ROSE

ROSA DAMASCENA
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Unconditional love, Compassion, Inner Freedom, Balancing, Faith, Sensuality, Patience, Gratitude, Acceptance.

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WHAT'S IN A ROSE?
Rose essential oil offers comfort, warmth, creative inspiration and healing for matters of the heart. For many it's the ultimate symbol of love, devotion and sensuality. If you are drawn to rose, you may be carrying some grief or hurt that would benefit from extra care and attention. You may have a creative urge that you're seeking to express, or you may be ready to open your heart again after a loss. ​

THE FACTS
​The essential oil is steam distilled from the fresh blossoms, hand-picked in the early morning hours during the month of May. It is the most precious and costly essential oil and a single drop can go a very long way. 

Clinically speaking, rose essential oil has many benefits, especially for the skin, our hormones and reproductive systems (both male and female). I use both the essential oil and hydrosol frequently in my practice for helping to balance the body, especially when addressing hormonal imbalances and menopause. Rose hydrosol is an excellent toner for the skin and the essential oil can be added to facial serums or creams. It's also often used for nervous depression, insomnia and feelings of being "closed down".

DRIVING ENERGY
The driving energy of rose is, "unfoldment", one petal at a time. It helps us get to the "heart" of any matter and open ourselves to our truths - lovingly. I observe that rose essential oil softens and comforts my clients. When added to a blend for massage, people go very deep inside of themselves and leave their appointments in an almost holy or reverent state. It's said that rose is one of the scents favoured by angels, and I'm inclined to agree!

MYTH AND ARCHETYPE
Rose is said to be a flower of Venus, having come to Earth together with the Goddess in the foam of the sea. As such, it is often associated with love, passion, beauty and art. Equally, the rose is associated with the Virgin Mary, representing purity, devotion and faith. Interestingly, roses are also associated with the Crone aspect of the Goddess. Phillipe Mailhebiau writes that Hekate was sometimes depicted with roses in her crown and suggests that the ritual of placing roses on a grave originates with Hekate. This places rose in the unique position of being a Triple Aspect flower and essence, embodying the Virgin, the Lover or Mother and the Crone. 



​References:
Aromatherapy and Subtle Energy Techniques, Keim and Bull, 2015
The Complete Aromatherapy and Essential Oils Handbook for Everyday Wellness, Puchon and Cantele, 2014
The Encyclopaedia of Essential oils, Lawless, 2014
Essential Oil Safety, Tisserand and Young, 2016
The Fragrant Mind, Worwood, 1997
Hydrosols, The Next Aromatherapy, Catty, 2001​
Portraits in Oils, Mailhebiau, 1995
Subtle Aromatherapy, Davis, 1991