The Egyptian Blue Water Lily (Nymphaea caerulea)
Blue water lily (Nymphaea caerulea) also known as the Sacred Blue Lily of the Nile, has been one of the most sought-after flowers in history. This is due to the lily’s extraordinary beauty and status as an entheogenic plant capable of inducing mystical-type experiences as well as for its powerful aphrodisiac effects. Native to the Nile River delta where it has grown for over 4,000 years, the Egyptian blue water lily is often confused with its Indian counterpart — Blue Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera). Although these plants are distinctly different, they have similar bioactive alkaloids, rich histories, and symbolic significance as divine flowers to their respective places of origin.
This article will seek to better understand the Egyptian blue water lily. More specifically, its symbolism in art and literature, appearance in ancient mythology, and ceremonial use in social gatherings. We will also review the contemporary scientific understandings of the molecular and neurobiological mechanisms responsible for the plant’s bioactive properties.
The History of the Egyptian Blue Water Lily
This enchanting flower has a rich history that dates back to the time of ancient Egypt where it originally grew along the banks of the Nile river. In Egyptian mythology, there are several different ancient accounts of the creation of the world. One such creation story describes a giant blue lily sprouting out of the primordial waters of the Nun (waters of chaos). On the day of the creation, the lily opens to reveal a weeping baby boy whose tears go on to produce humankind. This boy was identified as the god Nefertem. As Nefertem matured, he was portrayed as a young handsome man always wearing blooming water lilies on his head. Due to the fact that water lilies are known to open at sunrise, Nefertem was considered a solar deity. For this reason, Nefertem was deeply connected to the sun god Ra. Some Egyptologists assert that Nefertem actually assimilated into Ra as he grew older, signifying a divine unity of the sun gods. However, in many ancient myths, both Nefertem and Ra were depicted as separate deities. In the Egyptian Book of the Dead, it was written, “Rise like Nefertem from the blue water lily, to the nostrils of Ra, and come forth upon the horizon each day.” These two gods’ kinship was further illustrated in a myth where Nefertem helped heal Ra in his old age with sacred blue water lilies. This myth brings into question the applications of blue water lily as a medicine (a topic we will explore later on).
The early 19th century was a time of rapid growth for European museums. Around this time, museums would purchase ancient Egyptian artifacts from private individuals rather than conducting their own institutional excavations. Henry Salt (1780–1827) was an English Egyptologist and a private artifact collector. In 1816, with the help of his young Greek excavator, Giovanni d’Athanasi, Salt set out to collect Egyptian artifacts for the British Museum in London. Several years later in 1820 while excavating in Thebes (present-day Luxor) along the west bank of the Nile, Giovanni d’Athanasi discovered the tomb chapel of Nebamun. Inside of the tomb was a well-preserved fresco that depicted the ancient Egyptian upper-class accountant Nebamun hunting fowl along the banks of the Nile. The background of the fresco portrays Nebamun’s family as well as the iconic blue water lilies. Some see the fresco as representative of Nebamun’s life as a family man; others interpret the fresco as symbolic of Nebamun’s status as an elite member of ancient Egyptian society. Whatever the case may have been, the presence of blue water lilies remains undisputed. Henry Salt sold this work to the British Museum in London one year later in 1821 where it has been on display ever since.
The blue water lily was known among ancient Egyptians to induce non-ordinary states of consciousness and was valued for its aphrodisiac effects. It is thought that ancient Egyptians extracted the mystical properties of the blue water lily by soaking it in wine for long periods of time. This blue water lily infused wine was consumed by upper-class citizens at social gatherings as a kind of entheogenic libation. Egyptologists speculate that gatherings of this kind frequently culminated in group-oriented copulation. Evidence of these gatherings and the role of the blue water lily was illustrated in the Turin Erotic Papyrus. Thought to be created during the time of Ramesses III (circa 1160 B.C.E.), the Turin Erotic Papyrus is a scroll-painting that depicts erotic vignettes of men and women in various sexual positions. In the papyrus, blue water lilies appear on the heads of the women as decorative ornaments symbolizing natural beauty and sexuality. Discovered in Deir el-Medina around 1820, the papyrus was acquired by the Museo Egizio in Turin Italy where it is currently on display.
