Each year in March, we proudly celebrate Women’s History Month with additional resources and tools for nurturing the divine feminine in all of us. From lists of herbs and foods for nourishing each phase of your menstrual cycle to expert hormonal health advice, we honor this time with special free offerings for everyone, while paying special attention to the needs of those with a womb, the first home for us all. This year, we are taking a closer look at sexual healing because lamentably, “women are typically exposed to more interpersonal and high-impact trauma, such as sexual assault, than men, and at a younger age” (Source: APA), with the World Health Organization reporting that one out of every three women globally will experience violence throughout her lifetime.
Early life trauma has profound impacts well into adulthood, with traumatic stress and chronic fear launching our physiological stress response system into overdrive. Because sex doesn’t just happen within the physical body, it’s important to work towards understanding its impact on our psycho-spiritual and emotional bodies, too. Today, we’re sharing more about sexual healing in an effort to provide tools that don’t just serve women, but are inspired by their unique challenges and the consequences of our current condition as human beings who don’t always preserve and protect the most vulnerable among us. As herbalists, we take comfort in nature’s remedies for countless diseases (sexual maladies included), which are often preventable and actively caused by humans.
When it comes to sexual healing, the plant pharmacopeia is abundant in her transformative medicines. But before we look to Nature for guidance, we must first acknowledge the root causes of our physical, emotional, and mental suffering. In the physical body, sexual trauma can be a result of sexually transmitted diseases (STIs), harassment, assault, or even an experience of touch that leaves us feeling physical pain or discomfort. What makes herbs so fascinating is that they subtly work on energetic planes beyond the physical realm, offering support for our tender hearts and the potential to soothe our emotions, psyche, and nervous systems as we recover from potentially harmful experiences. Because sex is a complex act that many of us have likely entered into at least once unprepared on the physical, emotional, psychological or spiritual level, its aftershocks are also likely to have rocked our lives at some point as we navigate the spectrum of pleasure versus pain.
Here are some potent plant allies and restorative rituals that may serve you in your journey to finding your way home to your birthright—pleasure—and all the healing powers that loving touch can bring to your life. This brief list is offered to provide holistic ways to supplement (not replace) other therapeutic treatments you may seek for your sexual healing, like talk therapy, somatic work, etc.
With gentle yet potent effects on sexual vitality, Damiana is a true ally for those seeking to reconnect with their sensual selves, offering support for libido and overall sexual energy. This beautiful aromatic shrub is native to Mexico, but also has historically been used in traditional herbal medicine around the world. It is thought to act mainly as an aphrodisiac, antidepressant, tonic, diuretic, and cough-suppressant. For centuries, it has been administered as a classic tonic for depression, anxiety, sexual dysfunction, debilitation, bed-wetting, menstrual irregularities, gastric ulcers, and constipation. In the ancient Maya civilization, recorded uses of Damiana claim it offered “giddiness” and “loss of balance”, which is one way it came to be known as an aphrodisiac. From 1888-1940, scientific literature documented doctors’ use of Damiana to improve sexual function and to elicit positive effects on the reproductive organs. First reported by Spanish missionaries, the Mexican Indians are said to have made a drink from Damiana leaves with added sugar with a purported power to enhance lovemaking. Across cultures, Damiana has demonstrated the ability to improve sexual function in both men and women, in addition to positive effects on the reproductive organs.
Hailing from the Andes mountains of Peru, Maca is known to assist with hormonal balance, sex drive, and performance anxiety. This extraordinary adaptogen is also a well known estrogen blocker celebrated for its libido boosting properties (hello, testosterone!). A powerful plant ally for menopausal women, Maca is also supportive for balancing hormonal secretion, stimulating metabolism, increasing energy levels, and reducing stress and depression. According to folk belief, Maca acts as an aphrodisiac that enhances sexual desire in both humans and domestic animals, while broadly supporting overall wellbeing and a healthy mood.
Studied for its potential as an adjunct treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED), Yohimbe has traditionally been used for sexual enhancement. Its active compound, yohimbine, acts as a vasodilator, similar to Viagra. Pausinystalia yohimbe is present in both Asia and West Africa, where the evergreen tree is native. According to research published in the Pharmacognosy Review, “It is the only herb listed in the Physician’s index reference for sexual function,” which has been used for over 75 years for the treatment of ED, hence its nickname: “Herbal Viagra.” Its additional benefits include stimulating the pelvic nerve ganglia and boosting adrenaline supply to nerve endings. In those who do not struggle with ED, Yohimbe may still amplify sexual vigor and prolong erections.
Often referred to as “potency wood”, this revered aphrodisiac is native to the Amazon rainforest, traditionally used in Asian, Amazonian, and other folk medicine practices to treat sexual debility, impotence, and infertility. A testosterone “activator”, it is rich in sterols like sitosterol, campesterol, and lupol, which turn on the body’s hormone receptors. A small tree that grows to approximately five meters high, indigenous tribes in the Amazon have long employed this herb for neuromuscular problems, sexual debility, rheumatism, grippe, and cardiac/gastrointestinal weakness. In Brazilian herbal medicine, Muira Puama remains a highly regarded sexual stimulant with a reputation as a powerful aphrodisiac. It is recommended there for the treatment of impotence and dysentery. Since its entry into the global market in around 1960, it has also been used in Europe to treat impotence, infertility, nerve pain, menstrual disturbances, and dysentery. In Germany, Muira Puama is used as a central nervous system tonic, for menstrual disturbances, and in the treatment of rheumatism. Master herbalists like Donald Yance, as well as other Brazilian scientists, have also regarded it as an undiscovered adaptogen for its powerful anti-aging qualities and its protective nature against oxidative stress. Editor’s Note: Muira Puama is one of the main ingredients in our Euphoria Elixir. If you would like to experience this herb individually, please send us a message!
