Learn lore, symbolism, and meaning of the rose as well as the meanings of different roses and what magic you can do with different kinds of roses.
Roses have been loved and revered by the gods in myths and by people alike. They are tended lovingly in gardens, used to decorate such sacred things as wedding dresses, and are used to express love, adoration, and friendship. Join Mysticsense as we explore the sacredness and beauty of the rose. Just what is the lovely rose, and what do roses in general symbolize? Find out what some different roses symbolize and find out, most importantly, how to use roses in your own magic!
What is a Rose?
Roses are a flowering shrub in the plant family known as Rosaceae. This family also includes plants like mint, strawberries, and raspberries. Roses grow wild throughout parts of North America, Africa, Oceania, Europe, and Asia. Today, there are about 300 species of ruses but tens of thousands of cultivars because people just can’t resist growing roses and developing new kinds of them. That’s a lot of different roses, but considering the fact the first roses known to us are from at least 35 million years ago, it’s not surprising people have created so many new kinds. Roses are used for perfume, food, decorations, and herbal medicine.
While the earth has hosted roses for so many millions of years, the first evidence of people’s love affair with roses comes to us from ancient China. Confucious wrote that roses were part of the Imperial garden in China and they were used to make confetti, medicine, rosewater, and perfumed oils. In more modern times, roses were a part of the underground Railroad in Ohio. Mrs. Hanby of Westerville, Ohio placed vases of roses in the window to signal how many escaped slaves she hid on her property so they could be carried to freedom. You can buy some rose tea inspired by her here: Ann Hanby's Rose Blend Black Tea – The Blue Turtle Tea & Spice Co. (blueturtleteaandspice.com)
What Do Roses Symbolize?
After so many years and being loved by so many people, roses have come to symbolize a lot of different things. To some people they symbolize love. To others they represent all things beautiful. They also represent new life!
Love
Ancient Romans put roses in their bedrooms to represent the goddess of love, desire, sex, and beauty, Venus. Before the wedding, brides gave the goddess of Venus a gift. She is a goddess people would turn to for help when they needed to express their sexuality through socially permitted bounds. Gifts of myrtle, mint, and rushes wrapped in rose bunches were given to her by girls who asked her for charm and a good sense of humor. Read about how to tell if someone loves you here: What Are the Symbols of Love?
Beauty
The goddess Aphrodite of ancient Greece was said to be so beautiful, wherever she walked, red roses sprang up so they are one of her symbols. They also symbolize the god Adonis, who is a god of desire and beauty. He was killed by a wild boar while he was out hunting, and his blood stained the white roses nearby red forever. Middle Age European poetry described women’s beauty like the rose. “ A Red Red Rose” is a song published in 1794 in Scotland by Robert Burns that begins with the words, “O my Luve’s like a red, red rose, that’s newly sprung in June…”
New Life
Roses represent new life and the cutting away of death. When a blossom or leaves on a rose has died, it is important to cut them away, or prune them. Leaving the spent growth on the rose makes it appear to die. Not only does pruning encourage new growth, it improves the air flow and allows light to reach the plant. It also helps to prevent tangling of branches and flowers. Some people think of themselves as rose bushes. They discard habits, behaviors, and experiences that no longer serve them so that they can thrive in new experiences. Read about finding new love here: Can A Psychic Help Me Find Love?
The Meanings of Different Roses
All roses in general represent love, beauty, and new life. However, different roses have their own special meanings. From the Rose of Sharon, and yellow roses, to a bouquet of two dozen roses, lore, symbolism, and the magic that you can make with specific roses is very powerful.
Rose of Sharon
The Rose of Sharon A member of the mallow family, and grows in parts of East Asia, North America, and Europe. It is a shrub that can reach up to 13 feet tall, and it has trumpet shaped flowers. The flowers can be dark pink, light pink, blue, white, or purple. Each individual flower only lives for a day, but the Rose of Sharon produces so many flowers that it will bloom over the summer. There are even some kinds of Rose of Sharons that only bloom at night.
In Korea, some varieties of Rose of Sharon are grown for their edible flowers, to make teas, and it is their national flower. Because it blooms for so long, it is called the eternal blossom that never fades. Some Christians believe that the Song of Solomon calls Jesus the Rose of Sharon and therefore the Rose of Sharon represents perfection and love. Medicinally it can be used as a diuretic, and the stems can be used for making paper. Dyes can be made with some of the flowers, and some people use the leaves to make shampoo. Plant a Rose of Sharon at the home of someone to express your undying love for them. Every time they look at it they will remember how much you care about them.
Desert Rose
Not a true rose, the desert rose is a poisonous flowering plant which is a member of the dogbane family. It is native to parts of the Arabian Peninsula, Africa, and parts of the Sahara. It is a succulent shrub and an evergreen. They can grow up to 16 feet in height. Its leaves cluster into a spiral, and it has long, tubular flowers with five petals. The flowers can either be white, red, or pink. Its roots are used to create a poison to put on hunter’s arrows to stun prey. Even though it is poisonous, it is a popular house plant. It will not survive in temperatures below 50°F though. Just make sure that you, your kids, and your pets don't ingest them.
