Rose (rosa sp) medicine is support for the physical and emotional heart – specifically indicated for grief, loss, shock and hard times.
Her medicine is twofold, protecting us and creating a safe container with her thorny embrace, yet offering such grace and spaciousness to feel vulnerable with her tender petals.
Her scent uplifts our spirits and soothe our soul. We are safe, we are held, we are ok to just be exactly as we are.
Rose reminds us, deep in our bones, that we can ride out the shock waves and tumult of our inner and outer worlds.
And when we experience emotional stress, this has an impact on our physical body (and vice versa), so I like that rose, and other heart-centred herbs like hibiscus, linden and hawthorn support both our physical and emotional hearts.
Rose has other properties as well, and as a cooling herb, is great at sedating heat in our body, with a wide variety of uses.
Read on for some rose recipes to include this gorgeous rose medicine in daily life, but here’s some quick herbal info:
Rose at a Glance
Botanical Name: Rosa Sp | Family: Roseaceae | Parts Used: Flower petals, buds, rosehips (fruit)
Energetics: Cooling, Drying | Taste: Sour, Astringent
Safety: If using rose in therapeutic doses (not just culinary amounts) caution during kidney disease, breastfeeding & pregnancy, and if you’re a cool constitution, can be cooling over time.
Rose-Hearted Tea
This is a heart-centred hug in a mug. Rose gently protects our heart as we navigate challenging times, and tulsi helps us cope with the stress that accompanies emotional upheaval. Hibiscus and linden both specifically support the physical and emotional heart and cardiovascular system as well as rounding out the blend to create this delicious, soothing tea.
- 1 teaspoon rose (rosa sp)
- 1 teaspoon tulsi (ocimum sanctum)
- 1 teaspoon hibiscus (hibiscus sabdariffa)
- 1 teaspoon linden (tilia sp)
Put herbs in teapot or heatsafe jar. Pour boiling water over herbs, and cover with a lid. Steep for 10 minutes. Strain and drink. Sweeten with honey if desired.
Rose bliss balls
Transform a simple snack into a heart-opening embrace. Turn to rose medicine in times of needing extra emotional support, or also times when you want to cultivate more feelings of love, compassion and openness.
- 1.5 cups sunflower seeds
- ½ – ¾ cup cashew nuts
- 4 (heaping) tablespoons cacao powder
- ¼ cup sweetener (honey, maple syrup)
- ¼ – ½ cup organic dried rose petals*
- 2-3 tablespoons coconut oil (if required to bind other ingredients)
Method –
Add everything to a food processor and process till can make a ball with your hands. If it’s too dry, add the coconut oil.
*Note – roses are typically a heavily sprayed crop so it’s important to use organic rose petals where possible. Petals with a strong delightful scent are best here.
Rose Glycetract
This is one of my all-time favourite rose recipes. The sweet taste of glycerine pairs beautifully with rose to make a liquid Turkish delight. It’s sweetness is soothing in times of stress and emotional upheaval. nd the red colour is medicine in itself.
Ingredients
- organic dried roses
- glycerine
- water
Method
- half fill a jar with organic dried rose petals
- fill the jar up ¾ way with glycerine
- fill the rest of the jar up with water
- use a spoon to mix
- cover with a lid, then macerate on a shelf for 2 – 4 weeks. Shake a few times a week.
- Strain through a fine mesh sieve or muslin cloth.
- Store in a bottle and label
Use 1 teaspoon plain or mixed in water.
I’ve got a few more rose medicine recipes I love, and I know at the moment, the more ways we have to work with rose the better. Not that we necessarily need to use them all at once, but I find when we want to work with a plant consistently, it can be easier to have a variety of preparations so we can find a way to incorporate that herb one way or another every day.
I’ll write them up in another post soon!
