Rosemary - (Rosmarinus officinales)
"If thou be feeble boyle the leaves in cleane water and wash thyself and thou shalt be shiny.... Smell of it oft and it shall keep thee youngly." - Banckes' Herbal, 1525
The Herb Rosemary
Whenever I walk through my perennial garden, I never cease to be
delighted by an evergreen shrub of rosemary growing there, greeting me with her
wonderful fragrance no matter what time of year it may be (I live in the
Southeast). It's one inch dark green linear leaves are paler on the underneath
where glands secrete it's pungent aromatic secretions and leave my fingers
sticky with the delightful scent. This plant, whose name means 'dew rose of the
sea', originated in the Mediteranean and gradually spread north and was
supposedly first grown in England by the wife of King Edward lll, Philippa of
Hainault. Rosemary propagates readily from cuttings (do this in August ) and
layering as well as by root division. It likes a sunny location and dry, rather
light soil - mine has proven to be quite drought tolerant. It can also be
raised from seed of which Mrs. M. Grieve says the finest plants come from. A
wonderful tea can be made with fresh or dried rosemary by pouring a cup of
boiling water over a couple teaspoons of the herb, which then can be used up to
three times a day for headaches, colds, depression & nervous disorders and
digestive complaints. It is also a good all-around stimulant and tonic: Gerard
said that it "comforteth the harte and maketh it merie". It is also a
wonderful herb for bath sachets and dream pillows.
As Shakespeare said in the words of Ophelia from 'Hamlet', "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance", and indeed rosemary has, through the centuries, become a symbol of remembrance. Historically, on Samhain, the Celtic New Year, and during Soulmas, or All Soul's Day at the start of November, it was customary to remember the souls of those deceased by placing sprigs of Rosemary on the graves of loved ones. To the Ancients this plant was valued for strengthening the memory and for this reason became an emblem of fidelity for lovers. They held it in high regard among herbs and it was used at weddings, entwined in the wreath the bride wore, it was used at funerals, in decorations for banquet halls and festivals and was burned as incense in religious ceremonies and in spells of magic. Rosemary was given with an orange that had been stuck with cloves as a New Year's gift. It's use as an incense was responsible for it's old French name, 'incensier', where it was burned, along with juniper berries, in places where the sick were cared for. The Ancient Egyptians would burn rosemary as an incense for ritual cleansing. Rosemary was given out at funerals to be held in the hand during the funeral procession and to be thrown onto the coffin after it had been lowered into the grave, a custom still practiced in Wales. The Greeks and Romans held rosemary as a sacred plant to whom it symbolized life and death. The Greek students would entwine rosemary in their hair to help their memory when studying for exams. First mentioned in the West in an 11th century Anglo-Saxon herbal , rosemary was one of the most extensively used aromatics used throughout Europe in gardens, kitchens, stillrooms and bedrooms and it was believed to protect one from evil. The Gypsies used it for protection from spells and the evil eye. The Elizabethans used it as a strewing herb, for hang-overs, in place of smelling salts and for weak spirits as well as colds and stuffy heads. Hungary Water was made from rosemary and other herbs and was attributed with healing the paralyzed limbs of the Queen of Hungary after continued use.
Aromatherapy uses
Chemistry of Rosemary
The chemistry of rosemary gives credence to
it's past health uses. It's main components are cineole, pinene, borneol and
small amounts of camphor. Cineol is an oxide with antiseptic, anthelmintic and
expectorant properties and is especially good for disorders of the respiratory
system. Pinene is a monoterpene and gives the property of fighting microbial
infection as well as repelling certain insects. Borneol is an ester and is a
great deal responsible for rosemary's aromatic fragrance. Borneol gives an
expectorant property to rosemary and makes it a good inhalant for bronchial and
nasal conditions and can have a sedative effect. Camphor is a ketone and gives
preservative and insect repelling properties to rosemary. Camphor also effects
the nervous system, making it useful for disorders of the nervous system. It
also has a mild analgesic effect and helps with aches and pains. Please be
aware that ketones are toxic to humans if in large enough doses and because of
this, the essential oil of rosemary should never be used on infants. Small
children, pregnant women or people with a history of epilepsy or liver problems
should not use rosemary essential oil unless under strict control of an
qualified aromatherapist, and it should only be used in very small doses on
older children or lactating mothers with supervision of an aromatherapist.
Although rosemary is a wonderful skin care essential oil, never use it
undiluted on the skin as it could possibly cause irritation for some.
A most wonderful essential oil for the nervous system, rosemary
has a strong effect when there has been a loss of function, including reduced
sensory perception. It is one of the best stimulants. Rosemary stimulates the
adrenal cortex and has a marked cephalic effect making it good for all types of
nervous debility such as memory loss, lethargy and general dullness. It is good
for headaches & migranes, tension, mental fatigue, nervous exhaustion, and
stress related problems. For the skin, rosemary helps dermatitis, eczema,
sebhorrea, acne and dandruff. Rosemary is an age old treatmeant for hair loss,
split ends and stimulating activity in the hair follicles. It promotes
circulation in the skin and is good for oily and sluggish skins, cellulite and
stretch marks as well as skin parasites. It is a good support oil for the
respiratory system and especially good with eucalyptus or peppermint essential
oils for the common cold, sore throats, canker sores, bronchitis and other
respiratory infections, sinus congestion and chronic conditions. For the
muscular system it can be used for aches, sprains, swelling, arthritis and
rheumatism. In the circulatory system, rosemary stimulates the circulation and
helps to detoxify the blood as well as aiding in lowering cholesterol. It is
effective for the digestive system in cases of colitis, gas, dyspepsia and
jaundice and rosemary is a cleansing tonic to the liver and gall bladder as
well as reducing muscle spasms in the digestive tract.
Rosemary's
fresh and invigorating scent has an uplifting and reviving effect on the human
spirit, giving clarity to the mind and aiding to dispel confusion. It was
thought by Rudolph Steiner, to increase a persons metabolism and fortify their
vital center. It has been used successfully for nervous depression, memory
recall and energy.
Human kind's ages old affinity for rosemary is as alive today as ever. It's timeless healing qualities make it a valuable holistic medicine and one I highly prize. I use the herb as incense, in my candles, and in many of my remedies. In this high paced and frenzied world and the stress thus caused, emotionally and physically, rosemary can indeed be a valued friend.
Blessings, happiness and good health to All,
Jody L. Boda~Newell for Living Earth Herbalist Society
This newsletter is not meant to be used for diagnosing or to replace the care of a physician. All information contained in this newsletter is obtained through scientific research, years of research from other practicing aromatherapists & herbalists and my own personal experiences as a practicing aromatherapist and herbalist.
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