Rose — A Guided Shamanic Journey with Gongs (Cacao Optional)
We begin, as I always do with Rose, by lighting a candle. If you have one at home, light it with me. I work with rose water — an aromatic hydrosol — to cleanse my own energy field, sprayed over the body from head to feet, and sometimes with a small feather wand I've made that includes a flamingo feather, which carries its own medicine of love, fittingly aligned with Rose herself. You don't need any of this. Hands and heart are enough — cupped in front of the heart chakra, gathering love and light, washing it out through the aura and down into the earth.
Rose is one of the great heart healers. She can boost confidence, attract prosperity, help us see beauty in others and in ourselves, and bring us back to our own inner divinity. In this guided journey, I'll share her physical medicine alongside her spiritual teaching, and then guide you into the lower realm to meet her spirit directly, as Mama Rose.
Rose's Medicine — Heart, Body and Protection
Physically, Rose is anti-inflammatory, helping to heal wounds, and slightly astringent, helping to pull broken tissue back together. I use her because she's cooling — cooling and protective to the liver — and she helps clear anger, and helps us heal from old trauma. She's also deeply supportive for activating the third eye and tuning psychic ability, and she offers real protection: if there are people in your life who feel draining at the moment, Rose is a beautiful ally to call in for a protective shield.
Most people come to her work with an intention to heal the heart — that's her most obvious gift — but she carries far more than that single note. Whatever you're calling in, set the intention before the journey begins, the way you'd write a shopping list before you go shopping.
How the Journey Works
There are three realms in this work. The middle realm is where we live our everyday lives. The lower realm — the inner realm, our subconscious — is where we connect with plant spirits, mountain spirits, the waters and landscapes of the earth in their spiritual form. The upper realm is more angelic, where we meet spirit guides and teachers living in infinite reality. Today we travel to the lower realm.
We start in a place in nature you've been to before, somewhere you feel safe and connected, and travel from there through a threshold of your choosing — a rabbit hole, a door in a tree, a spiral staircase lit by candles — deeper and deeper down. Once there, we call for a power animal or spirit guide, and call for Mama Rose to show herself. She rarely appears simply as a rose plant. More often she comes as a goddess, a fairy spirit, or a being of light — and whatever form she takes for you will be entirely your own. The gongs work throughout to quiet the analytical mind and carry you into a deeper trance state.
Coming Back: Integration and Reflection
The best part, honestly, is the integration afterwards — making sense of whatever you experienced. If all that came was a deep rest, that's exactly what was meant for you today. If you received visions, insight or a feeling of healing, journal it, or integrate it in whatever way feels meaningful. I often ask my students to find one action they can take afterwards that honours what they were given — that's how we thank the spirits properly, not just with words.
How to Prepare
Optional: a cup of rose tea, rose water, flower essence or essential oil, or simply sit near a rose plant — cacao is also welcome if that's part of your practice, this journey works well either way
Light a candle if you have one
Find somewhere to lie down or sit fully supported
Good headphones or speakers make a real difference — the gongs deserve proper sound
Keep a journal nearby for the integration afterwards
Continue Your Journey with Plant Spirit Medicine
If this ceremony resonated with you, here are some ways to go deeper:
