A Ritual with Rosemary

Join us in the Valley of the Moon for a day-long ritual evoking the spirit of Rosemary through the alchemical processes of distillation and sacred garment dyeing with Emily from Per le Mer. We will share a practice refined over 20 years of devotion and experience, honoring and working with the whole plant in deep reverence.

This is a master class in plant alchemy.

Together, we will explore the ancient arts of distillation, aromatherapy, and natural perfume. We will journey through the seven stages of plant spirit invocation as an alchemical mirror of the psyche, using all of your senses during a live hydrosol distillation. You will be guided through the full natural dye process, from preparing fibers to extracting color and infusing intention. We will delve into the energetic properties of Rosemary, learning how to integrate her essence into daily life, awakening her subtle, spiritual intelligence as a lifelong guide for clarity, protection, sensuality, and healing.

Rosemary is a plant of deep wisdom and devotion. Her name means "dew of the sea," a reflection of her affinity for coastal landscapes and liminal spaces. In the realms of aromatherapy and energetic medicine, Rosemary is known as a powerful clarifier—awakening the senses, sharpening memory, and enhancing circulation of both blood and energy. She is an herb of vitality, strengthening both the physical and subtle bodies, offering resilience and renewal. Her scent, fresh and camphorous with an undertone of warmth, invigorates the spirit and clears stagnant thoughts, making her an ideal ally for meditation, focus, and energetic protection.

Revered across cultures and centuries, Rosemary carries the lineage of goddesses and sacred figures, weaving her presence through myth and ritual. She is linked to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, as well as the Virgin Mary, representing purity and grace, and Hekate, the guardian of thresholds and transformation. In her presence, we walk through gateways of change, carrying her protective and purifying energy with us.

Throughout this immersive experience, we will honorably harvest and explore the energetics of growing Rosemary, working with her essence through sacred aromatic sensuality and vibrational color work. As we dye intimate garments and create a freshly distilled hydrosol, we will invoke her wisdom, allowing her spirit to infuse our creations with intention and meaning.

Rosemary, when used in natural garment dyeing, yields delicate shades of soft greens and warm golden hues, reflecting her dual nature as both a healer and protector. The leaves and stems, rich in tannins and volatile oils, have been traditionally used to imbue fabric with a subtle yet grounding color, often reserved for ritual garments, ceremonial cloths, and sacred vestments. In ancient times, garments dyed with Rosemary were worn as a form of energetic shielding, believed to cloak the wearer in her protective embrace, warding off negativity while enhancing spiritual clarity. Monks and healers would weave Rosemary-dyed cloth into their attire, infusing their work with its purifying essence. In folk traditions, newlyweds would wear garments touched by her dye to invoke fidelity, remembrance, and enduring love. Through this sacred dyeing process, we connect with Rosemary’s essence not only visually but vibrationally, carrying her wisdom and protection into our daily lives.

This is more than a workshop—it is a deep and powerful invocation, an immersion into the ancient arts of distillation and color extraction, with Rosemary as our guide. We invite you to step into this sacred alchemical journey, where plant, scent, and color converge as portals to transformation and remembrance.