In the language of flowers, the rose means love. Its luscious aroma has long been associated with romance and love. A gift of roses is a traditional way to say “I love you.” The scent of rose helps us to get in touch with feelings of love. There are different kinds of love, of course. The love for a mother is a different sort of love than that between two people who are passionately engaged. You can experience love with your children and pets. You can have a sense of love and compassion for humanity in general. These kinds of love feel different from one another. The love of nature is more grounding than that euphoric life experience we call “puppy love.” Long time life partners share another experience of love, compassion and security. The experience of love in its many forms has been proven to be health promoting by scientists. The scent of rose in aromatherapy can help us give and receive love on a body, mind and spirit level.
Relating love to the chakra system, we experience two kinds of love that come from different energy centers of the body, the sacral and heart centers. There is that physical sort of love that involves the sacral or naval chakra (the energy center located below the navel in the ancient sanskrit system. According to this energy system, it is here at the sacral chakra that we experience intimacy and attachment. The experience is uplifting and energizing. We feel great joy and arousal when we experience this special kind of emotion. In aromatherapy, rose is used as an aphrodisiac. It seems to bring about changes in the body that enhance this kind of physical expression and experience of love. Recipes for love potions have included rose petals and oils throughout history.
Rose was a favorite of Cleopatra. Her bath was often filled with luscious scented roses. All about her palace, rose petals were strewn filling the queen’s surroundings with this relaxing and aphrodisiac aroma. When one of Cleopatra’s suitors would come to call, they were sure to be influenced by the aroma of rose. The queen, in all of her splendor, might wear a luxurious pomade of bee’s wax and rose petals in her hair to please the senses of her love interest. For your next romantic get together, try creating a pleasing ambience with rose-scented candles and incense.
On a higher level of vibration, the love that involves the heart chakra (the energy center located in the chest area) is more universal. The terms compassion and unconditional love describe this expression and experience. In subtle aromatherapy, rose and its scent is associated with the opening the heart chakra. An open heart chakra allows an individual to give and receive unconditional love. A functioning heart chakra helps us to experience love on a higher, more spiritual level of being. Also, we have to feel love for ourselves before we can truly give and receive unconditional love. If this love for the self is an issue for you, a lovely potpourri of rose near your meditation spot may help. It’s easy to make your own potpourri. Purchase some dried rose petals from the herb shop. You can use petals from your own rose garden if they are organically grown. Embellish the rose petals with some rose otto or natural rose perfume.
Historians believe that the cultivation of aromatic roses began in the middle east, especially in the country that was known as Persia. Avicenna (a scholar and physician from ancient Persia) developed a system of healing based on healing various “stages of the soul.” In this system of medicine, it is believed that ailments of the soul create disease of the body. He developed a system of healing focusing on various stations of the soul and the scent of rose was inhaled and applied to heal various dysfunctions of the soul. Avicenna is also recorded as the first person to distill the otto of rose. You can imagine how it takes many, many pounds of flowers to make a minute amount of otto.
Today, pure rose otto is certainly a luxury, at a staggering price of three dollars a drop. If three dollars a drop is a little steep for your budget, try using the less expensive rose water. Rose water is a by-product of the distillation of rose petals. Not as intense in scent as the concentrated rose otto, this floral water contains healing love energy. Rose water makes a pleasant room spray. It can be used to bring love into a meditation or healing space. Rose water can be used in body care as a soothing skin lotion, linen spray or natural hair spray to perk up dry and lifeless hair. A rose water spray is nice to carry along on long, dry plane trips to use on the face and hands. Rose water is a renowned moisturizer for dry skin. Its gentle scent is calming as well.
I have found it very difficult to grow today’s hybrid roses organically. In our area you can find the wild rosa rugosa growing in dune areas. They are becoming scarce however, so it is not recommended that you harvest this rose from the wild. If you would like to enjoy this rose in your garden, you can purchase it from your local nursery. It is very easy to cultivate since it requires no special fertilizers and is pest resistant. Rosa rugosa is a species known for its large hip. Rose hip is loaded with vitamin C. Rosa rugosa came to our country from Asia, where the tea made from its flowers is taken to regulate the vital energy or Qi. Feed your love of nature and gardening by adding this easy-care symbol of love to your garden plan.
Love, in its many forms, experiences and expressions, does make the world go ‘round. The unmistakable floral aroma of rose in a bouquet, in a bath (see recipe below), in sachets, scented candles or incense can bring about feelings of love on many levels.
Love Bath
Combine in a glass jar:
- Two ounces of salt (sea salt, kosher salt or dead sea salt)
- Two ounces of dried rose buds and petals
- Twenty or so drops of rose oil (pure rose otto or one of the less expensive natural blends)
For each bathing experience, place two tablespoons of the mixture into a cloth herb bag. A few polished rose quartz stones (known for enhancing love energy) can also be placed in your tub along with the bath bag. As you inhale the exquisite aroma of rose, visualize bringing love (on all levels) into your life. See yourself exuding love energy out into the universe as well. Soon you will feel balanced, exuberant and healthy. Rose, the eternal and universal symbol of love and compassion can help you to feel surrounded by this love on many levels.
By Karen Stokes, RN