By Brandie M. Lawrence BS, MS
Holistic Health Practitioner
Many of us are familiar with Cedarwood. We think of backyard fences during a summer BBQ or grandmother’s old cedar chest. You are most likely being flooded with memories from different times you inhaled the aroma of the majestic cedar! Essential oils are such powerful tools as the molecules literally pass through the limbic system of your brain (associated with memory storage and making). They help us process information and so much more.
Cedarwood essential oil has an AMAZING amount of sesquiterpenes (up to 90%), which equates to more oxygen getting to the brain. King Solomon used cedar extensively in his home and the temple. Solomon knew cedarwood had powerful effects on mental thought processing. Cedarwood was also important in the worship of God, was considered to clear mental passages, and mixed with hyssop as a skin cleansing oil in the Old Testament (Stewart 2010).
My husband and I love to put on cedarwood when it is time to study or take an exam. We also diffuse it before bed to help us relax and get a good nights sleep. However, one of my favorite ways I have used cedarwood EO is when I anointed my lips along with ladies from a local Bible Study! The study “Conversation Peace” called for believers to anoint their lips and pledge to only speak forth the words God desired them to. I offered both hyssop and cedarwood to the ladies (hyssop for spiritual cleansing from past mistakes and to help break addictions; cedarwood as we sought the LORD for wisdom in how to use our words). Each women dropped several drops of the oils into the palm of their hand, rubbed it three times in a circle and then inhaled the oils over their mouth and nose while praying over how they use their mouth. Some women also rubbed the oils over their heart and other used the Biblical application of right ear lobe, right thumb and right big toe (Leviticus 14:1-2, 4, 15-18,54).
SOME CURRENT RESEARCH ON CEDARWOOD:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24031963
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c203
http://www.fao.org/docrep/v5350e/v5350e12.htm
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/aromatherapy/patient/page2
The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that He planted. Psalm 104:16
