Oxytocin - the love hormone

Have you ever wondered why kissing is so important.

Our lips are covered in nerve endings which when touched, sets off the release of a hormone Oxytocin, nicknamed by scientists as the ‘hormone of love’. Of course, Oxytocin is not only released by kissing.



Oxytocin is a wonder hormone that is stored and secreted by the pituitary gland. It acts as a natural anti-depressant, reduces cravings and addictions, triggers and regulates contractions during labour and birth, triggers the let down feeling a breastfeeding mom has, helps reinforce emotional connections, appreciation and gratitude. You release it when simply spending time with friends laughing and eating. But by far the greatest release of Oxytocin is during lovemaking.

Unfortunately, it’s under threat from fear and stress, which inhibit its release. Without this hormone there is low sex drive, difficulties in childbirth, breastfeeding, depression, lack of joy and an inability to connect with others, to mention but a few.

Now that we’ve covered the scientific evidence let’s get down to the energetic advantages of Oxytocin.

During lovemaking for example, a gentle rub over the lips causes the pituitary gland to open energetically. This attracts the energy of love in through third eye chakra at the back of the head. As this energy flows into the pituitary, it releases the Oxytocin hormone. These two flow out into the body via the circulation and meridians stimulating all the chakra points along the way as they do so. Imagine that these two go hand in hand, so when I talk about one I’m talking about the other. The heart chakra opens and reinforces the flow.

When you kiss and hug, both of you are reinforcing the effects of the energy created by Oxytocin. It fills you with love and in turn creates happiness. The more you use it the more you create. By constantly releasing this hormone into your system you are reinforcing the joie de vivre or joy of life. It gives you a buoyancy that no other drug can. By being open and happy you attract abundance in all forms into your life.

Unfortunately, many of us have blocks within our normally efficient system resulting in the Oxytocin/love energy not reaching everywhere. Or, there is such a small release we don’t really notice it. Fear and worry creates a spiral, stressing the body into releasing adrenaline in large doses, thereby inhibiting the release of Oxytocin/love, which then lies dormant. This becomes a normal habit – fear, worry, stress.

We retain a deep memory of this happy state. Instinctively we attempt to find it, by self-medicating whether with drugs, alcohol, nicotine, caffeine or possibly a need to shop, create drama in our lives, etc. These are brief surges but not the real thing.

How do you stop the spiral? Most of you would have either read or seen The Secret which gives you have advice on how to make the changes. What you are therefore creating in using these techniques is love or in other words releasing the happy hormone Oxytocin into your body so that the joie de vivre runs rampant around your body, lifting you emotionally.
It is changing a habit that has been reinforced time and again to find the real thing - the pure joy of living and being in a state of bliss.

11 February 2011

Since posting this there have been many spirited discussions about it, in the main focusing on the dark side of Oxytocin.

Oxytocin does have a dark side, as does everything in this world. It amplifies whatever energy is dominant within your system. If you are filled with hate, anger or violence and they give you pleasure, as these are your pleasure points, Oxytocin will amplify it. It will then run through your body hand in hand with conditional love, which is your version of love. Most of us are peace loving and therefore it will not affect us. If you find a negative emotion is very strong - use this knowledge to clear the issue.

I am an enternal optimist - I always see a silver lining in every situation. Some say I am naive and idealistic. Maybe, but if I don't hold the vision who will? There is enough pessimism in the world without me adding to it. I deal with the dark or negative as it comes along but I don't allow it to rule my life.

Oxytocin - to read comments on LW