"Every time is like the first time."
The oil of the damask rose, Rosa damascena, also called attar of roses or rose otto, was treasured by ancient cultures of China, India, Persia and Egypt as the finest of rose oils for its potent aphrodisiac, antidepressant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, sedative and astringent applications. A renowned symbol of love, purity, and innocence, the rose possesses many psychotherapeutic aromatic properties. Rose oil is often used in aromatherapy to create feelings of calmness, clarity and well-being, to relieve stress, nervous tension, headaches, asthma, and insomnia. Massage a 10% dilution with your oil of choice into the heart area for a delightfully uplifting experience.
As a skin ointment, Rose oil softens and improves tone and texture, and has been used to successfully treat herpes lesions. Medical astrology places the skin under rulership of Venus, the Roman goddess of love, beauty, sex, fertility and prosperity. Interestingly, the rose is the favorite and iconic flower of Venus, and the Greek Aphrodite before her, and was traditionally used foremost to address feminine issues such as depression from a broken relationship, sexuality, fertility, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), irregular menstruation, copious menstruation, post-natal depression, mild prolepses of the uterus, and menopause.
The essential oil of Rose was first distilled with modern techniques in the 10th century by the Arabic physician Avicenna, who documented its many healing properties in The Book of Healing at the peak of the Islamic Golden Age. This distillation process of Rose oil spread throughout Europe during the Middle Ages and its alchemical, medical use was popularized in the 16th century by the Swiss physician and alchemist Paracelsus, of whom Carl Jung wrote, “we see in Paracelsus not only a pioneer in the domains of chemical medicine but also in those of an empirical psychological healing science.”
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) the rose is reputed to have a cooling, moisturizing and soothing quality, while the oil is believed to restore the general balance and harmony of the body, stimulate and regulate the heart and circulatory system, boost concentration and uplift the spirit. Similarly, in Ayurvedic medicine, the damask rose, or Satapatri in Sanskrit, is used to open and balance the heart chakra, cleanse the liver, kidneys and spleen, treat depression, mental exhaustion and anxiety.
