Although there are no magic bullets to help us achieve ultimate self-love, high-frequency energy from foods, herbs, relationships, and our environment – as well as our thoughts and emotions can all contribute to elevating our vibrational frequency – which is the foundation for self-love and worthiness.
The following herbs for self-love and empowerment can help open up the heart and the solar plexus chakras, activating feelings of connection to the self and the belief that one is worthy of love, acceptance, abundance, and power.
Why We Lose Self-Love
One of the major symptoms that we are lacking self-love is that we become disconnected from ourselves. Without a strong sense of self, we give our energies to the wrong relationships, jobs, hobbies, people, and as a consequence, we feel depleted and misaligned from what gives us joy and purpose.
To lessen the pain, we may then choose to numb our feelings and emotions just to get by. But this coping mechanism never lasts too long before our bodies start asking for help. Disconnection from the real self and nurturing of the false self always lead to the loss of self-love, integrity, and personal power.
Some of the most common symptoms of lacking self-love in life are as follows (adapted and updated from The Self Love Workbook by Shainna Ali):
• Anxiety
• Carelessness
• Criminal behavior
• Defensiveness
• Depression
• Following the crowd
• Inability to make decisions
• Insecurity
• Hopelessness
• Materialism
• Negligence
• Playing small
• Prejudice
• Sadness
• Shame
• Shying away from the things you desire
• Stagnancy
• Suicidal thoughts
• Unhealthy coping
Another reason why we may experience low self-love is that our foundational needs are not met. The renowned psychologist Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs explains that our primary psychological, physical, and social needs must be met for us to feel at a place where we can start to self-actualize.
Without this safety net, we cannot spread our wings and explore our inner needs, passions, and desires. And without knowing ourselves fully, it is difficult to build self-esteem and personal growth.
How to Build Self-Love
The Self Love Workbook mentions that there are seven pillars of self-love that we should nurture to fully align with our personal authenticity and power:
- Self-awareness
- Self-exploration
- Self-care
- Self-esteem
- Self-kindness
- Self-respect
- Self-growth
The key is to make yourself a priority and to use your emotions as a guide to understanding the state of your energy. If you mostly feel negative emotions, that is a sign that your vibration is low and that your personal power is depleted.
Ultimately, since all is energy, the energy we vibrate is the energy we attract, and to change our vibration, we need to foremost change the energy we internalize and vibrate daily.
To break the bonds of lower vibrational manifestations, we then have to purposefully nurture our energetic state so that the energy we feel can intentionally manifest the life we want to experience. Remember, your thoughts, emotions, and actions must align with that which you want!
In Good Vibes, Good Life, Vex King mentions the effects of energy on the body and the power of natural, organic foods to help us raise our energetic state:
In 1949, a French electromagnetism expert called André Simoneton published his research on the electromagnetic waves of particular foods. He realized that each food not only has a particular amount of calories (chemical energy), but also an electromagnetic power that’s vibrational. Simoneton discovered that humans must maintain a vibration of 6500 angstroms for them to be deemed healthy (an angstrom is a unit measuring 100 millionths of a centimetre, used to express the size of electromagnetic wavelengths).
Simoneton divided the foods into four categories, according to a scale of zero to 10,000 angstroms. The first category was full of high-vibration foods, including fresh fruits and raw vegetables, whole grains, olives, almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, soy, and coconut. The second category had lower-vibration foods, such as boiled vegetables, milk, butter, eggs, honey, cooked fish, peanut oil, sugar cane, and wine.
The third category consisted of foods with very low vibrations, among them cooked meats, sausages, coffee and [conventional] tea, chocolate, jams, processed cheeses, and white bread. The fourth and final category exhibited practically no angstroms and included margarine, conserves, alcoholic spirits, refined white sugar, and bleached flour. Simoneton’s research provides us with insight into which foods are good for our vibration and which ones we should avoid. (pg. 47)
Overall, practice the following actions to strengthen your relationship with yourself daily and see how your confidence and self-esteem grow over time:
- Practice self-care: Taking care of yourself physically, emotionally, and mentally is an important part of cultivating self-love. This can include activities such as getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising regularly, and practicing relaxation techniques.
- Practice self-compassion: Treat yourself with kindness and compassion, especially when you are going through difficult times. Practice self-talk that is supportive and positive.
- Set boundaries: Learn to say no to things that do not serve your well-being or values. Setting boundaries can help you prioritize your needs and values, and protect yourself from negative influences.
- Practice gratitude: Focusing on the positive aspects of your life can help you cultivate a more positive outlook and increase feelings of self-love. Take time each day to reflect on the things you are grateful for.
- Embrace your uniqueness: Celebrate your individuality and the things that make you unique. Embrace your strengths and weaknesses, and recognize that they are all part of what makes you who you are.
- Surround yourself with positivity: Surround yourself with people who support and encourage you, and avoid negative influences that bring you down.
Remember that cultivating self-love is a journey, and it takes time and practice. Be patient with yourself, and continue to work towards developing a positive relationship with yourself.
