As we come upon Valentines Day, many people will be choosing roses as a means of conveying their affection and love.  In days gone by, elaborate messages were communicated through bouquets, as each plant translated its own vocabulary.  Flower colour make a difference to the scent of a rose, and also to its medicinal benefits.

I had the pleasure of meeting British aromatherapist and author Elizabeth Ashley at Botanica 2016 in England. Elizabeth has gone to great lengths to explain the history, qualities and energetics of various  roses.  She states,  “… For rose truly is a timeless elixir, unmatched in her beauty but also her power. ” In her book, Rose Goddess Medicine, she offers us these descriptions of various coloured roses.

Red Rose –  Passionate love
This essence helps us to face the wounds which we might have hoped had already healed.  Its compassionate medicine reaches out as salve for guilt that underlies the perception of pain. … The Red Rose is a thread through the infinite lifetimes of being.  It is eternal and can connect in a timeless fashion unhindered by space and time. …
Self-hating strategies stack up layer on layer and form a fiercely angry welt that Red Rose energy is supremely good at dissipating. … This is root chakra energy, physical love and life foundations.  It is the healing gateway from those lessons learned in the first seven years of your life, of dependency, security and how easily your emotional needs can be met.

Yellow Rose – Gladness, friendship, promise of a new beginning;  it can also convey jealousy
When someone suffers a trauma, eventually the shock to the tissues will start to change how the body acts at a cellular level, slowly driving up inflammations and markers of chronic disease.  Yellow Rose energy is first aid.  It entirely dissipates the trauma before it has a chance to infect.  Emergency medicine of the solar plexus chakra.

Bright Pink Rose –  Appreciation and gentleness
This is truly the colour of the female consciousness as it stands today.  It is the “widget” for anyone who dreams of manifesting an altruistic role but somehow always sees their goal slip away.  The Pink Rose will seriously kick your (butt) if you are wasting time or managing it ineffectively. The medicine might be subtle, but with her 6 inch Louboutains on her fragranced feet, you are sure going to feel it when she does! If you want to manifest, then you most certainly will. Be warned:  if life can’t get any fuller, then something will have to go.  Make sure you say your goodbyes with compassion and love. … The Pink Rose is sisterhood, grace and your place in the cosmic order.  How do you fit into the universe’s plan and who can you call on to help you?  Rose will tell you who, what, why, where and when – and the chances are she will also present your purpose right there at your feet!… Bright Pink Rose energy draws out everything you were ever born to be.

Pale Pink Rose –  Grace and  “Please believe me”
Before any real healing can take place in the heart, or success starts to manifest through your life, there absolutely has to be some semblance of self-esteem.  This is truth medicine. … Confidence is a practice learned trait.  It builds and gathers momentum with success.  At the very beginning of a dream or new project, it is hard to make new listeners hear. Pale Pink Rose engenders faith in us and in them…. The Pale Pink Rose helps you like what you see in the mirror.  It carries the gift of unconditional self love and acceptance. It fosters healthy interpersonal connections. All Pink Roses vibrate at the heart chakra.

Orange Rose –  Desire and enthusiasm
This is very clear bright sounding throat chakra medicine.  It enhances creativity,  clears emotional blocks and eases anger. It is happy, feisty and energetic;  really caught up in the moment, like nothing else ever really mattered.

Purple Rose – Enchantment
This is a transient and transcendent energy of the third eye.  A snapshot into another realm. It is intuitive, psychic and spiritual.

White Rose –  Purity, silence and innocence
This is the rose of the crown chakra, gently nurturing and compassionate.  White Rose essence engenders the will to live and a commitment to see life’s trials through to their resolution.

The Rose has a long history of cultivation, use and appreciation.  It has always been associated with love, passion, connection and spirit.  As a herbal medicine, its qualities are amazing.  As an essential oil, its aroma is divine.  A little goes a long way – deeply and profoundly.  Perhaps it is time we took another look and whiff of this exquisite beauty.  Happy Valentines Day!

