/ Aromatherapy
Reading Time: 10 minutes
We are all familiar with the beautiful flower, the rose, but for many people its powerful effect on the mind, body and soul will remain a mystery. In this guide, we will explore this aromatic and romantic scent, and take a look at the science that supports its regular use.
What is Rose Incense
There are almost 5000 species of flowering rose in the world, but only a few very special species give us the scent that is so nostalgic for many of us. This scent we know and love actually comes from the Damask Rose, specifically the white and pink varieties.
Known as the ‘emperor of flowers’ in the West and the ‘queen of flowers’ in aromatherapy, it’s easy to see just how significant this scent is. It is also a very versatile scent, making it easy to introduce to your sessions with its comforting and soothing aroma.
Benefits of Rose Incense
The benefits of rose incense are wide ranging, such as boosting the heart chakra and helping to support the brain’s memory function. Here are just three reasons to start to include rose incense in your practices today.
Supports Learning
Did you know that using rose incense during your sleep can actually help you to remember information? Research from the University of Freiburg has found that being exposed to the rose scent during learning and sleep phases can help information retention by up to 30%.
Whether you have a child in school or you want to support your own brain function, using rose incense around the house can have a profound effect on the rate at which we learn, giving us that boost we need to reach our goals and be our best selves.
Reduces Anxiety and Stress
Clinical trials published in the Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine have discovered evidence of a direct correlation between rose aromatherapy and reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, psychological relaxation, as well as a more general analgesic effect, reducing physical pain within the body.
When we use rose incense we are encouraging negative feelings of stress, fear, and anxiety to melt away, leaving us available to love wholeheartedly.
Encourages Love
The association between roses and romance is hardly a secret, but in Kundalini Yoga we know that this connection runs deep. Rose incense interacts directly with the heart chakra, the chakra that promotes compassion, empathy, and passion.
When we use rose incense we are energizing the heart chakra, bringing it into balance and allowing ourselves to love openly and within inhibitions. It encourages us to bring others into our heart, to hear their hopes, dreams, and worries, and love them wholly.
How to Use Rose Incense
Using rose incense in your practice is straightforward – you don’t have to be an expert at aromatherapy to access all of these fantastic benefits.
Simply light a stick in the home in rooms where you spend a lot of time. It is particularly effective in spaces where you learn or rest, or where you come together with others to socialize and spend quality time together.
