The rose,
queen of flowers! Her fragrance, captured in the essential oil,
is the most precious of all heavenly scents. It refreshes the
soul; its fragrant poetry brings joy to the heart. Rose, the
flower of music, touches the most delicate strings.
No other flower has as many admirers or has been written about
as much as the rose. No other garden flower, no matter how beautiful,
has touched as many hearts. Rose touches and fulfills an inner
longing. According to legend, the Greek poet Sappho (ca. 6 10-580
Bc) gave rose the name queen of flowers. Achilles Tatios (139
Bc) from Alexandria said: “If Zeus had wanted the flowers
to have a queen, only the rose would have been considered worthy
of this honor. She adorns the earth, is the pride of the plant
kingdom, the crown jewel of the flowers, and the royal purple
of wisemen, the mirror of beauty. Full of love she is Aphrodite’s
servant; with fragrant leaves shining brilliantly she sways
above the foliage, bathing in the smiles of Zephyr.”
This loving tribute to the rose has been repeated through the
ages in poetry and song. The rose has been a symbol for completeness.
Aren’t all rose parts formed to perfection? Rose roots
are strong, leaves harmoniously arranged, flowers indescribably
beautiful and filled with an exquisite fragrance. Even the little
devils, thorns, that add challenge, menace, or spice to earthly
things, are not missing. In the language of alchemists: the
flowers are sulfur, the leaves and stems are mercury, and the
roots are sal-all in harmonious relation to each other. This
means a plant with an extraordinarily deep and harmonizing effect.
Rose has been assigned to the heart, and its balancing effect
on the whole body is accomplished through that route. The essential
oil of rose has a deep psychological effect. It balances things
out of kilter, particularly problems related to the heart. Rose
oil comforts in times of sorrow, dissolves psychological pain,
refreshes a sad heart, and opens doors to love, friendship,
and empathy.
People unable to come to terms with loss of a loved one may
carry sadness in their~ heart for years. The grieving heart,
unable to experience joy, cannot balance the body’s energies.
When the body (heart or mind) are out of balance, we become
more vulnerable to illness. Essential rose oil may help gently
dissolve blockages and feelings of disappointrnent or depression.
The result is usually gentle balance, whether rose oil acts
as a tonic or a relaxant. Rose works on all levels, beginning
its influence with the physical body and penetrating to our
innermost being. Indeed, rose may even appear to reveal sacred
things.
Rose, on the one hand, has a fragrance of purity and innocence,
but on the other, it is an aphrodisiac that stimulates sensuality.
Historians report that during Rome’s most decadent era
huge quantities of rose petals were piled high in festive arenas,
on streets, and in bedrooms.
Essential rose oil has been assigned to rose quartz, a clear,
soft pink crystal. This crystal, affecting the heart’s
energy center, is particularly beneficial for supporting gentleness
and love. Rose quartz has been considered a healing stone for
nervous heart ailments.
Rose oil, the fragrance of Venus, has a reputation for relieving
mood swings during pregnancy and supporting women during childbirth.
Could a new baby be greeted in a lovelier way than with the
fragrance of this oil? Occasional depression after childbirth
may also be lessened with rose oil. Rose oil has also been used
as a companion for the dying, since it reduces fear and provides
wisdom for people who journey to the other side. Rose’s
comforts suggest that everything is as it should be-small earthly
events serve something higher.
Even in highly diluted concentrations, rose oil has a very strong,
psychological effect; 1 to 2 drops in an aroma lamp will change
a room s whole atmosphere.
This is not surprising, since many petals surrender their fragrance
for just one drop of oil. To produce 1 pound of essential rose
oil, 5,000 pounds of fresh petals are needed. A good collector
will be able to harvest about 10 pounds of petals a day. As
with jasmine and tuberose, rose petals must be picked before
sunrise, because their oil content is diminished later in the
day. The essential oil is extracted primarily by steam distillation.
