Maria Callas Rose

the deepest truths have one audience and one keeper

A gift of a bloom

When I first purchased this rose bush, I kept it indoors until the frost passed. Its well-lit home in my kitchen exposed it to humidity every morning when I boiled water for tea, which unfortunately resulted in powdery mildew. When the weather was warm enough, I brought it outside, and I used a citric acid fungicide, and overzealous in trying to control the mildew, I damaged so many leaves that I had to release any expectation that it would produce blooms this year. Perhaps it would only have the chance to recover.

Imagine my happy face when I saw that a few buds had formed. :)

The other rose bush I had in the garden had produced some nice blooms already, but also had a beetle infestation that ruined some. I felt a bit of urgency to save the first bloom from this second rose bush, so as soon as I saw the first bud was about to open, I clipped it and brought it inside to observe its unfurling. I quickly felt the push to collect an essence, so I set up a collection in a sweet spot in my bedroom, and while I was away at work, the rose opened and gave its essence to us.

The Cultivar

A hybrid tea rose called “Miss All American Beauty” in the US, I prefer its European and Australian name, “Maria Callas” after the American-born Greek soprano, well-known for her opera career which began in the 1940s, her diva attitude and professional altercations, and her public affair with Aristotle Onassis.

I have always associated roses, and especially their successful growth and cultivation with my Grandmother Laurel, who took pride in her roses and like Maria Callas, was born in Astoria Queens in the 1920s.

This rose is a deep, magenta-like pink and has a strong fragrance. Though this first bloom I cut didn’t achieve it, these roses are expected to be 5 to 6-inch flowers, with 45-60 petals.

Rose Family

Despite my absolute love of roses, and all the work I’ve done in the Lineage of the Rose, I’ve never collected a rose essence before. The opportunity just hadn’t presented itself until now. I have collected tree essences in the Rose family, but never the essence of a rose itself. This rose in particular felt deep, rich and substantive, with the most divine strong fragrance.

Through my research for Ancient Celtic Tree Magic, the Ogham course I have taught in the past, I developed an understanding of the nature of the family Rosaceae. The Rose family tends to reveal the importance of the heart, love, and the beauty of life, while prioritizing boundaries (think thorns) and honoring and protecting what is held sacred.

The Rosaceae family includes Hawthorn, Crabapple, Blackthorn, Bramble, and Rowan from the Ogham, but also Plum, Cherry (and all stone fruit trees), strawberry, almond, and more.

The beauty of what’s protected

I was able to witness the rose’s unfurling, though it never opened all the way exposing its innermost petals. As the outer petals revealed themselves, its innermost sacred petals stayed huddled inward, concealed in a way. This blossom was gorgeous, showy, available, and at the same time, veiled, private, and protected.

The beauty of what’s in your heart is kept between you and God. Maybe by choice; maybe by circumstance. But God is your heart’s true audience and keeper.

I am a former over-sharer who has had an insatiable desire to understand and be understood. But now I am embracing more quiet, more contemplation, and more simply letting it be. The more steady my faith has grown, the easier it has become to let it be. This is no longer a denial of my feelings or needs, but rather an increasing comfort with allowing discomfort, confusion, or non-clarity to live inside my heart. The only one who can truly see me and know me completely rests there indefinitely, and I trust that if and when I am meant to have more clarity on a confusing situation, it will become accessible to me. I’m getting more comfortable knowing that I may never understand some things — which feels better than searching endlessly for meaning or an answer to calm my mind. While still sometimes uncomfortable, it’s ultimately a huge relief to rest in faith at a deeper level than ever before.

In the case of Maria Callas, a woman whom many people judged, we’re reminded that we can never truly understand a person. Only God can see what’s truly in a heart and understand a person in their fullness and in the context of the entirety of their life. May we remember to discern for our own sake, but not to judge or condemn another. May we let the parent do the parenting, let God do the judging, and let each person be comforted in their own private relationship with God.

Essence Description

Some things in life will be clear, available, and on display. Some will be private and just for you and God to play with. Still others may never be truly understood by you in this lifetime, but their truth remains constant and known by God. Remember you have a divine creator who made you and loves you and looks forward to your conferences. One day you will laugh, cry, reminisce and rejoice together about all that you chose to experience in this lifetime. Don’t be afraid to keep some things between just the two of you as a sweet private truth.

This essence helps with your comfort in keeping some things private, and helps with the discomfort of being misunderstood. It helps to remind you that the deepest truths remain between you and God, and helps to build or strengthen your faith and that sweet, eternal relationship.

Sharing with discernment

In a world where so many people choose to make themselves into public figures, I am enjoying being discerning about what I share and with whom. In the outer world I tend to be more private. I share less personally on social media these days, and in my everyday life I feel the need to be heard and understood much less than I used to.

But my clients and students know that when we are in the sacred space of sessions or classes, I will freely share anything that will be helpful. I become an open book because I’ve found that when I share my deepest and most vulnerable truths, revelations and inspirations in those spaces, it supports, encourages, and inspires others to experience wholeness, peace, growth and healing. I see my clients and students give themselves permission to embody their unique magic more fully, to accept and honor themselves, which always leads to being truer to oneself, more fulfilled, and happier in life.

Lately I’ve been sharing less, seeing fewer clients, keeping more to myself. It’s been necessary, valuable, and nourishing. But I’m ready to open my heart to my people again. So it’s with thoughtful readiness that I open space for clients and students now, which as you know, is quite an intimate act for me.

I have space (starting in August) for three 1:1 clients and one private essence practitioner trainee. If either of those options calls to you, please let me know so we can discuss the details and possibilities. I’m pricing both of these options lower than ever before because I finally can. It’s a pleasure to pass some ease on to you this way. :)

I’ll also soon be opening up a new branch of my practice: Natural Health Consultation. More on that coming soon. Thanks for reading. xoxo