Apepe, Lolha’ (Mayan, ‘flower of the water’), Naab (Mayan), Nikte’ha’ (Mayan, ‘flower/vulva of the water’), Nukuchnaab (Mayan, ‘large water lily’), Quetzalxochiatl (Aztec, ‘Quetzal feather flower’), Saknaab (Mayan, ‘white water lily’), Sol de Agua (Spanish, ‘sun of the water’), U K’omin (Lacandon), Xikinchaak (Mayan, ‘the ear of the rain god’)
FAVORITE USE(S): For the induction of lucid dreams
FAVORITE TIME(S): I find this effective as I’m going to sleep, or in the morning when I want to stay in that “twilight” state.
This is a plant I discovered quite by accident one day when looking for other plants that have been used for dreaming, dream recall, or for inducing lucid dreams. Little did I know that when I discovered White Water Lily that it would soon become one of my favorite tools for dreaming. For me, the power of this plant is in helping to induce lucid dreams, by making it easier to enter that coveted “twilight” state between waking and dreaming. I did some research on why this might be, and this is what I found:
The effects of white lily when prepared as a tea or decoction and ingested are said to be much like the opiate apomorphine. White lotus actually contains aporphine, which is closely related to apomorphine, differing only in the lack of two hydroxyl groups. It is said to be very likely that it’s transformed into apomorphine through the body’s metabolism. There are many who report Nymphaea ampla effects as including feelings of floating and euphoric sensations, and I can confirm that my preparations of White Lily do indeed have such effects, although they are somewhat mild.
White water lily is said to nourish the connection between the physical body and the spiritual and mental bodies. It connects one to the flowing, creative strength of the earth. This is perhaps what makes it an ideal tool to use when working with dreams. White water lily has definitely increased the occurrences of lucid dreams for me when I both smoke it in a vaporizer with an accompanying tea in the morning, or as an alcohol-based tincture in the evening. Perhaps this is because it allows one to be more fully connected to the physical form, and therefore more concretely aware in the dream state and more fully able to remember those dreams after waking. My friend John over at OmChi Herbs is the person who turned me on to White Lily, and he states that the scent of white lily absolute oil, when inhaled or diffused in an oil burner allows him to experience very powerful closed eye visuals as well as a feeling of wellness, euphoria and bliss that last for some time.For him, it also brings him into a relaxed state very rapidly, leading in to powerful vivid and lucid dreams. The scent of white lily absolute oil is very pleasant, and the addition of this absolute oil to any dream herb work is sure to produce powerful results very quickly.
From what I’ve found, the white water lily is a very common subject in Mesoamerican art. The rain god Theotihuacan was often depicted with water lily leaves, buds and flowers‚ most often in his mouth. This led some ethnomycologists to interpret these images of water lilies as representations of entheogenic mushrooms. The water lily is often found on ceramic vessels that appear to depict, for the most part, prophetic scenes from the underworld or other worlds. The main use for these containers is believed to be the delivery vessel for the magical, ceremonial concoction known as the balche‚ drink of the priest or shaman. Balche‚ is the potion which helps the holy man change into his transformation animal on his way to the other world. There are many graphical iconic examples that lead one to the conclusion that Nymphaea ampla appears to have been used as an additive to the balche‚ drink used in religious ceremonies by priests and in shamanic ritual ceremonies by shamans. It has been reported that the flowers were used as a narcotic inebriant with opium-like effects during the first half of the twentieth century in Brazil. It was also used as a cardiac sedative in Afghanistan. Throughout the 1960s, white lotus flowers were reportedly used as a recreational drug.
HOW TO PREPARE/RECIPE: The dried buds and petals of these Mayan flowers can be smoked alone or in a favorite herbal smoking blend. One to two buds is said to be an effective “psychoactive” dosage. The fresh rhizome, if you can find it or grow it, can be eaten raw or cooked. Eating an entire rhizome has been documented to produce a mild sense of euphoria. Another great method of working with white lily, especially when using it for dream work, is to purchase some White Lily Absolute Oil. Absolute oils are highly concentrated essences of the whole plant. White lily absolute oil can be used simply by holding the bottle under the nose for about fifteen minutes before bed time, or vaporizing the oil in an oil burner. This works very well in combination with the consumption of Calea zacatechichi or other dream herbs. Just inhale a few breaths of the oil, holding the breath in for some time afterwards, and then thirty minutes later partake of your favorite dreaming smoking blend or tea.
For me, I like to place a few drops of White Lily Absolute Oil on Blue Lotus or Egyptian Blue Lily petals and put them in my vaporizer. For tea, I will steep 1/8th of an ounce in water, mixed with some Egyptian Blue Lily petals for about 15 minutes in the morning, and sweetened with some honey. And, at night, I’ll drink about 1 ounce of a tincture that I make from a 750ml bottle of Vodka that has had 2 ounces of White Lily petals soaking in it for 2 weeks. I also add 1/2 an ounce of Egyptian Blue Lily petals to the vodka as well, simply because I think the White Lily is somewhat bitter on their own, and the Blue Lily adds a bit of a sweeter, candy-like flavor.