India has been considered the place where the method of producing
the oil was discovered. At the wedding of Shah jahan, who built
the Taj Mahal and Shalimar Gardens for his wife, the area surrounding
the castle was filled with rosewater and covered with rose petals.
Arriving guests were carried by boat through these fragrant
waters. The heat of the midday sun began the process of natural
distillation. Rose oil separated and began to float on top of
the water. Since then, the story goes, India has used steam
distillation to produce rose essential oil.
Only a few rose species are cultivated on a large scale and
used for distillation. Rosa darnascena, the damask rose, is
primarily grown in Bulgaria, which has the largest rose-growing
plantation in the world. This hardy rose is similar in appearance
to dog rose (Rosa canina) or bush rose. Since Tunisia and Morocco
began to grow this rose, they have undercut the high price of
Bulgarian rose oil. But the oil produced in Bulgaria is far
superior. Rosa centifohia, the cabbage rose, which originated
in Persia and had been grown primarily in Esfahãn, is
now cultivated primarily in Algeria and Egypt. Rosa gabhica,
originally from the (:aucas~ts, is the main source today of
rose oil from Turkey. Oil from the damask rose and cabbage rose
is preferred for aromatherapy. The oil from Turkey is too heavy
and passionate for most people.
Physicians in antiquity have hailed the healing powers of essential
rose oil. Until a short time ago, however, medicinal use of
the oil had virtually disappeared. Through aromatherapy rose
slowly made its way back as a precious remedy.
Rose oil, a good tonic, reduces infections and relieves cramps.
In comt)ination with balm oil, rose oil is very effective for
migraine headaches—mix equal parts of rose and balm oil
injojoba oil. Both rose and balm undiluted help heal shingles
in a few days. For nervous heart complaints, ntake a chest rub
of 1 drop of undiluted oil once a day.
‘l’he oil is especially helpful fèr balancing
women’s hormone system. It cleanses and strengthens the
uterus, regulates menstruation, and relieves menstrual cramps.
Rosewater, a by-product of steam distillation, added to a compress
provides a soothing remedy for conjunctivitis, infected wounds,
and fever. Rosewater also makes a beneficial douche for vaginitis.
The extraordinarily mild rose oil is the least toxic essential
oil, which makes it ideal for massages and children’s
or babies’ skin care. For 3½ fluid ounces almond
oil use 1 to 2 drops of rose oil and 1 to 2 drops of Roman chamomile.
This lotion is a wonderful alternative to most commercial baby
oils. These products usually contain mineral oils that dry out
skin, and many are perfumed with synthetic fragrances.
Rose honey (2 tablespoons of liquefied honey mixed with 1 drop
of rose oil) helps calm and reduces inflammation. It is recommended
for children with teething problems and for adults with gingivitis.
Essential rose oil and rosewood oil mixed in a base oil makes
exquisite skin care lotion.
Amassage oil made with rose oil is especially effective for
delicate souls and provides balance for people with psychological
problems. The essential oil is unsurpassed as a beauty oil.
Rose functions as a tonic and cleanser. It heals and helps every
skin type, especially infected, dry, or sensitive skin. Rosewater
makes a wonderful skin lotion. It cleanses the skin without
disturbing its natural protective shield.
The fragrance of rose oil, applied undiluted to the skin, remains
unchanged for people with few toxins in their body, but for
those who smoke or eat a lot of beef or pork, the fragrance
takes on a sour note. With a little practice, aromatherapists
may use the oil as a rather quick test of a person’s case
history. Rose oil even appears to reflect their inner harniony
or disharmony. As with all
other expensive essential oils, many fake rose oils are on
the market. A layperson may distinguish between real and synthetic
oils with difficulty. Also, these so-called rose oils may
be produced from cheaper plants. Therefore, the buyer must
beware when purchasing rose oil. Demand oil made from “real”
rose plants-Rosa damascena, Rosa centifoha, or Rosa gahhica.
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