These ethnobotanical accounts depict only a fraction of the countless ways that blue water lilies have been represented in ancient Egyptian history. Due to its symbolism, sweet smell, psychoactivity, and aphrodisiac effects, the blue water lily was a deeply significant sacred plant that influenced the way of life in ancient Egypt.
The Science
Historically, blue water lilies have been used as an aphrodisiac as well as an entheogenic plant medicine with the potential to induce mystical experiences. Ancient and modern ritualistic practices with blue water lilies have sparked the interest of contemporary scientists to investigate the lily’s active molecular constituents and subsequent neurobiological implications.
Scientific investigation has revealed that blue water lilies contain a group of naturally occurring chemical compounds known as Aporphine alkaloids. Alkaloids are a class of nitrogenous organic compounds produced by plants that can have an effect on cognitive processes and psychological states. Within the group of Aporphine alkaloids produced by blue water lilies, the specific molecules responsible for the mystical and aphrodisiac effects are Apomorphine and Nuciferine.
Apomorphine is a molecular analog to morphine consequently it is classified as sedative-hypnotic and has been used medically to treat insomnia, depression, erectile dysfunction, and Parkinson’s disease. Apomorphine is extremely lipophilic (lipid loving) which means it can unobstructedly cross the blood-brain barrier. Once in the brain, apomorphine acts as an agonist at dopamine receptor sites as well as an antagonist at serotonergic and adrenergic receptors. However, unlike its analog morphine, apomorphine has no interest in opioid receptors. Interestingly, the hydrochloride salt form of apomorphine (apomorphine hydrochloride) is currently used as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease (Apokyn) due to its activation of dopamine receptors and increased dopaminergic binding within the Basal Ganglia (Carbone et al., 2019).
The other active aporphine alkaloid in the blue water lily is Nuciferine. Nuciferine is another interesting alkaloid due to its complex interactions with monoamine neurotransmitters. Similar to Apomorphine, Nuciferine has the ability to effortlessly cross the blood-brain barrier. Once in the brain Nuciferine exhibits activity across a wide array of serotonergic subtype receptors (1A, 2A, 2C, 2B, 6, 7). Additionally, Nuciferine has been known to interact with dopaminergic receptors by inhibiting dopamine transport. Scientists believe that Nuciferine may have potential therapeutic applications as an antipsychotic drug as well as an antidepressant (Poklis et al. 2017; Hesselink, 2018). Due to Nuciferine’s affinity for the serotonin receptors, Nuciferine is thought to be the primary molecular agent responsible for inducing the entheogenic-like properties associated with consumption of the blue water lily.
Together, Apomorphine and Nuciferine have an interesting interaction on neurochemistry which may increase sex drive and in high enough doses can potentiate a shift in consciousness. Although we understand the neurobiological mechanisms responsible for this shift in consciousness, scientists do not yet understand the nature of subjective experiences induced by entheogenic plants.
Concluding Thoughts
Blue water lily has ceased growing along the Nile river where it once flourished and is now considered an endangered species. This is largely due to pollution from nitrogen and phosphorus-based fertilizers coupled with changes in flood patterns resulting from the development of the Aswan Dam. Although it is rare to come across the lily growing in the wild, many cultivate the lily in water gardens. Modern-day blue water lily is not very different from its ancient ancestors in Egypt, however, it is used differently. Today, you can find blue water lily extracts, resins, dried leaves, insenses, and powders on the internet as well as in certain herb shops. Advocates for blue water lily often consume it as tea, tincture, smoke blend, or as the traditional infused wine. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has labeled Nymphaea caerulea as poisonous and is not approved for human consumption (a source of much controversy). It is however legal to purchase and possess as it is not considered a controlled substance. In Russia, Poland, and Latvia, blue water lily is fully illegal due to potential side effects. With that said, more research is needed to further our knowledge on the blue water lily and its biological and psychological healing potentials as a sacred plant medicine.
Note From The Author
My goal with this article was to present the rich history and deep significance of the sacred Egyptian blue water lily. I hope that this article may give rise to conversations about our historical connection to sacred plants and the mystical ways that plants allow us to expand our conscious awareness.
— Oliver Krentzman
