Monthly Essential: doTERRA's Rose

(So first, a disclaimer: there are very few things in the world that I love more than the scent of roses.
I work with roses on a regular basis, creating custom malas and rosaries out of clay made from their petals @theroseandthelotus
I have a collection of books on the rich history of roses, on roses in art and poetry and tips on growing them organically - which I attempt every spring, to varying levels of success.
But please, read on for my completely unbiased opinion on Rose oil)

My love of roses runs deep, so needless to say, I can think of no other oil to offer up in this month of love than the beautiful NEW Rose Touch from doTERRA.

The connection of roses to love is so deeply ingrained in our human psyche, that it's almost instinctual.
​An ancient flower, (30 million year old fossils have been unearthed in China and North America) the rose was first cultivated in ancient Greece and was quickly associated with Aphrodite, the goddess of Love and Beauty. 

In the 7th century BC, when describing the goddess' most sacred grove, the great Greek poetess Sappho wrote: 
And with roses 
The whole place is shadowed

A sacred flower that casts its shadow at the heart of love's most inner sanctuary?  Quite a start, huh?  But so begins our epic love story with the rose.

But it's not just beauty, or Aphrodite's botanical tastes, that make me love Rose oil so much.  It's this beauty's ability to heal, uplift and inspire the heart that makes it the perfect oil for the heart opening of February.

February is an ideal time to focus on opening the heart, and not (just) because Hallmark tells us to. But rather because, in most of North America, the cold weight of winter is bearing down on our shoulders, making us physically collapse into our heart space. Our shoulders are slumped as we are constantly drawing in our energy in to maintain warmth. We can feel smaller, more diminished somehow. 
​Heart opening work is helpful in February to counter all that, from a both a physical and emotional level. Plus, any excuse to celebrate the power of love is welcome in my book.

As the "Queen of Oils," Rose is the oil of divine love - the very essence of love, of Love itself, with a capital L. A love that is unconditional and unwavering. 
It stimulates our desire to walk the path of the heart; a route filled with grace, that teaches the strength of gentleness and  encourages harmonious actions.

In asana, apply Rose oil to your heart at the start of a deep backbending practice, and go from heart opening to heart awakening.
Or roll it onto your forearms in seated meditation and focus on opening to Love in all its manifestations.

Off the mat, Rose is a wonderful oil to help manage depression, especially postpartum.  It makes for a decadent but highly effective skincare addition, to both increase skin suppleness and clear acne. 
And, to no one's surprise, Rose oil makes for a powerful aphrodisiac, especially when paired with the more masculine energy of Sandalwood.
 
"The Rose speaks of love silently, in a language known only to the Heart."
~ Unknown