Aphrodisiacs are provided by the greatest sex surrogate of all, Mother Nature. There is no greater foreplay than to find yourself in nature, connecting with all of the natural elements of the Earth. There is no stigma about sex when you’re in the woods or on a beach. All around you, the birds and bees are humming with the energy of reproduction. There is no shame in copulation when out in the wild and there is a pure, raw beauty about this. I remember publishing an article by my old friend, Judith Orloff, MD, who spoke of an erotic experience that she had with a tree. Ok, a tree? This may sound a bit strange but to find that place of bliss where you are in perfect harmony with your surroundings in nature is to find bliss every bit as exhilarating as an orgasm. (Dr. Orloff’s article is in the Passionate Living archives). Being fully present in your surroundings, especially when the surroundings are in a scenic, outdoor place, is the best foreplay that anyone could possibly imagine.
Actually, don’t discount the great outdoors as a playground to explore as a sexual hotbed. I have a friend who was cramming for her plant taxonomy class in college and no matter how hard she tried, she could not remember all the classes of trees in her region of the country. She actually mastered tree identification with the help of her partner, who made love to her while she held onto each tree, caressing it and speaking its name. My friend laughed as she said she would never forget the name of someone she made love with, even if it was a tree that was involved in her somewhat manaje au tua experience.
Many times, bringing in objects from nature to involve in the lovemaking experience can be really stimulating. Try walking with your lover in a beautiful, outdoor setting and inviting a rock, a pine branch, clay from the walls of a riverbed, whatever seems like it would augment your experience together, into your activities. Smooth rocks are wonderful with oil in reflexology massages, especially if you focus on the heel and the center of the arch on the sole as they are directly linked to libido. Also, heat up your stones a bit in warm water to place on your partner’s chakra points while stimulating them. The needles of a pine are wonderful to run lightly over the body, promoting circulation and building anticipation of impending intercourse. Clay is a wonderful substance to use on the skin for cleansing while preparing each other for intimacy, or, use it to make designs on your partner’s body, similar to the henna body drawings of India, which is also a plant readily found in nature.
Actually, many cultures bring the environment around them into their love lives. Many Pagan beliefs, from which Wicca is birthed, used celebrations that were symbolic of the world around them to bring into their bedrooms. For instance, Mayday, which involves the wrapping of ribbons around tall poles while dancing and singing traditional songs, is really symbolic of fertility. The pole represents the male penis and the ribbons are that of the female energy wrapping itself around. The purpose of Mayday was to stimulate productive crops and many children.
As well, Wiccan celebrations and rituals also utilize nature as a modality of Earth magic. Wicca believes that there is no separation between ourselves and the world around us, as we so often believe and that by utilizing the amazing source of nature, we can harness great power.
Humans are animals, very much like other mammals who walk around in the woods, except we have modified our environments and have the ability to manipulate the world around us to suit our needs. There is so much to try when incorporating Mother Earth into our sex lives, and you’ll be amazed at how she brings out a very carnal, pure, raw and harmonious energy in lovemaking, especially if you have an open and creative mind.