Soothing Cedarwood
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The draft to this spotlight on Cedarwood has lived on my computer, with nothing more than a title, for more than 3 years (3 YEARS!), but after interviewing Julie Clark and hearing her love for the tree it was the push that I needed to finally begin writing.
Cedarwood or Atlas cedar (known as cedrus atalantica in Latin) is part of the pine family pinacaea. The scent is sharp and fresh with sweet, woody soft undertones, and one that both my husband and I enjoy. So of course, it’s in everything we share. Our shampoo and conditioner, our soap and lotion, even candles, essential oil blends to diffuse, and incense sticks all contain it. Apart from the appealing scent, when looking at Cedarwood’s healing priorities it’s no wonder we’re both drawn to it. It’s warming, rejuvenating, soothing, and uplifting properties are excellent for nervous tension like stress, anxiety or depression, and tiredness. As new(ish) parents living through a pandemic we’re prime candidates for its help! It’s also antiseptic and astringent so is good for coughs & colds, cracked or oily skin (like eczema or acne), and scalp irritation (like dandruff). The trunk and branches of the tree are steam-distilled to extract the essential oils and it blends well with bergamot, cypress, frankincense, jasmine, juniper, myrrh, neroli, rosemary, and sandalwood.
There are lots of ways you can incorporate cedarwood into your life and home. You could use it as a smudge to clear the air, like Julie does in her shop by simply boiling cedar woodchips in water, or by putting a few drops of cedarwood essential oil in a diffuser. For a calming blend try adding lavender to either (buds if boiling or essential oils if using the diffuser).
A great way to clear the sinuses, especially when you have a cough or cold, is to do steam inhalations. In a large bowl of boiling water place a couple drops of cedarwood essential oils, either alone or with another essential oil like rosemary or eucalyptus. Cover your head with a towel over the bowl and inhale the aromatic steam for 10-15 minutes. Make sure to remove your glasses or contact lenses, if you wear them, to avoid steaminess and/or eye irritation.
Cedars are also an evergreen meaning their leaves stay green all year round which makes them pleasant to look at, especially during the winter months when everything else around seems to be brown or grey. We know that being in nature can be a powerful experience, but Daniel H. Pink explains how powerful nature is in his book When:
“Being close to trees, plants, rivers, and streams is a powerful mental restorative, one whose potency most of us don’t appreciate. For example, people who take short walks outdoors return with better moods and greater replenishment than people who walk indoors. What’s more, while people predicted they’d be happier being outside, they underestimated how much happier. Taking a few minutes to be in nature is better than spending those minutes in a building. Looking out a window into nature is a better micro-break than looking at a wall or your cubicle. Even taking a break indoors amid plants is better than doing so in a green-free zone”
Ice suncatchers are a nice way to be reminded of nature when you’re stuck indoors. It’s also a fun activity to do with little ones (if you have them). Forage for leaves, branches, berries (from cedar trees or other evergreens) and pinecones on walks. Then fill a shallow container with water (takeout containers work great for this), place the foraged pieces inside and submerge one end of a piece of twine (cut to your desired length) into the water. Either place the container outside (if temperatures are cold enough) or in the freezer. Once frozen remove the suncatcher and hang it someplace outside where you can see it from a window….and view it often when you’re stuck inside.