The ancient Egyptians believed that the desert rose symbolized their sun god Ra. Some African tribal people believed that the desert rose would break droughts and make rain come. Some First Nations Americans use desert rose in healing rituals, and desert rose is seen as seen as good luck in some parts of Asia. To use the desert rose for good luck, place a potted desert rose in your office or your home for it to draw wealth and good fortune. Read about how to make your own luck here: How to Make Your Own Luck
Black Roses
There is no such thing as a completely black rose in nature. People can dye roses while they're growing to make them black, and black silk roses are very popular. What do they represent though? Black roses can symbolize the end of your relationship. Divorce, breakups, and even quitting your job can be symbolized by black roses. Don't worry about ending something though, because black roses also symbolize new beginnings. Breaking off a bad relationship opens you up to starting a new one. They also symbolize mourning, and symbolize the absence of a loved one who has passed away. Buy yourself black roses in memory of someone you love who has passed, and wear a black silk rose on your lapel after you've quit your job when you interview at new places to bring in the energy of new possibilities.
Red Roses
Red roses are the world's most popular roses, especially on Valentine's Day. 65% of roses bought on Valentine's Day are red. They are the most commonly stocked color of roses at florists and they are the most often sent. They represent romance and passionate love. Red roses are believed to be an aphrodisiac, so people love to give them to people who they desire. Believe it or not red roses are said to be higher than other roses in vitamin C, which is very good for you. They are also said to lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and help protect against heart disease. It is recommended that you only inject roses that you grow yourself, or buy from a reputable grower to make sure that there are no dyes, chemicals, or pesticides on them. Give a bouquet of red roses to the person who you desire to make them feel more attracted to you. Read about sensuality and the Zodiac Signs here: Sex and the Signs
Two Dozen Roses
A dozen roses is perhaps the most popular number of roses to send to express your love or appreciation to somebody, but what does it mean when you send a bouquet of two dozen roses? Two dozen roses doubles the sentiment and expresses profound commitment and love. It's just a way of telling somebody “I really love you” and it is an unexpected surprise. The number 24 represents happiness. So if you want to tell somebody that you really love them, and you are very happy to have them in your life, you can express that by sending them two dozen roses. To make it even more magical try to send the roses in their favorite color vase. They will never forget this special gift.
Yellow Roses
Yellow roses symbolize friendship, happiness, or well wishes. In Victorian times they were used to show jealousy! For some people, yellow is a happy color because that is the energy that it is set to contain. Yellow roses can be used to bring happiness. If you're going through an especially stressful time at work and everyone else is also, put a vase of fresh yellow roses out and that will cheer everybody up. If you've gone through an ugly breakup or divorce and you're broken-hearted, plant some yellow roses in your garden near your bedroom window. Leave your window open a little bit so that the aroma of the yellow roses can sweeten the smell of your bedroom at night as you sleep, and it will help to make you happy. If you fall in love with someone who has kids, the kids might become jealous. Read about loving someone who has kids here: Loving Someone Who Has Kids
Blue Roses
Blue is another color that roses do not occur naturally in. Some people will dye roses to make them blue. Blue roses represent the reuniting of separated lovers. If you are in a long-distance relationship, send your lover some blue roses that are either made of silk, or a painting of blue roses they can look at often. Buy yourself and your lover matching jewelry that has blue roses on it, and save a picture of a blue rose on your cell phone and look at it every night before bed to channel the energy of the blue rose to reunite you.
Pink Roses
Light pink roses represent appreciation. Medium pink roses express congratulations. Dark pink roses express gratitude. However, some people say that all shades of pink roses represent self-love. You could always give roses of the appropriate color to people to express how you feel about them, however the most powerful magic with pink roses is to use them for yourself. Take some pink roses and hang them upside down to dry them. Once they are completely dried remove the petals and throw away the stems. Carry a small bag of pink rose petals wherever you go to remind you how valuable, how wonderful, and how loved you are. Read about spiritual self-care here Follow Our 10 Steps For Spiritual Self-Care
White Roses
White roses represent purity. It was said that white roses appeared when the goddess Aphrodite emerged from seafoam as she was born. White roses also represent Mary the mother of Christ, who was called the Mystical Rose of Heaven. White roses are also a symbol of peace. When you are in an especially tense situation, and you want to make peace, carry a white rose with you. Nobody has to know it's there. It can be a small silk white rose that you tuck into your wallet, or even a picture of a white rose. You can make prayer beads out of white beads that look like roses, and pray on it anytime you need to be more peaceful.
A Rose Bud
Rosebuds represent new possibilities. To use the magic of rosebuds to help you to stay hopeful during times of despair, make tea out of dried rosebuds. Once your rosebud tea is brewed, light a single candle in front of the mirror, and tell yourself, “ I’m having trouble staying hopeful, but I know there are good things in my future. I will keep an open heart and an open mind and look for possibilities and stay positive.” Drink your tea and know that good things are coming your way.
Love, beauty, romance, and friendship. These are all different things that roses represent. Written about in ancient lore, and representative of sacred goddesses, roses have been one of our favorite flowers throughout history. They're more than just pretty blossoms though, and they can be used in powerful magic. So, give your long distance lover some blue roses, use black roses to help you transition from an ending to a new beginning, and grow a desert rose for luck. May the magic of roses join with your magic to make it more powerful. So Be It.
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