The Beloved Rose

The beloved rose has been known to embody the essence of divine love for thousands of years. Its velvet-like petals and spiral center mirror the qualities of the loving energies of cosmic creation. 

The origin of roses is believed to actually have been somewhere in Asia centuries ago! But perhaps my favorite origin story about rose comes from Greek mythology. In this story (and there are many different versions of it, but the same overarching themes) the rose is actually an anagram for Eros, the son of Aphrodite, the Greek god of love. The story goes that Chloris, the goddess of flowers, was walking in the woods one day when she came across a lifeless nymph. Saddened by its untimely demise, she transformed it into a flower so beautiful that it would be judged before Aphrodite, The Queen of Flowers and all of Mount Olympus. Aphrodite, the goddess of love and mother of Eros, named the flower ‘rose’ in honor of her son.

Rose is a beautiful way to tap into the sacred feminine energy that lies within each of us. Her bitter medicine allows us to calm the chatter of the mind, as she pulls the energy downward through the energetic centers of the body allowing us to feel more grounded. This downward movement also allows for an overall cooling effect on the body. Rose allows us to process grief, sorrow and other heavy emotions in a gentle and graceful manner. Most wild roses contain 5 petals– 5 being a number held by many powerful spiritual plant allies. Rose is actually a tri-doshic plant in Ayurveda, meaning that it helps people of any dosha (vata, pitta or kapha), but works exceptionally well for the fiery pitta nature.

As magical as rose is spiritually, she also has many scientific properties that help heal us. Rose is cardiotonic as well as a uterine tonic. This means rose helps tone the muscles of the uterus and the cardiovascular system. These properties of tonicity are due to the astringency of rose. An astringent is a chemical that shrinks or constricts blood vessels. Rose is also considered a vulnerary, a medicine that is helpful for healing wounds, due to the ability to promote tissue repair for both the skin and mucous membranes. This is likely why you’ve seen rose incorporated into many skin care products.      

You can adorn your home with a vase of your favorite color roses or purchase loose rose petals or rose powder.  The powder can be incorporated into your tea blend, cacao blend, smoothie, face mask, or body lotion. Regardless of which approach you take, you can expect to invoke a higher frequency of love into your life as it is capable of opening the heart to the infinite possibilities that life has to offer. By keeping the heart open, you will become more capable of experiencing a profound connection with yourself and others. No matter how big or small the miracles are in your life, the rose invites you to see yourself as a living miracle placed here with the specific purpose of brightening the world around you. 

Want to experience the delicious magic of roses? Fill a glass jar with a handful of dried rose petals and add hot water. Cover and let it infuse overnight. Enjoy a delicious rose-infused water throughout the day. Check out Anima Mundi’s delicious and organic rose powder, making a lovely addition to a cup of warm milk during the winter or try adding it into some ceremonial cacao. A great source for ceremonial cacao is Cacao Laboratory, sourced from Ecuador or Nana Marina’s Cacao Ixmucane sourced from Guatemaya! 

(if you’re interested in purchasing Nana Marina’s cacao, please email krystenholisticwellness@gmail.com)

Thanks for stopping in! Signing Off,

Krysten