Essential Oil – Rosemary

Botanical name: Rosmarinus officinalis

Color: Clear

Consistency: Thin

Perfumery note: Top

Related Planets/Deities: Moon/Faerie/Athena

Aroma: Sharp, energizing, balsamic, slightly spicy, floral

Energetic Properties: Oceanic, dark, visionary, otherworldly

Aromatherapy Properties: A colorless or pale yellow mobile liquid with a strong, fresh, minty-herbaceous scent and a woody-balsamic undertone. It blends well with basil, cedarwood, citronella, elemi, frankincense, labdanum, lavender, oregano, thyme, peppermint, petitgrain, pine, cinnamon and other spice oils.

Spiritual Uses: Rosemary has a tradition of use in funerary rites, as well as in divination and psychic work. Long associated with the sea, Rosemary is an excellent choice for any kind of magick involving the ocean, including the internal oceans of the psyche. In Rome, it was used to purify and protect the home from malevolent influences and spirits.   

Blends well with: Lavender, Frankincense, Peppermint, Cedarwood, Cinnamon, and Geranium.

History: With a name derived from the Latin ros marinus, which means “dew of the sea,” Rosemary was burned in ancient Greek shrines as an incense, and was discussed by both Pliny and Dioscorides. Rosemary was traditionally used to adorn corpses at funerals and was a common garland at Medieval weddings; in both of these instances, it symbolizes remembrance. Rosemary was also used for a variety of medicinal and culinary purposes throughout the Middle Ages. In a 2012 study, Rosemary was found to improve speed and accuracy in cognitive performance.