I am sure that you, like me, are often too busy to just stop and smell the Roses. Well, it is now time to do just that. Stop, just be, look around and see what is beautiful in the world and smell those beautiful blossoms that are so abundant at this time of year.
Roses have been with us for millenia and were first cultivated, it is thought, in Arabia although there is also evidence that they spread from China and through Russia. Nowadays, almost every garden will have at least one type of Rose.
I think that because they are so commonplace and regarded as ornamental, we have forgotten to actually look at them, to see how beautiful and miraculous they are. We have stopped noticing their amazing perfume, (probably because of the overpowering chemical “fragrances” in home cleaning agents and laundry products, not to mention personal hygiene products) and we have forgotten that Roses are edible and medicinal.
I use the fragrant petals for making Rose water and skin creams and I use the hips for making a syrup which is ideal for winter ailments as it is so full of vitamin C. As I say often, we are blessed with all the abundance of Nature and each plant has a gift for us of one kind or another. Roses have many gifts for us.
Roses affect us on an emotional level as their aesthetic beauty lifts our hearts. The perfume is intoxicating and leads to loving thoughts, (Roses are very much associated with love because of the effect they have on our hearts.) and can indeed help with heart issues on the physical level too. In many cultures around the world, the Rose is associated with a Goddess of Love.
Rose also helps with self-love - a notion that is knocked out of us in the west from the moment we can speak. Self love is so important if we are to love others. One way of loving yourself is to make your own Rose water. As a cosmetic it is cooling and astringent but we can also use Rose water as an aspect of the sacred element of water. Here is a couple of recipes you can try:
1) Collect the Rose petals from unsprayed Roses and fill a jar. Pour in cold, filtered or distilled water to cover the petals and fill the jar and add a cap full of vodka. Leave to stand for three days, shaking occasionally and then strain out into amber or blue bottles.
2) Place all of the Rose petals in a stainless steel saucepan and cover with water. Put on a lid and bring to a gentle simmer on the lowest of heat. After ten minutes, turn off the heat and leave until the next day when you can remove the lid and strain the water into a blue or amber bottle. (This recipe is from Gail Faith Edwards).
I hope you enjoy making your own Rose water - it is so cooling in the hot weather and refreshing and very kind to the skin. If you would like to learn how to make more of your own medicine and body care take a look at my course, Introduction to Herbal Medicine - https://www.danusirishherbgarden.com/product/an-introduction-to-herbal-medicine-a-6-month-digital-course__trashed/