The herb Rosemary has been a symbol of remembrance for ions. In herbal folklore, “Rosemary is for Remembering”.  It was often used at times of funerals, anniversaries and when soldiers marched off to war.  Its aroma has always been uplifting and stimulating; sharp, herbaceous and slightly camphorous are some adjectives used to describe its aroma. The penetrating aroma sharpens the senses and can focus the mind.  By stimulating the mind, one has greater recall and greater ability to remember things.  Because of its stimulating effects upon the nerves, brain and muscles, there is no time to sleep when Rosemary is around, as it also calls one to action! It is also renowned for its stimulating effects on the scalp and hair growth. Good for memory,  exhaustion, pain, infection, digestion, stamina, hair growth and other things, its health and healing properties are legendary.

The ancient Romans and Greeks believed that Rosemary brought good luck and protected people from evil spirits.  They believed that infections were brought on by evil spirits, so it is not surprising that they came to believe that Rosemary could protect them, which could also be called good luck!  We know now that one of Rosemary’s therapeutic qualities is that of being an antiseptic.

Here is what Banckes’ Herbal had to say about Rosemary back in 1525:  “If thou be feeble boyle the leaves in cleane water and washe thyself and thou shall be shiny … smell it oft and it shall keep thee youngly.”

In spiritual work, Rosemary is said to cleanse “energetic muck”;  its sharp aroma penetrates and clears the auric field.  Perhaps this is partly due to the fact that the aroma causes some people to release their pent-up anger.  Anger is often one of the root causes of long-standing problems.

In her book, The Blossoming Heart, Dr. Robbi Zeck describes Rosemary as follows:
“…  it assists the dynamic development and transformation through directing creative energy into action.  When familiar patterns, conditions, habits and beliefs keep resurfacing and manifesting in your life, Rosemary moves you onward, freeing you from restriction, sluggishness and mental fatigue…. Recharge your creative batteries, reconnect to your creative fire and allow the next part of your cycle to emerge.”  p.111

In aromatherapy, we use several Rosemary chemotype essential oils based upon what needs to be done. Each chemotype has similar but different effects from the other. The camphorous chemotype is better than the others for its antiseptic qualities, so we can consider it when dealing with infectious conditions in which the environment needs to be disinfected.  This chemotype also offers deep comfort to aches, pains, sprains and strains, but care must be taken as to the dilution rate being used.  Too much and it can cause the skin to react poorly – definitely not what you want to happen.

If we want to help clear up acneic skin, we can use the verbenone chemotype with greater ease, as the ketones in this Rosemary are more skin-friendly than those in the camphorous type. It has a softer aroma than the camphorous chemotype, making it more enjoyable to use on the face.  Verbenone offers less irritation when used on skin and hair, but it is not always easy to find.

The cineole chemotype is generally considered the safest Rosemary to use, even with people having significant health conditions.  It can be used for most health issues and in all aromatherapy methods of use. If unsure as to which Rosemary to use, this is generally the better one to choose.

All Rosemaries have contraindications and precautions that need to be respected. Avoid during pregnancy.  Avoid with people having seizure disorders. Avoid with high blood pressure. May antidote homeopathic medications. Take special care if using on children or animals.  If you are not sure, contact a Registered Aromatherapist for clarification.  Do not depend upon what you read on the Internet for your answers!

As November 11th draws near, take a quiet moment to focus and inhale Rosemary and Remember! 

