Rose
by AmethystValentine's Day is coming up soon (14 February) and there is a great giving and receiving of roses. So here is some information on them.
Rose - Rosa sp.
Moon, Venus, Taurus
Aphrodisiacal Herbe, Funereal Herbe, Herbe of Consecration, Herbe of Love, Magickal Herbe
Invocatory: Aphrodite, Bacchus, Dionysus, Sappho, and Venus
Lore
The rose is sacred to Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty. First joined with Hephaestus, who was decidedly not a handsome god, Aphrodite pursued the joys of love with Ares, Hermes, Poseidon, Dionysus and a few mortals as well. It is sometimes said that the red rose gained its colour from spilled blood after Aphrodite caught her foot on a thorn when with Adonis. In some legends it is the anemone. In Rome the rose was associated with Venus, Cupid and Bacchus. To the Romans according to A Modern Herbal, "the Rose was a sign of pleasure, the companion of mirth and wine, but it was also used at their funerals." Sappho, legendary lesbian poet of ancient Greece called the rose the "Queen of Flowers." From Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Herbs we learn that Cleopatra had her floors covered with rose petals in order to seduce Mark Antony because she believed that the rose promoted love and passion.
Despite the sensual pleasures associated with the rose, it has also been used to represent secrecy. It was suspended from the ceiling at meetings which were held in the strictest of confidence and placed by the confessional in Roman Catholic churches.
Usage
Roses represent all aspects of the Goddess: the ability to love and nurture, and to see beauty in all things. Roses may be used in rituals to honour the Goddess or used by a priestess when Drawing Down the Moon. The rose represents the love the Goddess has for Her children and is a patron herbe of lesbians.
The rose is associated with emeralds. If one is consecrating jewellery set with an emerald or empowering a stone for magickal work, the emerald should be dressed with rose oil. The rose is also associated with the Seven of Cups card.
There is much energy associated with this flower. It represented the quality of joy to the Romans and can be used to create joy today.
A flower so popular that it has come to be associated with Hand-fastings and rituals of union, roses fill vases, are worn by the participants and guests, and are oftentimes strewn to bring divine blessings to the couple's love.
Some bring roses into their Sabbat rites, recommending white for Autumn Equinox and yellow for Eostara, while Midsummer calls for red, but we can use any colour for Beltane!
For me (an asthmatic) roses are an anathema. I personally find sweet pea's far more romantic.
