catch a new love--by eating some

sexy fruit, perhaps dipped in your rose vanilla honey or vanilla whipped cream!

Self-Love Tonic

Oscar Wilde said, “to love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” This couldn’t be more true,

especially on Valentine’s Day. Instead of focusing your intention on manifesting new love, try to

cultivate a romance with yourself. Treat yourself to a “honeymoon” this holiday, by creating a delicious

jam consisting of crushed rose petals, raw honey, and vanilla bean. Blend these these three delicious

ingredients together in a bowl and let your taste buds inspire self-love. While roses are not an

aphrodisiac per say, they help strengthen and heal the heart chakra, which is powerful and radiates

from our center outward to help us manifest love in all forms. Honey and vanilla are the key elements in

this love potion. Considered the “love drug” of all love drugs, honey arouses the mind and acts as a tonic

to remind us all of the sweetness in life. Good quality honey is recommended for the most luscious

effect. Vanilla is mood enhancer that stimulates the body through soft fragrant senses. This edible

aphrodisiac serves as a road opener to awaken and protect the heart while boosting self esteem.

Remember, the most important romance is the one you have with yourself--try to nurture YOUR heart

and fall back in love with YOURSELF!

Forgiveness: A practice for inner peace.

When you're holding onto old emotions of heavy resentment , anger, or hatred towards another, its a painful thing to live with. To put it simply, your feelings get stuck. When forgiving someone, the will can't be pressured until it is ready. The intent of wanting or being willing to forgive requires honesty, and self-acceptance. It also helps to have the ability to deal with your emotions. We learn to create kindness instead of focusing on others' mistakes. Forgiveness means letting go of past resentments, and owning up to our own behaviors. It is a willingness to look at our past with humor. Forgiveness has this uncanny ability to bring humility of self, which in turn brings a feeling a gratitude for life. Gratitude is a blessing, which greater happiness can be manifested. "The forgiving state of mind is a magnetic power for attracting good."  by practicing gratitude, we may begin to recognize the goodness of our lives, and when we are in a forgiving state, gratitude will come easy.

As an ongoing daily practice and process, forgiveness can encourage a greater self-love and soothes our relationships with others. Our lack of self-love affects our ability to love others. If we can forgive, our perceptions of events that occur will change. Forgiveness holds the promise of greater happiness by first forgiving ourselves. Often times we blame ourselves for which keeps us from loving others. Forgiveness of self allows for forgiving of others, and releases us from self-hatred while opening doors to faith in life and people. Forgiveness IS the ultimate healing force.

"True Forgiveness is the recognition that the event never happened the way we had perceived it. The miracle is the change in perception. With forgiveness, the idea of separation disappears so the healing is accomplished. We are reunited- or know we were never separated- from Goddess or from each other."

A Forgiveness Meditation:

• Close your eyes and visualize the person(s) that you have resentment and wish to forgive.
• Let him/her into your heart space.
• Feel him/her as part of you, and say to this specific person how you feel: "I forgive you for whatever you have done, through your words actions or thoughts that caused me pain, whether it was intentional or unintentional." Realize that this is a difficult process, so please don't be too critical of yourself if this doesn't come easily. Repeat the above forgiveness affirmation, or create one of your own that you feel touches on your specific situation that needs healing.
• The affirmation "I forgive you" is powerful in itself being said several times as you envision the person that has caused the hurt. As you do these affirmations you begin the process to open your heart bit by bit. It might hurt, be gentle with yourself let go of the incredible anger, bitterness, hardness, and resentment as much as you can.
• If you would like someone to forgive you, you can also practice this meditation using the same technique , only asking for forgiveness. Allow compassion, gentleness, and love to enter your heart.

Forgive Others, Forgive Yourself.