Did you know ……

• In Aroma Genera, Rosemary personality is young at heart, creative, sensitive, determined and enjoys security
• The term Ayurveda comes from two Indian words:  ayur,or life, and veda, or knowledge;  Ayurvedic Medicine is described as a “knowledge of how to live” and emphasizes that good health is the responsibility of the individual

In Chinese Herbal Medicine, the Metal Element is associated with: Season is autumn;  Taste is pungent;  Emotion is grief; Parts of the Body affected: lungs, large intestine, nose and skin

The Botanica 2016 conference inspired me to find more ways to use my plants every day for health and well-being. There is still time to enjoy the bounty of the garden – even if the temperatures are cooler and the daylight is shorter.  If you have access to fresh herbs, here are a couple of suggestions by Shannon McKinnon from a 2013 edition of Gardens West – Special Edition  (Vol. 27 No 08).  If all you have are dried herbs, that’s fine, too.

Rosemary Salt
1/3 cup (80mls.) fresh rosemary needles
1/3 cup  (80mls.) coarse salt
1 cup  (250mls.)  Kosher salt
Pulse rosemary and coarse salt in a food processor until the rosemary is chopped to approximately the same size as the salt.  Stir in 1 cup (250mls.) Kosher salt and blend well.  Pour mixture into a suitable dispenser. Can be used to add flavour to most meats, chicken, fish, soups and stews.  A little goes a long way!  Makes a great hostess gift.

Sage Gargle for Sore Throats
Pour 1 cup (250mls.) of boiling water over 4 teaspoons (20mls) of dried sage or 8 teaspoons (80mls.) fresh common sage leaves.  Steep covered for 10-15 minutes, strain and let cool.  Use this “tea” as a natural organic gargle to relieve sore throats. Do Not Swallow.  Will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Minty Bath Bliss
Snip off 6  lengths of sturdy mint stems with leaves, tightly secure them with a rubber band to make a herb bundle. Use this same elastic band to secure the bundle to your bathtub faucet so the warm water flows through the mint on its way into the tub. Soak and enjoy!

Lemon Balm (Melissa) Tea
Melissa is known for its ability to “calm you when you’re wired and boost you when you’re tired”.  Pour 1 cup (250mls.) of boiling water over 1 tablespoon (15mls.) fresh lemon balm leaves or 1 teaspoon (5mls.) of dried leaves for each cup of tea.  Steep covered for 3-5 minutes (longer makes stronger flavour).  Strain and enjoy.

Tarragon Vinegar
Add 1 cup (250mls) of tarragon sprigs to every 2 cups (500mls.) of white wine vinegar in a sterilized jar.  Use a wooden spoon (not metal!) to bruise the sprigs to release their essential oil.  Cover and let steep for 2 to 3 weeks until it reaches desired potency. Shake the contents every few days. Make sure the stems and leaves are ALWAYS covered in vinegar;  this avoids mould growth/contamination. When ready, remove the sprigs, strain the vinegar, rebottle and enjoy.  If you like, you can add a single fresh sprig at this time for decorative effect – just remember that it must stay completely covered in vinegar at all times.  The vinegar will keep in a cool, dark pantry for at least 6 months.

These are but a few of the ways we can enjoy and benefit from the plants we grow all summer.  Let these recipes inspire you to be creative and try other herbs and plants, too.  There is a huge element of pleasure in making something for yourself that looks and smells divine!  Don’t deny yourself these simple pleasures from nature.

Did you know ……

• In 1852, salicin, the natural active ingredient in willow bark, was artificially synthesized; it was modified to be less of a stomach irritant and in 1899, acetylsalicylic acid was launched as aspirin (ASA) by the Bayer company.  It is still used today for pain and inflammation relief.
• In 1775,  Dr. William Withering began experimenting with the herbal brew a patient’s family successfully used for curing dropsy caused by heart failure;  he isolated foxglove as the most potent plant in the brew. In 1785 he wrote, Account of the Foxglove and Some of Its Medicinal Uses; the cardiac glycosides digoxin and digitalis were eventually extracted from foxglove.  They continue to be used today for treatment of heart conditions.  The Latin name for foxglove is Digitalis.
  
• Cabbage was called, “The medicine of the poor”, as it had a multitude of health benefits and was available to all.