The Damask Rose
“But he who dares not grasp the thorn
Should never crave the rose.”
– Anne Brontë
Yearning, beautiful, gentle, yet dangerous. They say that no plant better represents a woman’s nature than the qualities of a rose. But there is so much more to this beautiful plant than its appearance.
The Damask rose or in Latin Rosa damascena is one of the most important species of the Rosaceae family – family, known for the function of decorative plants or better yet, the kings of flowers. Mostly known for its fragrant quality, people used to spray its water or herbal distillate at weddings to ensure a happy marriage. The rose is the most famous symbol of love and purity, its use includes support for meditation or prayer.
There is evidence to support the ancient nature of the plant, for its 30-million-year-old fossils can be found in America, while the origin seems to be in the Middle East, more precisely Iran – former Mesopotamia, the cradle of the contemporary civilization. Here, the strong connection to this yearning plant is still present, they call it the flower of the Prophet Muhammad, and many claim the flower’s fragrance reminds them of him. Its distillation originates in the late 7th century and to this day this remains the main area of production, its oil being among the most expensive on the world’s markets due to the lack of natural and artificial substitutes.
In ancient medicine, the Damask rose was used to heal stomach and chest pains, to strengthen the heart, soothe menstrual bleeding troubles and digestive problems, different infections.
North American Indians used its root to soothe cough. Also useful as a mild diuretic, while rose oil heals depression, sadness, stress, and tension. It helps reduce thirst, heal wounds or specific female “complaints”, and is very beneficial to the health of your skin. Inhaling its scent offers a soothing effect to headaches, migraines, and allergies.
The plant contains over 400 different ingredients with positive effects to our health, among them terpenes, glycosides, flavonoids and anthocyanins, tannins. Pharmacological benefits of the rose are numerous. Most benefits to the central nervous system are hypnotic; it also functions as an analgesic, cardiovascular, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent.
In Ayurveda, it is used to help with irregular heartbeat, chronic bronchitis, constipation, liver, and gall bladder problems, to cure candida.
Herbal distillate rose water is produced with steam distillation of the damask rose petals and has been used in the past to welcome guests, for religious ceremonies, for spiritual and/or physical healing.
The distillate contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C and E, and provides antiviral, bactericidal, stimulative, and calming, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and decongestive functions. It helps with ulcers of the oral mucosa and sore throat, infected bladder, vomiting, sickness, liver problems and irritations of the eyes. Spraying it on the skin will make for an excellent natural fragrance or deodorant; it can be used as a tonic on all types of skin, especially, on dry, mature, damaged, wrinkly and sun damaged skin. It cleanses it, restores vitality, hydration, and shine, maintains its natural Ph, reduces redness, while its ingredients also prevent the formation of premature wrinkles and stimulate skin regeneration. Also suitable for dry and damaged hair, providing them with hydration and shine.
It makes for an excellent addition to your bath or home fragrance, with its intoxicating, gentle scent that soothes, reduces stress, restores energy and happiness.
“My hands will get dirty holding your rose-shaped heart,
because love is like gardening—it’s earthy and takes work to keep it alive.” – Jarod Kintz, This book is not for sale
