Essential Oil Spotlight : Cedarwood

When you think of cedarwood, do you think of those little balls you can hang in your wardrobe to ward off things that chew their way through your prime woollens and silks and somehow manage to remain hidden all the while? I swear they have a cloak of invisibility, the rotten varmints.

For sure, cedarwood balls are a wonderful natural substitute for mothballs, and you can lightly sand them and breathe new life into them with a few drops of authentic cedarwood essential oil. While you’re at it, why not add some lavender?! And Young Living Purification™ is ideal for this, too. (Please click here to get my help with ordering.)

If you’ve ever lost a favourite cardigan to munching blighters, you’ll not underestimate the power of a good repellent. But don’t relegate cedarwood to the back of the cupboard and forget about it, or you’ll be missing out on a gem of an essential oil when it comes to feelings and spirituality.

Now, what I’m about to tell you pertains to a particular cedarwood. Its botanical name is Cedrus atlantica, which is in the Pinaceae family tree and the most closely related to the biblical Cedars of Lebanon. So when you’re looking for cedarwood, please seek out this variety. It’s the one Young Living supplies when you order it from them. (Discover here why they are my preferred source of oils. It’s important to choose wisely and this will help you to know which questions to ask when you’re buying oils.)

Steam distilled from the bark of the tree, cedarwood has traditionally been used for embalming and purifying since ancient Egyptian times. While this might not seem overly useful for those of us still in the land of the living, we can consider how its powers of preservation could translate to everyday use, so it’s no surprise to find it included in luxurious beauty serums and masks. Try adding a drop to your palm and blending with your daily moisturiser before applying to give it extra oomph.

As an aromatic side-effect, its relaxing properties will never go astray.

And speaking of preserving things, how’s that furniture polish you’ve been using? Is it a natural one? Would you like it to be a natural one? Here’s a recipe you can whip up easily at home. Be sure to choose authentic essential oils, such as Young Living’s, otherwise you’re still at risk of exposing yourself and your loved ones to inferior quality and synthetic additives. Yes, even in the world of essential oils, quality varies and label laws allow way too much wiggle room. Sad, but true.

LEMON CEDARWOOD FURNITURE POLISH

Make a fresh batch each time you need it, or multiply the quantity out into a small glass jar to keep a handy supply at the ready.  Add a ribbon and handwritten tag with instructions and it makes a thoughtful small gift for any like-minded friends.

• 8 drops authentic lemon essential oil
• 2 drops authentic cedarwood essential oil
• 3 drops jojoba or olive oil

Blend together, dip a soft old flannelette cloth into the mixture — be sparing, as a little goes a long way — and wipe over timber surfaces, buffing lightly as you go to help spread the oil evenly. Test first in an inconspicuous place to double check each particular surface. I say this as a standard precaution but personally, I’ve not yet found a timber surface it disagreed with.

When it comes to energy and chakras, cedarwood has a positive influence over the heart, throat and sacral chakras, helping to open energy blocks and part the waters of old stale emotions to allow spiritual energy to flow on through.

Have you ever caught your mind running away with all kinds of fantasy thoughts and hypotheses that you know don’t serve you well, but you can’t seem to shake the pattern?

Cedarwood might well be a magician’s worst enemy, as it is thought to dispel illusions and help us to see and accept reality.

Maybe those fantasy thoughts invariably turn towards knights on white chargers and over-romanticised notions of love and ideals. And maybe you secretly love getting lost in such reveries, even at the risk of jeopardising healthy, positive relationships.

If that sounds like you, use cedarwood with caution, because this essential oil will help you to stop looking for love in all the wrong places so you’d better be ready to let go of any attachments you have to fairytales. Inhaling cedarwood and applying it over your heart can bring clarity and turn you towards finding true spiritual love within yourself and others.  Essential oils are potent, so please follow directions on the bottle and the usual guidelines for safe use of authentic essential oils.

Cedarwood reconnects us with hope and faith in a grounded way. And if you feel like hope and faith have deserted your hairline or sleep patterns, go ahead and click here for a sweetly aromatic and natural way to restore them.

Enjoy the good oil daily.

The information on this site does not constitute advice. Please consult with your health practitioner. When using any of the products mentioned throughout this site, please be sure to read the labels and follow their suggestions for safe use.