CONSCIOUS BEAUTY; IN THE UNIVERSE OF SHIVA ROSE

Our in-house Astrologer Shivani met with Shiva Rose this summer to uncover her secrets on how to create a magical life. Shiva Rose is an American actress, activist, blogger, and owner of the natural beauty-product line SHIVA ROSE BEAUTY. She creates 100% toxic and chemical free skin, body and beauty products, handmade at her farm in Texas.

Shivani: Since I am an astrologer, I am too curious to not ask; what is your Sun sign? And if you know your moon and rising, you can add that too if you want to.

Shiva Rose: I love it. I am an Aquarius Sun, with Scorpio Moon and my rising is either Gemini or Libra.

Shivani: When did your interest start, with combining nature with human beauty?

Shiva Rose: What a lovely question. I don’t think there was ever a time that I wasn’t, to be honest. When I look back at my childhood I was one of those kids that would cry when I saw trees taking down or I didn’t wanna pick flowers. I was so connected to that world. I don’t even know when there was a difference. But I guess when I truly started, was when I my health issues appeared in my twenties, and that brought me towards the natural world and living more holistic with plants and embracing a more natural way of living.

Shivani: Do you believe plants have a Spirit?

Shiva Rose: Yes, there is a Japanese saying: the spirits are in everything. I definitely believe that. However, I do eat plants and I am not a vegetarian anymore. I was for most of my life. I just had to make peace with the fact that we are humans and we need to consume the plants, but you know, we can do our part. On our land we try to do everything regenerative and give back to the land. If we live in connection with the land and nature, I think it feeds us, aswell as us feeding them. It’s a cyclical process.

Shivani: You've said that, ever since you were a child you were surrounded by and in contact with nature, that you believe in plants as spirits. Did you have contact with the plant spirits? If so, how?

Shiva Rose: You know, I did. It used to trouble me to be frank. I grew up in Iran as a child and I remember not wanting to hurt anything, everything had a spirit to it. And then you know later, of course recently, I have been micro dosing mycelium mushrooms and I was just in Colorado holding a retreat and went for a walk in the forrest and I swear to God, the trees, the eyes. It looked like it had eyes on the trunk and I was like; they are watching me and I am watching them. I really felt the spirit of the forrest. It ́s apparent. Once you awaken to it, you can't not see it.

Shivani: Absolutely! And the more contact you have with the earth and put your hands in the soil, the more you exchange energy, you exchange dna, somehow. And you feel more in contact with the earth.

Shiva Rose: Absolutely!

Shivani: Many of the ancient traditions and also in the wellness industry, they talk only about taking care of the inside. What we eat and how we digest things, both food and experiences, will most certainly affect how we look on the outside. Why do you feel it is important to take care of the outside of the skin?

Shiva Rose: Well I think it is a reflection. It is skin deep. The expression is from the inside out and outside in. Think of it reversed. You looking in. There is no difference. It’s just like that for us, cause we are still in our ego. We only look out. But I think the out is as important as the in, for sure! And it is our largest organ, which you probably know. So whetever it is on the inside or the outside, it is the largest organ. And I think the skin is another brain. You know, more and more studies are realizing you gut is your brain, amino acids and neurotransmitters are all made in your gut. 

Shivani: What is your manifestation tip, to create a graceful life?

Shiva Rose: Mmmm, I would say, for me I always ask the question; is it fear or is it intuition? And I think for years of asking that, I finally figured out that if you listen to the body, it will tell you. Fear is usually very loud and it wants to be heard, whereas intuition is soft and gentle. So I think you always have to figure out, if its the whisper of intuition or forceful fear talking to you to stop you from doing something. Is it your ego or your heart? Pushing you to do something. I think that comes with wisdom, age and meditation and being quiet and being in nature. To fully hear those voices and to see which is which.

Shivani: I read a lot about you. I read that you plant the seeds to the products that you create. I feel that gardening itself is a ritual, something you need to tend to daily, honoring mother earth. Even Self nourishment can be done as a daily ritual. What is your favorite ritual, do you have a daily one you want to inspire us with?

