Oak and Rose are ancient master plants long revered for their spiritual powers. Both have slowly become well-established symbols in the mythological microbiome of consciousness.
In Carl Jung’s archetypal forest, the mighty oak represents the very core of selfhood, the source and the goal of individuation. Oaks were the most sacred tree for ancient druids- Celtic priests whose very name means ‘knower of the oak tree’. Druids held their ceremonies in oak groves and used the rustling of oak leaves for divination. Oaks have been associated with dragons, magic, strength & wisdom for centuries.
In the Bach school of flower essence therapy, Oak is prescribed to strengthen and recharge the spirit and to help provide endurance.
Rose is known as the queen of flowers, and holds the highest vibrational frequency measured. Rose is associated with Aphrodite and Mother Mary, who is sometimes referred to as Rosa Mystica- or the mystical rose. Some believe that roses are a physical incarnation of the spiritual heart of the divine mother.
Roses have been symbols of love, beauty, rebirth and protection across the globe, and in Bach remedies, Wild Rose is prescribed to combat apathy and invoke enthusiasm and creative vitality.
In my personal experience, Oak & Rose together encourage and assist in providing a foundational balance between my innner feminine and inner masculine, the sacred marriage within. I completed a year-long initiation with these two plant spirits together in 2021, known as a master plant dieta (you can read about this practice here). Though the structure of the container came from the Shipibo-Conibo lineage of shamanism in the Peruvian amazon, the dieta took place while I was living in the Californias, from Northern Baja up to Mt. Shasta, so the species I worked with were Coastal Oak (Quercus agrifolia) and California Wild Rose (Rosa Californica) and these are the plants with which I work most intimately. They are my main allies, the king and queen of my spiritual garden, and it is with their combined essence that I infuse my initial collection and offer it to you, with love.
-Maggie