Dozens of Uses for Wild Rose Petals

Alberta Wild Rose as part of a flower mandala

Alberta's floral emblem, the Wild Rose, is in full bloom just in time for Canada Day! 

Not only do wild roses look and smell beautiful in the bushes and ditches, along fence lines and forest edges, they are beneficial in so many ways!

I invite you to take a walk outside, and be inspired by nature's fragrant bounty.  Perhaps you'd even like to gather a few petals on the way to freshen up your cooking, cleaning and beauty routine.

Here are dozens of ideas to get your started!

Cosmetic, Medicinal and Culinary Uses

Recipe for Wild Rose Petal Jelly

Wild Rose Recipes

Wild Rose Elixir, A Favorite First Aid Remedy

Rose Recipes from the University of Alaska

Rose Water, Turkish Delight etc.

Wild Rose Water

Wild Rose Eyewash

Rose Oil, Beads, Jam, and much more

Wild Rose Petal Vinegar

Wild Rose Petal Mead

Rose Petal Vinegar and Other Recipes

Medicinal Value of Roses

Wild Rose Water Jelly

Healing with Wild Rose

Rose Petal Syrup

Rose Petal Lemonade

Wild Rose Petal Ice Cream

Wild Rose Petal Tea

Rose Cheesecake

Here are a few more ideas.  Use Wild Rose Petals to:

- flavor butter, vanilla ice cream or yogurt

- eat them in salads

- candy them with egg white and sugar for snacks or decorations on cakes and other desserts

- freeze them in ice cubes

What do you use Wild Rose Petals for?

Natural Beauty: Rosy Cheeks Facial Scrub

Wild Rose Petals, Coconut Oil, and Sandalwood Powder

Here's a variation of the Ayurvedic Sandalwood and Marigold Scrub I shared with you last summer.

What you need:

- 1 Tbsp. Virgin Coconut Oil

- 1 tsp. Sandalwood Powder

- Petals from 3 Wild Roses

What to do:

- Grind together with a mortar and pestle.

- Scrub a small amount gently onto your face.

- Rinse or wipe off with a warm, damp, cotton or silk cloth.

Store in the fridge for up to a week. 

This recipe makes enough for 4 - 6 facial scrubs or masks, enough to share with a friend!



Natural Beauty: Wild Rose Sugar Scrub

Wild Rose Sugar

What you need:

- A jar or container

- White sugar (Don't worry, its for scrubbing the surface of your skin, not eating!)

- Wild rose petals

- Oil (Coconut and sesame are my personal favorites.)

What to do:

- Fill the jar most of the way with layers of sugar and rose petals.

- Pour your oil in slowly and mix with a fork.

- Seal tightly.
- Leave overnight for the petals to break down a bit.

- Scrub onto skin in the shower, and rinse!

Voila!  Petal-fresh skin!

Wild Rose Vinegar

Wild Rose Vinegar (Day 1)

Wild Rose Vinegar is easy to make and extremely versatile!

What you need:

- A glass jar

- Clean, dry, organically grown rose petals

- Vinegar (any kind, its up to you)

What to do:

- Fill the jar with rose petals.

- Top it up with vinegar, making sure all the petals are covered.
- Let the jar sit in a cool, dark place for a few weeks, until the color from the petals has transferred to the vinegar.
- Strain and use for natural beauty, cooking and cleaning!

What to do with it:

You can use this vinegar as is in your favorite salad dressing, or dilute it 1 part Wild Rose Vinegar to 4-8 parts water for a natural cleaning spray, bug bite soother, sunburn cooler, conditioning hair rinse, softening foot soak, or facial toner.

Summer 2014 Workshops at Yoga Within

I'm looking forward to sharing two brand new workshops with you this weekend at Yoga Within: 

The Power of Sacred Sound and

 Aromatherapy and the Chakras 

Also, check out Yoga Within's July/August Workshop Schedule for more events including The Power of Sacred Sound, and a series of Friday night gatherings focusing on the Eight Limbs of Yoga, the "easy path to bliss" described in the second chapter of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

Wishing you an enlightening summer!