Shiva Rose: Oh, I don't think we have enough time (Laugh) I have a few. I get up early in the morning, I get up around dawn. And I always sit in silence and drink my living tea. I have a particular tea that I drink and watch the sunrise. That is very important to me, to see the Sun rise and to see it set. Those moment I just want to be quiet and meditate, so that’s a ritual I love. And the other ritual is of course my bath. Afternoon bath, that’s when I sort of let go of the day, before I make dinner, before I take care of the animals and the children and this and that. I have to take a bath. It’s my time when I use salts and oils and replenish my skin and let go of anything that has bothered me throughout the day. So these are my daily rituals, I can dry brush during that time, oil up, do mantras. Whatever it is that I need after that day.

Shivani: When you create you products, was it also part of creating something for yourself?

Shiva Rose: Oh, yes! Definitely! And when I started seven years ago there were very few products, that were healthy and holistic and good for you. And also chick and feminine. You had to go to the health food stores and it wasn’t exact anyone with glamorous packaging. Now we have plenty , but back then there was not som much. I think it was only one other line that I can think of that kind of brought together nature, beauty and natural ingredients.

Shivani: When you started, did you live in the countryside or did you live in the city?

Shiva Rose: I lived I Los Angeles but by the mountain in an area that’s kind of close to both ocean and mountain. I was ten minutes away from a town, so as much country as you could get, living in LA. but I had my own chickens, I grew my own food and I had honeybees. I really started then to go back to earth before I started my line.

Shivani: Simplifying life. Do you feel that planting the seeds into the earth, preparing your own food, taking care of a piece of land and nurture animals, is that one way to come in contact with your soul, your spirit?

Shiva Rose: Definitely, I think so yeah! And it can be a meditation, your chores. You know, now of course I moved to more acres in the country of Texas. It is much more intense. But it gets you connected to the earth. Because we have seasons. Now we have to deal with ice in the winters and the heat in the summer and all the things we did not have in California like snakes and scorpions. It actually makes me more connected because you have to. It is almost like you have to survive. You have no choice. It makes you aware.

Shivani: Living by the seasons, I grew up in the countryside of Sweden, So I am very much familiar to live by the seasons. The phases of the year, in a constant change. I have read that you have made a Moon course, Sharing your experiences by living in sync with the Moon phases. You are like a graceful embodiment of the cycles of the Moon. When we are doing this interview, the moon is only one degree from being full in the sign of Capricorn. And we live in a very exiting time. The world has changed in a dramatic way. And we all need somehow to swim over to the other shore of the unknown. What do you feel that we humans need to remember during the transition we are going through right now?

Shiva Rose: Mmm, very good question. Well I think that the natural world is definitely becoming more apparent for our survival. And also its the divine feminine, I feel like the divine feminine is rising, whetever we want it or not. And I don’t mean that in an angry feminist way, I am talking about the divine Feminine that is all about the earth, the moon and us and empowerment, compassion and love and going to the next level. Sort of upleveling our game. I feel like the old, you know a lot of people think that we lived in the Piscean age and now we are in the Aquarian age. A lot of things that worked in the past don’t work right now. We can see just from how our world stopped the past year and a half. We are going back to basics and I think that’s going to continue. This is a part of our upgrade what we are experiencing. And yes, the Moon has a lot to do with that, the Sun has a lot to do with that. I mean people are starting to bash the Sun. People want to stop the Sun suddenly. I ́m like, wait a minute, We have been dealing with this with the Moon for hundreds of years, now we need to go and protect the Sun. But the sun is the Masculine. As the divine feminine is rising, I feel that we have to honor the Masculine too. There has been a lot of bashing of the Masculine recently and I feel that we need both. Either we want it or not, that’s the polarity. It is sexuality, magnetism, yin yang, so I think it’s about embracing all of those things.

Shivani: Beautiful answer! So a couple of days ago, we had the summer solstice and we are still in the MidSummer for a while, at least in the northern Hemisphere. If you could pick one product that you have created, which one would you use during summer?

Shiva Rose: I have a body butter called Golden Sol. It has a beautiful golden colour, because of the seabuckthorn and the oils in it that are really rich. It smells like frankincense, jasmin and it’s funny, I have a Rose body butter that sells out all the time, but my favorite is the Golden sol. I feel its like a little child that I need to hold up and say, wait a second you guys. The vibrations of it, is like the Sun to me. It’s my favorite product for solstice, definitely!

