Paulo Coelho

For the ancient Greeks, the rose originated from the death of Adonis, the lover of Aphrodite (Venus). It was believed that his blood made the very first red roses. Since then, roses became the symbol of love, able to overcome death and announcing reincarnation.

In other words, the process of psychic initiation that is described by this story indicates that after the death of the ego and the descent into hell, the rose symbolizes the possibility of spiritual rebirth under the compassionate eye of God. But this love reveals itself through the goddess. No wonder then that Christianity attributed the symbol of the rose to the Virgin Mary.

The rose also symbolizes discretion given that during dyonisiac parties, the guests were invited to use rose crowns that were believed to prevent them of getting drunk. From this belief came the expression “sub rosa” in Latin that means – “under silence”.

Now you take the floor, what do you associate with the rose?