Au Naturelle: Roses /RoseWater / New Finds On Etsy

Today I felt like gathering some information on roses. I want to make my own rose water, so in turn I decided to investigate roses more closely. This is what I found .

The Rose

The rose is perhaps one of the most powerful symbols in the metaphysical world.  The gift of a rose is also one of the simplest ways to say, "I love you" without too much hocus-pocus.

The element associated with the rose is Water, so it is particularly friendly to the astrological signs of Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio. Both Mercury and Venus rule this flower. A bath in rose petals or rose water (which is distilled from the buds) is said to attract love to the bathing beauty.

The rose historically  is associated with Cupid, Eros, Adonis, Aphrodite, Isis, Hathor, and Demeter. Rose water and rose petals are often used in magical rituals to honor these gods and goddesses.

Although red roses are traditionally seen as symbols of lust and love, the flower also has a long association with such qualities as purity, compassion and divine perfection. The white rose in particular has an affinity with the Virgin Mary and the Holy Spirit.

The color of the rose is also significant. Red roses symbolize love, sex and passion. Pink roses suggest friendship, joy, gratitude and fun. Yellow roses can symbolize enthusiasm, but according to some folklore, the yellow rose can symbolize deception or "the perfect crime." Orange roses signify enthusiasm, passion and a lust for life. White roses are symbolic of significant landmarks in life (such as death, birth and marriage), unconditional love, purity and innocence.

Rose water is used in cooking spells and added to curries and cake mixes to infuse the dish with good spirits and love attracting qualities. The water is also splashed on the skin (but not around the eyes) to give you a complexion as dewy as the flower.

The recipe for making the rose water is as follows, but be sure to use these simple preparation tips first;

Rose petals must be freshly picked and have no pesticides or chemicals used on them.
Pick the roses just after the morning dew has evaporated, about 2 to 3 hours after sunrise.
Use only the petals, not the stems or leaves.
Wash the petals quickly to remove any bugs or specks of dirt and immediately process with one of the methods below.
If you don’t grow your own roses, ask at the local florist or Farmers Market for organic roses.

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Old Fashioned Rose Water Recipe

Items Needed:

Rose Petals

Distilled Water

Enamel Pot (any size)

Directions:

Fill the bottom of an enamel pot with the rose petals a few inches deep. Pour distilled water over the petals until they are just covered.
Turn on heat for the water to be steaming hot, but do not boil. Let the water steam until the petals have lost their color, the water has taken on the color of the rose petals and you see rose oil skimming the surface. This will take approximately 60 minutes.
Strain the water and squeeze out the liquid from the rose petals, this is your rosewater.

Homemade Rosewater – Quick & Easy Recipe

For every 1 firmly packed cup of rose petals, pour 2 cups boiling water over top. Cover and steep until the liquid is cool. Strain, squeeze out the liquid from the petals, and refrigerate the rose water in a sterilized jar. Now as far as shelve life goes it will vary from a few months to a year. If you will be using your rose water as a facial astringent, simply add 1 part rubbing alcohol, vodka or witch hazel to 10 parts rose water. Simply put use one ounce of the alcohol base to 10 ounces of rose water.