Shivani: Oooh i have to try that one! Can you name an event that seamed at the moment it happened, it felt like a curse, but then, in time it turned out to be gold?

Shiva Rose: Oh my Gosh! So many, so many, where to start? As a child I was a refugee, my family and I escaped Iran to America when I was 10. My mom is American and my dad is Iranian. That was a huge traumatic time to come to America and the hostage situation. It made me who I am today, for sure. Because I got resilient from that experience to pursue acting. And then being an actress, being rejected and rejected. Actors get rejected 99 percent of the time and then the one percent they get a job. So all these things layered upon each other builds you up. So when I got to publishers to ge my books launched, they were no, no, no. No one was ready for it. The second time around it was like yes, yes, yes. So the resilience, the ability to not take things too hard is founded by all the experiences you have been going through in the past. The other thing would be getting a divorce. My divorce was very hard, but if I hadn’t got my divorce, I wouldn’t have started my blog, I wouldn’t have written my book or started my skincare line and I wouldn’t have, all the other things that comes from that. So there’s a great expression in Buddism called: poison turns into medicin. It is all about the Lotus flower. How the Lotus flower, this beautiful flower, grows in mud, it can only grow in mud. So that is the metaphor for that saying is; taking your adversity and turning them into a beautiful flower. I always believe that.

Shivani: That is so true and beautiful! I wanna ask a follow up question, when we talk

about resistance, and that you keep on going, keep on going. What is that force? You kind of feel that something is pushing you forward in life, through all the resistance. What is that?

Shiva Rose: That’s a good question, and to be honest, I had auto immun issues in my twenties. I think that when you don’t face things and you suppress them too much, then it can come out as illness. So you know, I think theres a fine line between seeing what’s happening and feeling it all the way and release it. Probably when I was younger there was so much negative emotions that was stuffed down that would later come out as illness. So that’s a good point. And also, I have been very rebellious since I was very young. But not rebellious in an obvious way. You know, if someone says no, I just think outside of the box and do it anyway. Maybee it’s an Aquarius trait, haha. To keep going, constantly saying to yourself; why not?

Shivani: That’s very aquarian. Our greatest geniuses has been rebells. Cause they continued, when everyone said no, but they like; No, I’m gonna keep on going, because I know something. And that leads me to another question about this inner knowing that we have. I feel that you early on, already had contact with some greater inner knowing. I know there’s a lot of people out there, who are constantly searching outside of themselves for answers. What is your greatest tip, in how to get in contact with the inner knowing, the inner wisdom?

Shiva Rose: It’s so funny that you are asking that! I have something I am trying to decide for the last couple of days and I’m like; I can’t decide and I know I have to make the decision by myself and it is so interesting. Of course you would bring that up. Well, one thing that I have learned to do is to ask for guidance from my guides and angels. I really do believe we have guides and angels. And they say that they can not give you suggestions unless you ask for it out loud. So you have to say; Guides and angels I need a sign, I need you to show me the way and then you will be shown the way. So I think that is definitely a tool I use. As I have gotten older, I rely a lot on that. And to be aware of the signs. Be aware of where the signs are. And then secondly, asking your body, again go back to how does it feel in you stomach, how does it feel in your heart? And then of course, you have to get quiet and bring in stillness, so that you end up here and now.

Shivani: The products that you are making, people love them. I think about that you

connect with the plants, you connect with the spirit of the plants. You are a lot in nature. Do you have conversation with the plants? Do they whisper to you; Marry me with that plant! I am just curious, how do you come up with the different blends?

Shiva Rose: Sometimes it’s just love. Lately, I have been falling in love with violets. Violets are amazing! I think I always had violets around me but recently something has awoken within me. The smell, how beneficial it is for women, breat health and just the way it looks. Yeah, I think it happens like that. Sometimes you need to stay open to what comes to you. So violets has been popping up for me for sure.

Shivani: Thank you dear Shiva Rose!. I am so honored and blessed to have had this moment with you. I am so grateful that I am now able to share your wisdom, inspiration and your insights with our readers. Take care and Blessed Be!

Shiva Rose: Thank you so much for having me! Take care!