Friday Five: Ancestral Wisdom for Mental Wealth
Keep reading for 5 ways we can learn from our ancestors to elevate our mental wealth and sex life.
Thermal Therapy
The Ancient Greeks restored their skin and muscles using hot and cold therapy in what is called thermalism, the practice of using water at different temperatures for vitality.
Mayan medicine has a similar cosmo-view, categorizing all sickness as a holistic imbalance with either hot or cold properties. Hippocrates, the legendary philosopher, hypothesized that all human diseases stem from an imbalance of fluids in the body.
Bathing, sweating, and massages can help bring the body back into equilibrium:
Start your day with a 3-minute cold shower for an instant energy boost. Take an evening hot soak to relax your body, and loosen your muscles to prepare for a sensual massage.
2. Body Work
Ancient Chinese medicine uses acupuncture pressure points to restore balance of calm safe energy throughout the body. Andrew Perzigian, LA, expert in acupuncture specializing in fertility, recommends these massage points that you and your partner can try out to build a sense of relaxation and trust:
Head, around the top of the head, above the ears.
“Massaging this area actually helps lower this activity out of the head and back to the core of the body. With our frantic, productivity-driven lives, we often invest too much of our body’s resources in our brains and this can get in the way of foreplay.”
— Perzigian, Healthline Magazine
Belly, 2 fingers down from belly button.
The stomach is one of the most calming energy centers of the body. Perzigian advises to massage gently and with care to “help nurture a sense of intimacy and arousal all at once.”
3. Nature Bathing
Carving out intentional time in your day without screens will allow your mind to breathe. Go on a long walk and leave your phone at home. Listen to the birds and animals, and try to mimic their sounds and communicate with the life around you. Especially if you live in a bigger city, sounds tend to become white noise and you can become disconnected from your heightened sense of hearing and ability to recognize the melodies of nature.
Snow Raven is an indigenous musician from a remote village in the forests of the Arctic Siberia. She grew up listening to nothing but the sounds of elements and animals and began to communicate with them. Snow Raven is now traveling the world, sharing her culture and connection to nature through traditional songs and animal sounds.
4. Dreaming
Scientists, philosophers, and shamans from Ancient Egypt, Greece, Roman and MesoAmerican cultures, like the Aztecs, regarded dreams as a doorway into the human psyche and spiritual realms. Egyptians perceived dreams as “awakenings” and created dream temples as sanctuaries for therapeutic messages from the gods.
However, not all messages are prophetic or positive. Stressful and chaotic dreams can make our sleep feel less restful and make us groggy and confused.
If you are having vivid dreams, write them down in a journal immediately after waking up.
The more you do this, the easier it will become to recall your dreams. Notice any recurring patterns, people or messages and make your best attempt to interpret them. We can use the power of our subconscious to help us solve problems or make discoveries. Some dreams are, of course, absurd and random, but so is life. Connecting to the mysteries of our human experience gives us a more unique perspective and appreciation of it.
5. Plant Medicine
Cannabis has been celebrated since ancient times for its euphoric and medicinal effects, with its first appearance in 2800 BC within Emperor Shen Nung's (the father of Chinese medicine) pharmacopoeia. Hindu legends of India say that the cannabis plant was their god Shiva’s favorite food.
For those of age who are in places where it is legal and know it positively interacts with their body*, consider incorporating Mary Juana into your evening to soothe your system and soul. Look for strains with myrcene and limonene terpenes, which are proven to be relaxing, pain-relieving and uplifting. They are both known to be libido-boosting due to their body-warming sensations, and euphoric calming effects.
*Always consult a licensed health care professional before incorporating new substances into your diet or practices.
Returning to the wisdom and ways of our ancestors can help heal ourselves, our communities and our collective home, this Earth. May this ignite a desire to connect to your own ancestral lineages for guidance, support and inspiration.
