The sweet scents of blooming flowers, perfumes, salty sea air, freshly mowed grass, dense forests on rainy days, and yummy, the aromas of hot steamy food, trigger memories of the past.
Today, my story relates to scents, setting the stage for two most favored flowers - the rose and jasmine, and my impressions of them.
ROSE - the flower of the Heavens
The rose takes me back to the innocent childhood days; I see flashes of rose shrubs meticulously lined in the garden of my grandfather’s home; sweet scents permeated the air.
I touched the rose out of curiosity and regretted when the thorn pricked my tiny finger. Days later, I caught sight of my mum and aunties with the rose tucked to their hair, I did the same; the traumatic incident vanished from my mind, the rose became my most favored flower.
Roses come in various colors; red is my favorite. They are best adorned in the garden to bloom and whither naturally. When we cut and remove them from the natural habitat, they dry up; a waste it is they serve no purpose other than as a decorative piece. A bouquet delivered to the door conveys unspoken words of appreciation and affection.
The rose is a mysterious and delicate flower; when mishandled, the
petals drop, it loses the charm, like a beautiful, sensitive woman. Read on, you will discover other plus points to make better use of the flower.
In ancient times, they referred to roses as the ‘Flower of the Heavens.’ I learned this from my grandfather; he was proficient in medicines, both contemporary and the alternative. People used roses for spiritual work; the petals, when immersed in water and sanctified with prayers, said to cleanse the ethereal body from negative energy and impurity. They said the rose incense drove away evil spirits, ward away charm, and evil eye. Roses were often used to decorate the bridal suite; petals scattered over the bed enhanced the ambience on the wedding night.
The rose has a unique scent; people use the oil in aromatherapy; rose perfume mingled with perspiration creates a unique and mysterious scent. Rose water is often added to bakeries to gives an unusual scent and flavor to pastries.
How to make your own rose perfume
I learned this in my teenage years. It is simple; you may create your own original brand of rose perfume. Choose roses preferably fresh from the garden or from florists, any color will do. You may use water or oil as a base. Experiment, and decide whether to let the mixture stand for longer or shorter period. You may use other flowers; when done experimenting - bingo, you have your own brand of floral perfume. Store it in a cool, dry place in your bedroom.
Rose perfume with water base
Here’s what to do; choose roses that are not in full bloom. Remove the petals, and place them in a container. Crush the petals with a spoon. Cover the container, and let the mixture stand for a few hours. Pour the fluid content (minus the crushed petals) into a glass perfume container, and you are ready to spray! This is a fast and simple method.
Rose perfume with oil base
Fill an air-tight glass jar with odorless oil. Remove the petals and drop them altogether into the jar and close the lid quickly. Leave the jar in a cool dry place for 7 days. Pour the oil, minus the residues into an empty perfume bottle. Don’t touch the contents with your hands. Spray - hurray, your rose perfume is now ready.
JASMINE–a mysterious flower
The flower is common in many countries, often used to make garlands for weddings, and wreathes for coffins. In ancient time women braided their hairs with jasmine flowers. The sweet aroma of jasmine lingers for hours until they rinsed hair. Jasmine oil and incense sticks are often used to enhance spiritual vibration in homes. It has many practical uses; for aromatherapy, perfume, tea, and potpourri.
Jasmine's scent gives me the creeps; a sadistic relative enjoyed frightening poor 4-year-old me; she pointed to a jasmine tree nearby and said a female ghost was waving at me. She roared, seeing me in fright curled up like a piece of ball.
To add to my terror, I saw a movie showing a female ghost creeping out from a jasmine tree. I often wondered why they associate jasmine scent to female ghosts? Could it be that jasmines bloom at night? I wonder why people use jasmine flowers to make funeral wreathes? Does it ward away evil spirit or entice it? I also wonder why a public figure in Myanmar decorated her hair with jasmine flowers when she attended public functions?
How to make jasmine flavored tea
Be sure the jasmine flowers you choose are not poisonous; there are many varieties and some are poisonous. Take a clean dry towel, better white; place it on a flat surface. Pluck several fresh jasmine buds in the early morning, place them together with fresh tea leaves. Cover the contents with the towel and don’t open it. The buds will slowly open and by evening the tea would have absorbed the sweet aroma. Remove the flowers, and your homemade jasmine flavored tea is ready.
