I love turning what may seem like an ordinary moment into a spa-like experience. Whether it is taking a bath or drinking a glass of water. Evoking the senses with something out of the norm allows space for the ah-ha moment, the deep breath and appreciation. It’s a treat I wish I did more often, but there’s also something special about an occasional routine, I truly appreciate.
Making water smell like roses will be one of my occasional summer routines. I am thinking of mixing up a weekly jug. To have on hand after a hike, on a lazy afternoon or just as a substitute for plain H20. It’s a cooling, nourishing option without the sugar that supports balancing pitta’s (fire + water) intense summer energy.
If I feel like enhancing the sensorial experience, I’ll sprinkle in dried rose petals and fresh mint. In a few seconds (literally), the herbs transform my glass into a mini-edible garden and look so darling floating around. The bright green and pink attract a calming, yet vibrant energy. While bringing nature, finger distance to my day.
AYURVEDA & ROSES
Roses in Ayurveda, are summertime’s queen of the floral court. A sniff of her petals and she’ll have you wrapped in bliss with her sweet, intoxicating aroma. Similar to the Roman goddess Venus, roses evoke love by supporting the heart’s digestive fire or sadhaka agni. This agni helps to digest negative and stress based emotions associated with the heart. Roses support this process and send enhanced, open and positive signals to the brain. Generating sattva. Energy that is balanced, peaceful and based in love.
In the summer season, external heat can create an overabundance of internal heat, especially for people prone to pitta imbalances. Some ways excess heat can be seen are through skin imbalances or the emotions—think hangry, burst of anger or stress. Rose’s sweet scent, cooling energy combined with bitter taste help calm and ground pitta dosha. Which has an intensity similar to fire. Roses are also unctuous and weigh down the light, mobile qualities of vata dosha. These properties combined, make roses nourishing for pitta-vata constitutions. Especially in the summer season.
No matter what your dosha, as heat rises in the external environment, pitta imbalances can impact us all. Introducing rose essential oils, rose water, rose jam, rose chai to your summer routine will help spark sweet, loving and blissful emotions. The world needs a little extra love these days. Spread it, spray it, sprinkle it with roses.
Venus Water | a minty-rose cooler
Dosha: PVK
Season: Summer
Qualities: cooling
What you need: a jug or large jar
- 2 T rose water*
- 4 cups water
(optional ingredients)
- a few sprigs of spearmint
- a big pinch of dried rose petals
- touch of lemon juice*
- Combine water and rose water in a jug or jar. Adjust amount of rose water depending on taste. Some brands are stronger than other. If adding in rose petals and mint leaves let them infuse for a few minutes. Overtime, the flavors will get stronger.
*adding a squeeze of lemon will bring a slight pink color to the water.
Notes: I made a batch of this water and it kept well in my refrigerator for over a week. Overtime the water had a slight chartreuse color, from the mint leaves (I did not add lemon to this batch). The longer the mint infuses the stronger the taste. What is nice is both the mint retains the vibrant green even after a week.
Rose Water/Petals: I usually get the water from a local Middle Eastern or Indian shop, but I have also seen it at Whole Foods and Berkeley Bowl (if you are from the East Bay). A bottle which last a long time is under $5. Edible rose petals are usually available in the bulk section or Mountain Rose Herbs. The bulk price seems high, but that is because dried rose petals barely weigh anything. I get over a cup full for a few bucks at my local.
