The Medicine and The Magic | Damiana: An Herb Known As ‘The Wild One Who Tames’

GENERAL EFFECT: Nervous system calming, mood enhancer

HOW TO USE HER: I take her as a tea, I stir her into my Cacao, but you can also infuse Damiana into spirits, cc: GemAndBolt

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Turnera diffusa

The day I finally have a man, a partner by my side, on Friday nights you will not be able to reach us. I already know my man will be the sort who walks into a room and by mere presence, he doesn’t even have to say a word, all heads will turn. The end of the week will be the time for me to refuel my beloved with this, the energy he needs to take on the world - and he will provide for me the same. Where I have learned to gather my strength from the Earth, I will impart my knowledge on to him - I will fortify my king from the inside out by preparing for him strengthening and vitalizing herbs like Nettles and Ginseng, for example.

The last day of the work week will be for sacral herbs. On Friday nights, the smell of Cacao from the kitchen will cox my love away from commitments and the computer to commune. He will give me time, I will give him life. I will prepare for him herbs like Damiana, an ancient herb known to transform the warrior, a lover.

Let’s get to know herbal ally, Damiana - my favorite herb book explains her power well, ”it is a mood enhancer that beckons lovers to the bedroom”, an aphrodisiac.

The Medicine

Damiana is considered a nervine - it acts to calm and relax the nervous system, the electrical parts of our body that include the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. Part of the purpose of our nervous system is to for example react to acute dangers like a bear suddenly coming at us. When we worry about work, Instagram likes, family and so on, whether you are aware of it or not, you are chronically engaging this same part of your nervous system that is only supposed to be intermittently active when life threatening dangers are abound.

Nervines are types of herbs that get us out of this mode of modern and chronic stress. They relax the nervous system, but not to the point of sleepiness or tiredness like say how a sedative would work - but in the context that you are restored back to balance. When I take herbs like Damiana my perception changes and I begin to take in the world more calm and easy.

Herbalists have understood Damiana to act as a nervine - it is known to exhibit mild antidepressant properties as well, so as you calm down, your mood may lift as well.

The Magic

The name Damiana is derived from the Greek word daman, whose meaning infers, “the wild one who tames” (1). Native to Mexico, Mayan and Aztec women were known to gather Damiana in preparation for love making. In fact a liquor made of Damiana would traditionally be given to newlyweds with this intent, for love and for the wish of many children (2). The magic of Damiana is widespread and known to intensify sexual passion - but if you are loverless, folklore has it, burn or intently carry a satchel of this yellow flowering shrub and a new lover will soon appear.

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