Namaste!

The Power of Sacred Sound, June 27, 2014

Tibetan Singing Bowl, with Engraved Tara

This Friday, June 27, from 7-9 pm join me at Yoga Within to make some joyful noise!

Nada Yoga, the Yoga of Sound, uses mantras, chanting, singing and storytelling to purify our hearing and speech, raising our vibrational resonance in the world and within.

Nada Yoga embraces the notion that the basic stuff of the universe is vibration, and that by resonating with it, using verbal, instrumental and subtle sound as a medium for meditation, we can not only enjoy, but elevate our lives.



No musical experience necessary!

Aromatherapy and the Chakras, June 28, 2014

Wild Alberta Roses

Join me at Yoga Within this Saturday from 1-4pm for a fragrant journey through the chakras honoring the earth element with asanas and aromatherapy!

Incense, spices, herbs and flowers have all been used since ancient times to maintain physical health, elevate the mind, and connect to divine essence. 

Uplift and ground your energy through relaxing yoga postures and your sense of smell.  Practice beautiful "scent-ering" rituals, sample an all-natural "body incense", learn how essential oils can enhance your yoga and meditation practice, and more!



Summer Solstice with Satwinder Sran

I'm honored to be joining Satwinder Sran this Saturday, June 21 from 2-5pm for a Summer Solstice Celebration Fundraiser for the Guru Ram Das Center for Medicine and Humanology!

Satwinder says, "Join us for a powerful practice that can energize your system and give you renewal. Yogic practice on the summer solstice is said to be very potent and can set your energy for the next six months. Recharge yourself with yoga kriyas and meditations that connect you with your source of infinite energy and Healing".

I've been invited to sing, and share a chant for the earth, sky and heart, the Isht Sodhana Mantra! 

Celebrate the first day of summer, the light within and around us with yoga, meditation, chanting, and more!

Isht Sodhana Mantra: Chant for Presence

Dharti Hai (Earth is)...

Thank you Satwinder, for introducing me to the Isht Sodhana Mantra! 

A salutation to the earth, the ether and the energy of the heart, this mantra is referred to as the Mantra for Being Present.

I've been singing it to my own tune, which I will share at the Solstice, but if you're curious, here's one you can tune into today:   Dharti Hai by Gurunam Singh on YouTube

Yogi Bhajan said:  “My dear ones, you want your prayers to be effective. You want your ultimate destiny to manifest. This kriya can do it. I know there are thousands of kriyas that we do, but it just takes one done well and this is the one for isht sodhana to manifest.”

Rhubarb Ginger Coolers

Rhubarb Ginger Cooler

Last year, Candice served these delicious drinks when we toured her beautiful garden during Raja Yoga Summer Camp.  Thanks for sharing the recipe, Candice!   

Rhubarb Ginger Coolers

10 cups chopped rhubarb

2 1/2 cups cold water

1 3/4 cups sugar

3 tablespoons fresh ginger

2 cups sparkling water

- Bring rhubarb, water, sugar and ginger to simmer over moderate heat, uncovered and simmer 1 minute. 

 - Remove from heat and steep 1 hour.

 - Pour through a sieve and chill.  

 - Serve over ice with a splash of sparkling water.

Invoking Summer with Flower Mandalas

Garden Mandala by Tara

Have you ever made a mandala from found objects and natural materials?

This is your invitation!

Honor the infinite potential of the present moment, the abundance of Mother Earth, your own playful spirit and the nature of impermanence.

Gather your materials, select a meditative space to create, and see what happens!

Adjustments by Saleem the Cat

Would you like to enjoy this experience together?

Join Raja Yoga Summer Camp, 2014! 

Wednesday, June 4, 7-8:30 pm we're gathering to form a sacred circle of creativity, friendship and natural beauty.

This event is by invitation only, so if you'd like to join us, please send me an email at:  
tarawoltjen@yahoo.ca

Looking for more inspiration?  Check out these beautiful flower "danmalas" by Kathy Klein!