Prompted by our bonus free oil from Doterra this month, one of my colleagues asked me, ‘what is it good for?’ I thought I’d do a little homework.
I always think, instead of looking at the little bottle of essential oil, we need to picture where it has come from. The oil is distilled from the bark of the Atlas Cedarwood tree and is native to the Atlas mountains of Morocco and Algeria, it can grow up to 50 metres and has a large spreading conifer type appearance. Such a magnificent tree conjours up an oil which has a strong steady reassuring presence.
Cedarwood was used for centuries to build ships, palaces and temples. It was popular because the high percentage of essential oil in the wood meant that it repelled both fungus and insects and resisted decay. The Ancient Egyptians used it to mummify their dead, they obviously knew it is an excellent skin rejuvenator. It can help small cuts and scrapes to heal, improves oily skin, acne, dandruff and seborrhea of the scalp.
According to my Essential Oil Guru Gabriel Mojay, cedarwood is a powerful
tonic of the body’s Qi energy, fortifying and strengthening to the kidneys and Spleen-Pancreas, helpful for low back ache, lethargy, nervous debility and poor concentration. It can offer strength when you are feeling sick
or you can’t seem to relax.
As if that wasn’t enough, cedarwood is also a mild respiratory tonic. It's not as strong as other decongestants such as Eucalyptus, but diffusing the oil before bedtime or as a child falls asleep can help clear mucous and congestion, helping them to breathe easily and feel more secure.
Emotionally, Cedarwood soothes the nervous system, helping to give us immovable strength in times of crisis or just helping us to ‘stand firm’ when we feel overwhelmed and wobbly.
An oil of many qualities I think it is a necessary addition to any medicine cabinet.