Way back in June, when summer '18 officially kicked off with the solstice, Deborah Hanekamp, seeress, shaman, and founder of Mama Medicine, told us that one of the most spiritually fulfilling plants you could bring into your life this season was the simple rose. Since these ubiquitous flowers are in season during the early summer, they make frequent appearances in solstice rituals among nature-based faiths. Now that it's August, the roses in your area might not be as vibrant as they were a month ago, but you can still bring this floral energy into your home and enjoy it before the summer's end. All you need is a vial of rose essential oil.
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As Hanekamp told us in June, rose oil is a perfect addition to a relaxing and recharging bath. Vannoy Gentles Fite, author of Essential Oils for Emotional Wellbeing, also recommends blending it with vitamin E oil, frankincense oil, and a carrier oil (something neutral like jojoba or coconut), to create a meditative massage oil that can be applied to your temples, neck, back, or the soles of your feet. She explains that rose essential oil has a scent that instantly soothes the user and can even evoke feelings of love, making it a highly effective ingredient in any self-care routine.
However you choose to use rose essential oil, you'll benefit from what Fite describes as some major spiritual effects. Rose oil has been used as a ceremonial tool across cultures, religions, and history, she explains, which has lent it a holy reputation. Fite says she's heard from people who have used rose oil as part of their meditation practice in order to explore their beliefs, while others use it to solidify their preexisting beliefs in a higher power.
On the other hand, rose essential oil can have a more everyday influence on your life, too. Fite says using it on your body (again, with the proper carrier oil) or diffusing it in a room of your home can help to create a generally peaceful and restorative air around you. You may feel more in tune with nature, given its familiarly floral and earthy aroma, or at the very least more relaxed.
"For me, rose essential oil brings me happiness," Fite says. "Pure, unadulterated happiness in my soul." We're starting to think we should keep some of it handy year-round.