Magical Harvesting of Rosa Rugosa Petals

Harvesting Rosa Rugosa Petals during the Lover’s Moon

Anytime I share my foraging with the bees, three is the magical number that catalyzes a sweet remembering of my human place in the natural order of things.

In this case, my teachers are the bees and the rose (and I make three). In the past, the bees and I have also simultaneously wild-harvested the abundant and vibrant goldenrod (and ki’s pollen) here at the foot of Turtle Hill.

The bees are always the first to visit the blossoms, and so we are there together, my heightened awareness noticing the maximum peak vibrancy of the color and energy of the new blossoms as the bees work feverishly to visit and tickle them all.

There, amidst the bees and newly emerged blossoms, are the blossoms that I am looking for – they are the ones that have already been visited by the bees and so are ever-so-slightly past their peak(energetically). Usually, the color or energy is lightly faded although it is still holding ki’s flower shape. Now there is a tiny, magical window where it is our turn to take the petals before they let go and float to the ground.

I know this is true because the blossom releases its petals into our hand without effort. It has been waiting for us.

When I choose the wrong blossom, the rose holds onto ki’s petals and I have to tug and tear them from the whole. The feeling makes my body contract and causes a little pain in my heart.

When ki releases them for me, I sing a song and dream of the heart-opening teas we will make together – sharing the love, grace and fullness of this summer moment with others.