What the
lion is in the animal kingdom, the cedar is among trees. Majestic
and full of strength, cedars stand tall in the loftiest regions
of the mountains. They demand space for their expansive branches
and stand undaunted by the elements in total inner harmony.
Cedar trees grow up to 100 feet high, and when undisturbed they
may reach an age of 1,000 to 2,000 years. During biblical times,
forests of cedar trees covered Lebanon and a large part of the
Taurus Range in southern Turkey. The wood was honored as a symbol
of strength, dignity, and nobility. The Temple of Solomon was
built with cedarwood.
Ancient Egypt had an inexhaustible appetite for the wood. They
used cedar to build their ships, furniture, and coffins. The
reddish brown, fragrant wood resists attack by any insects;
the scent repels them. The essential oil was also used for mummification.
The Gilgamesh Epic relates that Noah, out of gratitude for surviving
the flood, burned myrtle and cedarwood, and “the gods
were pleased by the fragrant offering.”
The cedar, indeed a mountain tree, grows in altitudes of 4,000
to 6,000 feet. For many centuries, people came to pray and find
comfort in the aura of these fragrant trees in the “holy
forest” on Lebanese mountain slopes. The warm, balsa fragrance
filled the air, healing the traveler. Only about 400 trees of
this holy forest survive today. The oldest is estimated to be
2,500 years old. The huge demand for cedarwood has caused widespread
decimation of the trees. Only a very few trees are left from
the forest that once stretched across the whole region.
The essential oil of cedar is warming, harmonizing, and thought
to be life-giving. It helps calm during times of fear and nervous
tension. In difficult situations the oil may provide comfort
and warmth, and help stabilize energies thrown out of balance.
Cedar helps reduce fear, aggression, and anger. Embedded in
the fragrance is a strength and dignity that gives the heart
courage, all with a little sensuality mixed in.
Since the cedar of Lebanon has all but disappeared, the essential
oil today is produced from a variety of other cedar trees, mostly
from the red cedar, Juniperus virginiana, a relative of the
thuja tree. Pencils are also made from this tree; that’s
why the fragrance of cedar brings up memories from our early
school days. However, this oil does not have the same psychological
effect as that of the cedar of Lebanon. In the absence of the
Lebanon tree, today the essential oil most preferred is produced
from the Atlas cedar, which grows in the Atlas Mountains of
North Africa. Like the cedar of Lebanon, it is a huge, powerful
tree, and its essential oil is equally effective psychologically.
Essential cedar oils, like the oil from other coniferous trees,
has very beneficial effects on the bronchial system. Cedar oils
may be used in the aroma lamp and inhaled as well. When taken
externally it may be mixed with other essential oils, like lemon,
hyssop, or sage. Cedarwood
oil may be beneficial in the treatment of kidney and bladder
disorders. Its antiseptic property makes it an ideal remedy
for bladder and kidney infections and for cystitis. The oil
may be added to sitz baths and to compresses. It may be taken
internally. Cedar oil may have abortive effects during pregnancy,
so pregnant women should avoid it.
Cedarwood oil has been often used as a healing remedy for
the skin. It may be used for skin rashes, acne, and oily skin.
It helps control oily hair, dandruff, and hair loss. Cedarwood
oil is also helpful in cleansing the scalp and hair roots.
In an aroma lamp the essential oil is an effective insect
repellent, like eucalyptus, geranium, cloves, or cypress.
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