The name of this herb is no coincidence! Horny Goat Weed is considered to be a traditional staple amongst herbal aphrodisiacs. According to legend, Horny Goat Weed got its name after a goat herder noticed his flock becoming unusually sexually aroused after eating the herb. It contains a compound called icariin, which has been shown to have Viagra-like activity and can promote stronger and longer lasting erections. Icariin is a PDE inhibitor, so in men, it keeps the blood flowing more effectively in the right place by opening up the blood vessels. This herb has also been shown to increase testosterone levels, which can be beneficial for bone health in moderation. Editor’s Note: As with any herbal medicine, always speak with your doctor prior to consuming. According to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, taking Horny Goat Weed may come with some risks. Do not consume before any operation, as it is a blood thinner. The herb can also lead to sweating or feeling hot, but more research is needed to determine its potentially negative effects.
A renowned Brazilian aphrodisiac used by indigenous tribes for centuries, Catuaba stimulates the central nervous system and enhances sexual potency. This tree bark can get your sex drive going by stimulating blood flow to the genitals and prolonging erections, sexual excitement, and even the power of orgasms! Lifting energy, mood, and focus, it’s also capable of producing more testosterone, kicking fatigue, and sharpening your memory. Those looking to give their love life a boost may find Catuaba particularly helpful. Perhaps the most famous of all Brazil’s aphrodisiac plants, this vigorous-growing small tree from the upper Amazon was first discovered by the Tupi Indians. Honoring the potency enhancing qualities of the tree, over the last few centuries, many songs have been composed praising its wonders. The indigenous people of Brazil traditionally use an infusion of the bark for best results. Today, Brazilian herbal medicine considers Catuaba to be a central nervous system stimulant with aphrodisiac properties. A bark decoction is commonly used for sexual impotency, agitation, nervousness, nerve pain and weakness, poor memory or forgetfulness, and sexual weakness. This powerful plant is also known to stimulate sex drive and increase blood flow, particularly in the genitals. Shortly after ingestion, most people will feel a tingling sensation along the spine and a sensual feeling all over the body, while the skin and genitals become more sensitive. 
Cleanse Your Space
Feeling safe, comfortable, and at ease in your own space is essential for creating a “pleasure nest”, whether you are looking to explore sexual healing through partner play or time alone. Consider lighting a candle, diffusing essential oils, burning purifying incense or clearing herbs, or setting up an altar near your bed dedicated to a Spirit known to have a sacred link to sensuality and sex.
Sacred Touch
Massage hands, feet, or shoulders with a nourishing herbal oil. Use this time to express love and appreciation through touch. Sacred touch is physical contact that is done with mindfulness, in the spirit of deepening emotional connections and building trust. With the potential to decrease stress and tension, and the added benefit of releasing “happy hormones”, sacred touch can be done for and to yourself, or with and for others. In a report published by Behavioral Health News, touch was found to be “a powerful medium for both healing and for harm, because it directly contacts the body, the senses, and the emotions.” Safe, healing touch is inherently sacred, and can help heal the wounds of trauma when practiced with deep awareness, consent, and patience.
Tantra
As early as 600 CE, tantric sex emerged in India as part of a spiritual belief system known as tantra, incorporating ancient Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions. In its classic form, the spiritual path of tantra centers on mindfulness and connecting beyond the self. It extends to all aspects of life, and has as its ultimate goal to achieve true enlightenment and chakra alignment. Among tantric sex’s many benefits include: freeing ourselves from expectations, bringing us mindfully back to the present moment, deepening intimate connections, and longer intercourse with intensely increased pleasure. Using breathwork, meditation, and conscious touch, this spiritual practice may help us access heightened states of pleasure and ecstasy.
Mirror Work
Engaging in self-pleasure while looking at oneself in the mirror serves as a powerful tool for self-exploration, self-acceptance, and intimacy with one's own body. According to The Kink Educator Emerson Karsh, “Mirror masturbation can almost reflect exposure therapy and the more we are exposed to our bodies in the mirror, the more comfortable we can get with our bodies.” Whether through solo or partner play, “mirror sex” is more than just a trending topic; it has added benefits for confidence boosting through feeding the curiosity for what our sexual preferences are and which types of touch bring us the most pleasure, which better equip us to then communicate it to others.
Know Your Boundaries
Before engaging in any form of sexual exploration or healing practice, take time to get clear about what feels comfortable and safe for you. Seeking explicit consent—an “enthusiastic yes”—from yourself or your partner before entering into any type of sexual activity is essential to having positive experiences in the bedroom (or wherever you get down!). If you’re having trouble discerning where your boundaries lie, especially if you’re feeling pulled to try new things, it’s worth remembering that you can always change your mind at any point. Healthy sexual relations include clear, open, ongoing communication about stopping when desired or required, no matter when your feelings change.
DISCLAIMER: This content is not intended to encourage self-diagnosis, and is purely informational in nature. We are not suggesting any of these herbs be used in place of medicine or as medicinal alternatives. We do suggest you work with your chosen herbalist, physician and/or mental health professional about how to best integrate any herbal remedies into your well-being practices. The ancient wisdom of plant-based remedies includes a complex system requiring guidance from practitioners whose expertise cannot be summarized in just one article. Please use plant medicines carefully and intentionally. Discuss any questions or doubts directly with a healthcare practitioner.
