~RELEASE~RE-LEASE~RELEASE~RE-LEASE~
Just as we are welcoming in the Spring season, the REBIRTH card emerges. This is a counterpart to the DEATH card which came forward over the last full moon in Virgo. The debut of the Death card with the full history and photos of the rose tree can be seen here on the prior post. But here is a quick look at the origins of the Death & Rebirth cards joining the Nature Speaks Affirmation cards I am creating:
The Rose
In May 2019 I was sitting on the porch admiring this beautiful rose tree. The year prior a new stalk started growing off of it but hadn’t flowered yet. The rose tree has always had the most gorgeous deep pink roses. That week in May I had noticed that the new offshoot was producing the prettiest pale pink roses! From the original tree they had transformed into a completely new and equally as beautiful form.
Roses are perennials, meaning they can grow, flower and seed for many years. Perennials grow and bloom over spring and summer, then die back in the fall and winter, and renew themselves the following spring. In its life cycle, the rose must go through 5 stages. Similarly we have an opportunity to acknowledge the death (end) of something leaving our lives such as a stage of life, a way of being, an old pattern, a relationship, a place or familiar routine. It is from this place of surrender, in the stillness where we can pause and allow the shift to take place. We do so trusting that what is cleared away for us brings forward those bigger and bolder blooms.
“The rose knows how to let who they are die for the chance of their becoming.“
Rebecca Campbell
This recurring theme of death/rebirth that is inextricably linked to the rose, also intersects with the concept of Alchemy. Alchemy is a buzz word seen a lot in the spiritual community – one of those words I started using all the time but really didn’t completely understand it’s meaning!
Alchemy is defined as the process of taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary, sometimes in a way that cannot be explained. This shows up in many and varied ways but can be as simple as taking a circumstance/thought/pattern and transforming it into a new form – literally seeing it from a new perspective. Think of the phrase “make lemons into lemonade”.
In Tarot, The Magician is the ultimate Alchemist. Through the seemingly magical process of transformation, creation, or combination, they wield their wand and make all the magic.
The Magician, The Rose and The…Banana Bread?
The prominence of bright red roses is seen throughout the Magician card. The rose has long been seen as a symbol of unfolding wisdom. Through the very delicate process of blooming, the rose unwraps its layers to reveal the heart-center of profound beauty. It’s the same with the human soul. Indeed, in alchemy, the rose is symbolic of the spirit that grows within each of us when proper care and attention is applied. Likewise, there is a process of practice and unfolding for the Magician to master their craft.
The Magician has been coming up in readings lately, including the collective reading for Aries season you can find here. The Magician reminds you that you have all of the tools you need. As you set your intention on the magic you wish to create, you must also hone your craft and access the skills and resources available to you to manifest all that you desire. This process includes a willingness to make mistakes and learn from them. You must also focus your efforts on the right people/places/things to make your magic. Take a look at all that is sitting in front of you – what are you going to add to your cauldron to make your magic brew? Remember: everything does not go into the pot; use discernment. You wouldn’t put cayenne pepper in banana bread – its not called for in the recipe!
Roses are featured throughout the Tarot in all of the suits with multi-layered symbolism. Here are the the 3 other Major Arcana cards which showcase the rose:
STRENGTH: Here we see the rose in balance – the beauty and fragility of the rose offset by its supreme abilities of defense and protection a la “Every rose has its thorns” Where there is great loveliness, there also resides the potential for great ferocity. In the Strength card, the rose reminds us of the nature of duality, yin-yang, the polarity that exists in every aspect of life – in the Strength card, the rose is a symbol of that universal rule.
DEATH: A five-petaled white rose on the black flag in the Death card can again reflect the theme of purity, clarity and the transparency that comes with being “picked clean to the bone”. It has also been said to be “a symbol of what awaits once you pass through darkness and the dissolution of self.” One interpretation of the red roses seen throughout the Death card is the principal of impermanence – as in “nothing lasts forever”. But I like to expand that into my take on the death/rebirth cycle of the rose which says “to everything there is a season”, and the rose in the Death card highlights this idea of transition – moving from one phase of life to another. Death is just a doorway, and the white rose prompts clear understanding about that entrance into new perception/existence.
Practical Magic ~ Everyday Alchemy
What are some ways you are practicing alchemy every day? Working with the rose energy takes me back to these photos from last spring when the rose tree was overgrown and my husband chopped so many branches that were loaded with beautiful blooms. I just couldn’t bear to see them all lying in the compost pile so I took to Pinterest and found a few easy recipes for Rose Water and Rose Oil (see below for recipes and more information). This was a beautiful process of taking the discarded roses and alchemizing them into beautiful tonics that could be used in numerous ways – they even made nice gifts for loved ones! Lastly, my daughter who makes the best pancakes in the house, found a lovely way to accent her breakfast presentation!
Below is the recipe I used combined with this one here that also discusses in detail the many benefits of rosewater. With such an abundance of rose petals, I also made rose oil using this recipe.
DIY Rosewater Face Mist
Ingredients
- Glass sprayer bottle
- 2 fresh roses
- distilled water
- 10 drops lavender essential oil (optional)
- 10 drops frankincense essential oil (optional)
Instructions
- Remove rose petals from stems and add to a small pan. Fill with enough water to submerge petals, then boil on high heat for 10 minutes.
- Strain water into a mason jar, and discard/compose rose petals.
- Fill glass spray bottle with 1 parts rose water and 3 parts distilled water, Add in essential oils (optional), and mix well.
- Spray on clean facial skin, avoiding eyes, two times per day.
I hope you have enjoyed exploring the roses with me and find beauty and comfort in their messages. As the rose tree reawakens and begins to bloom again, I will be sure to share photos of her progress!
Much Love💖
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