In fact, there are many ways to increase one’s energetic vibration, and herbs are one of nature’s gifts to help us heal, regenerate, and elevate!
The Power of Herbs to Nurture, Energize, and Uplift
Since the dawn of time, herbs have been used as humankind’s primary medicine. By watching sick animals graze on specific patches of grass, our ancestors discovered which herbs treated which ailments. They likewise used their knowledge of moon cycles and seasons to understand what was needed by the body and when. They observed, experimented, and documented treatment recipes and got to know the particular essence of each herb with vast precision.
In mythical lore and pagan tradition, herbs were seen as the animal kingdom’s gift from the divine. Even in religious texts, herbs were seen to cure disease, and according to the Book of Jubilees, angels revealed to Noah all the illnesses of the world and their remedies. He was then instructed to “heal using the herbs of the earth” and record all the cures in a cook (Jubilees 10:12).
And in the Native American tribes, herbs were honored to possess consciousness and healing powers that the shamans often utilized in their healing and transformation ceremonies. According to wise healers, plants and herbs contain the consciousness that resonates with the cell receptors of our bodies, regenerating weakened tissue through energetic alignment.
Today, approximately 80% of the world’s population still utilizes herbs as its primary source of medical care.
6 Wonderful Herbs for Self-Love and Empowerment
The Heart Chakra Herbs that heal the heart and help us connect to our authenticity:
Rose
In Ayurveda, the rose is associated with romance, heart-opening, and doing what’s best for our hearts. Rose is known to balance emotions and their effect on the heart and is associated both with love and self-care. In terms of health, rose buds and leaves help relieve menstrual pain, and urinary tract infections, help calm herbs, and strengthen the immune system.
Hawthorn Berry
Hawthorn is known as the quintessential “heart herb” and is known to reverse heart failure. Scientific studies show improvements in heart function and help relieve the symptoms of shortness of breath, fatigue, and anxiety disorders. Hawthorn is also known to decrease cholesterol, high blood pressure, and overall inflammation in the body.
Violet
Violet is known to provide solace during times of emotional turmoil or trauma, helping to emotionally comfort those dealing with heartache and grief. The violet leaf and flower are known to calm the physical and emotional heart and can help soothe anxiety, stress, nerves, and tense emotions. Violet can help relieve stress-related symptoms such as headaches, migraines, panic attacks, and insomnia.
The Solar Plexus Chakra Herbs that help us connect to our personal power and will:
Calendula
Calendula is a golden flower that reflects the radiant quality of the solar plexus. It is known to rebalance the liver and gallbladder energies, helping the body let go of anger, emotional suppression, and feelings of being stuck in life. It is a panacea herb that heals skin problems, wounds, bacterial and viral infections, chronic inflammation, and cancer.
Lemon Balm
Lemon Balm is used to calm the body and is widely revered as an anti-anxiety herb that helps improve focus, memory, and sleep. It likewise reduces stress, an overactive mind, irritability, and depression; this uplifting herb also helps with motivation, especially when it comes to personal and professional achievements. Lemon Balm has a tonic effect on the heart, circulatory and nervous systems.
Asian Ginseng
Ginseng herb is a panacea herb that helps increase stamina, energy, and vitality levels in the body. It is one of the most important herbs in Chinese Traditional Medicine that is known to increase willpower, regulate metabolism, improve brain function, and increase longevity. Moreover, ginseng tea helps manage stress, improves mood and the immune system, and slows down aging. It is known as a longevity herb because of its ability to stimulate energy flow and assimilation into the body.
One additional herb that is my personal favorite for women is the Red Raspberry Leaf. This herb is a powerful uterus (womb) cleanser and builder. And since the uterus is the personal and creative power center for women, red raspberry leaf is a must herb to consume to rebuild one’s confidence, creativity, and will.
Final Thoughts
Self-love seems to be a Catch-22! Our surroundings and environment can play a big part in shaping our internal self-perception. And then our self-perception determines our emotional, mental, and physical states. The most empowering thing we can do is to invest in all the high-frequency habits we can cultivate – be they spiritual, emotional, dietary, mental, and/or physical.
Personal power comes from energetic power – or a surplus of energy in the body – that harmonizes all chakra imbalances so that the body can function more optimally on the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels.
In Chinese Traditional Medicine, energy centers are connected to the organs and glands in the body, which supposes that physical health is highly correlated to emotional and mental health and vitality – and vice versa. By feeling good emotions and positive thoughts, we can heal and nourish our bodies! This holistic understanding of the human body then shows that a holistic approach to self-love and empowerment is key to elevating your life.
These six herbs for self-love are one essential way to bring in the vital energy that the body needs to nourish and harmonize the heart and solar plexus chakras.
By elevating the body, emotions, and mental energies, our whole being will have the capacity to heal past traumas, unresolved emotional blocks, and physical ailments – as well as emotional and mental imbalances that prevent us from connecting to our true selves.
In addition to herbs, an alkaline diet is highly recommended for the energetic regeneration of the body. This article I wrote about essential alkaline foods will show you exactly why you need to consume foods that are hydrating and alkalizing to the body!