A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME
We are all familiar with Shakespeare's quote in Romeo and Juliet "A Rose by any other name would smell so sweet" .
Since Valentines days is approaching many people think of gifts of flowers and chocolates. A very popular flower that is given is a Rose.
A rose is a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus Rosa, in the family Rosaceae, or the flower it bears. There are over a hundred species and thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be erect shrubs, climbing or trailing with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers vary in size and shape and are usually large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows and reds. Most species are native to Asia, with smaller numbers native to Europe, North America, and northwestern Africa. Species, cultivars and hybrids are all widely grown for their beauty and often are fragrant. Roses have acquired cultural significance in many societies. Rose plants range in size from compact, miniature roses, to climbers that can reach seven meters in height. Different species hybridize easily, and this has been used in the development of the wide range of garden roses.
Since we can all write pages and pages of roses, I won't. Instead I will post about Rose and how it relates to Essential Oils.
There are more than 5,000 species of roses, but the Damask and the Cabbage Rose are the most fragrant. These two are used to produce Essential Oils for Aromatherapy. Originally native to the Orient, they are now cultivated in Bulgaria, China, France, India, Italy, Morocco, Russia, Tunisia, and Turkey. They are deciduous shrubs that grow three to six feet tall. Sweet scented blossoms range in color from white to pink to red.
It takes 60,000 fresh picked roses to yield one ounce of rose oil. If the oil is pale yellow or deeper yellow or rose otto, it has a rich and spicy floral fragrance. Rose absolute is reddish orange with a heavier, sweeter sent.
Throughout history, roses have been the subject of art, literature, poetry, medicine and love.
In Roman mythology, the goddess Venus was presented with a rose as she arose from the sea.
In Roman Mythology, the blood of Aphrodite, who pricked her finger on a thorn of the rosebush while helping Adonis, colored roses red. The rose was sacred to Aphrodite and Eros.
There is a myth that attributes the thorns to Cupids arrow, which accidentally punctured the rosebush, permanently endowing it with thorns.
Roses mean confidence, beauty, enjoyment, fertility, joy, love and pleasure.
For centuries, roses have soothed the pain of fever blisters and cold sores. They have been used as a cure for digestive disorders, eye infections, headaches, menstrual difficulties, nervious tension, and skin disorders, and as a treatment for respiratory ailments and asthma. Many foods and cuisines used Rose Water in its foods and beverages.
MEDICINAL USES FOR ROSE OIL
Rose Oil has been used for mouth sores and to heal wounds. It clears congestion, eases coughs, and soothes sore throats. Rose Water clears conjunctivitis, helps heals herpes outbreaks and soothes gingivitis. It actually helps strengthen the digestive system, overcoming constipation, nausea and vomiting. It can also relieve the pain of migraine and other headaches.
Rose oil helps balance female hormones. Regulates the menstrual cycle, reduces menstrual cramps, and eases the discomforts of PMS and menopause. It can be very helpful in treating genitourinary conditions. Helpful for sexual difficulties such as frigidity and impotence particularly if they are stress related. It also stimulates circulation and tones the capillaries. Very soothing for psoriasis, excema, dermatitits, and other skin disorders by reducing inflammation. It is also gentle enough to use on babies.
BEAUTY BENEFITS
Rose oil benefits all skin types, especially mature, sensitive, dry, or damaged skin. It helps restore the moisture balance and smoothes wrinkles. It constricts tiny blood vessels, thus helping to diminish the redness of broken capillaries. Rose water is a soothing and nourishing treatment to use as a skin toner or facial mist.
EMOTIONAL EFFECTS
Rose oil nurtures the heart and encourages feelings of love and trust. It supports and soothes the emotions. It lifts depression, eases anxiety and panic, elevates spirits, and reduces stress and tension. It stabilizes mood swings, especially for postnatal depression. It calms the nerves and helps to overcome hyperactivity and insomnia. Rose oil can ease grief and sadness. It can be very helpful in eliminating feelings of disappointment, jealousy, resentment, and anger and can help dissolve emotional blocks standing in the way of happiness. It inspires creativity and activates intuition. Rose oil symbolizes love, purity, and innocence, yet it is a sensual and stimulating aphrodisiac.
HYDROSOL USES
Rose hydrosol balances the emotions and female hormones. It promotes relaxation and is helpful for PMS and stress.
It is very useful in skin care as a facial mist and skin toner, and is appropriate for all skin types as well as for many skin disorders. Rose hydrosol can be used in eyewashes. It induces feelings of compassion and love, and can be used in cooking.
I hope you have enjoyed reading about Rose Oil.
Namaste
Source: Goggle Image
Essential OIls for Vibrant Health
What a wonderful post @marionbowes I have known about the healing properties of rosehip for many years and the benefits of rose oil but you have filled in many more interesting facts for me in a beautifully presented manner. Thanks very much.(Following)
Well hello...nice to meet you on this platform. Now how did you go about finding me? I realize that this is a post I should have done in the summertime, and taken pictures as where I live is abundantly full of rosehips. They are absolutely everywhere. (Following)
Lovely to meet you too @marionbowes I was catching up with an old friend @andyjem and saw this post in his feed. I scrolled down and thoroughly enjoyed what you had written and was impressed with your entire blog. So, I am not only fond of roses. I appreciate a well presented article when I see one. Many thanks for returning the 'Follow' favour . I look forward to keeping in touch.
Likewise, I am so very interested in sharing and meeting new people. I too am looking forward to keeping in touch. Thank you so much for liking my article.
My pleasure Marion. 🌺
Great post as usual Marion. Have never researched Rose oil. Many oils have very similar healing properties but is seems Rose could be the Queen as it covers a wide range of disorders.
Sounds like a nice idea to use it in an atomizer during the summer to cool and moisten the face. 😎❤
Thank you Andy. I love the smell and I have several. I have used it as an astringent and an atomizer as well.
Yes...there are several oils that have similar healing properties. All oils have many, many, uses. That is what makes them completely awesome. This was however a post about Rose Oil and what an awesome way to Introduce Queens into the steemit chain. :)))
Wow I have been awsome 😎😎
You made my day even better x
hee :)))) ok
Is that a black heart? Is that a good thing? 😱
No of course i sent a red heart. Strangely it is still red this end. Mabe it lost its colour on its way over. So when you see black always see red... Although I have green and yellow here too lol.
ok...red it is all the way...even across the pond
I love roses, I love growing them. My favourite roses usually have a more citrus note. I also love to use rose water in cooking. And rosehips are a great source of vitamin C!
I love roses too, they dont really grow well here, but in Ontario oh wow. However rosehips are plentiful here all over and they are so pretty. They actually grow wild here. Which roses have the citrus note?
Beautiful post. Upped and resteemed.
(Though i personally think rose oil is too expensive to be used in such a variety of complaint for which other essential oils - less costly - could be more suitable. )
Thank you and yes of course you are right. I think I would use it for the face. Save it for that. thank u for the resteem.
Or....palliative care! Very suitable as it is a strong transitional oil too!
Oh..yes..I am so glad you stopped by again. Super for that actually. I looked at your page and I do not see this post about Rose Oil resteemed. Should I be following you?
Hey i noticed that too - but now i am sure i did. If you should follow me that is completely up to you! 😀
What you have there is so interesting