We all have the need for belonging, to feel part of a tribe or family, to feel loved. It is a natural inclination of being human. We crave connection, intimacy, and a sense of togetherness. From a Cosmic perspective, one could see that this is so because—from the largest vantage point—we really are One. We come from One energy, One Source, One Life. This human experience is simply an illusive dance we play to try on separation, in my opinion, to feel the emotions capable through these bodies, and to enjoy the play of life on Earth as much as we can during our time here.
Cedarwood Trees
Cedarwood trees grow together. They are part of the family we call the forest. Their pillar-like bodies reach towards heaven like the spires of temples and their roots dig deep, connecting them to both earth and sky. Cedar trees are the embodiment of heaven and earth as well as the interface between the two. They also show us, through the way they grow together and group, the value of communion and mutual support.
By using Cedarwood essential oil we are brought into the sacred remembrance of who we are beyond the veils of separation. Through the earthy tones of the cedar, a sense of home and family is experienced. To feel grounded and supported on this Earth body we ride is then the natural response—on a consciousness level—to working with cedarwood oil.
Physical & Spiritual Uses of Cedarwood Oil
Cedar is one of the oldest essential oils known to have been used therapeutically, as it is mentioned in various ancient texts such as the Bible and those in Egyptian mysticism (to name just a couple of places it shows up). It was used as an embalming agent as well as a healing balm for many things. One thing cedarwood shines at is strengthening hair and skin follicles. This is interesting to me and significant, as the hair and the skin are both part of a larger network of similar cells, working together for a common purpose—perfectly portraying the spiritual implications of using cedarwood in order to bring harmony and interconnectedness to the “group-mind”—therefore enhancing a sense of belonging.
In the body, the condition of arthritis or inflammation of the joints is one of the ailments for which cedarwood oil is specifically good to help alleviate. Consider how the joints sit as connecting points for the movement of the body, and for transitioning from one area of the body to another (such as leg to torso, torso to arm, etc.). Cedarwood, once again, shows the power it has to assist in strengthening connections—and in the case of the joints in the body, helping all the parts work together and feel like they belong to the wholeness that is you.
Other beneficial uses for cedarwood oil in the body are to assist the respiratory tract in functioning with health and ease. It helps to clear out excessive phlegm and relieve congestion and by effect, makes it easier to breathe. On a spiritual/metaphysical level, the scent of cedarwood oil likewise makes one feel more comfortable and “able to breathe” in the life they have chosen, or helps to assist the person to release those things which “make it harder to breathe” in their reality—resulting in healthy airspace and plenty of prana.
Sleep is another area where cedarwood oil shines. When insomnia or restless sleep conditions seem to be an issue, the oil of the great cedar helps to calm the nervous system and encourage the right brainwave states so as to enact sleep. By the same token, cedarwood oil can assist one’s consciousness in relaxing and harmonizing with the most conducive state of awareness necessary in the moment, in order to fully connect with life and come from a place of authenticity and grace.
My Personal Connection to Cedarwood
I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, strewn with many a cedar tree, so to me, the cedar is nothing short of the embodiment of one of the ancestors of old. These trees watch out for us; I have felt this very strongly in being with them. I sense the wisdom they carry and are willing to impart if we but lend an ear or heart to their massive and mighty trunks or lay under their shade and feel the pulse of their roots beneath us. Spending years playing under the cedars and within their care, I felt supremely connected to nature, and thereby also cultivated a deep sense of belonging to planet Earth and her beauty.
As adults, if we struggle with feeling a lack of community or support in life, I always suggest a walk in the woods to breathe in the cedar and meditate under the forest’s healing canopy.
The Power of Cedarwood Oil
There is nothing truly like the scent of cedarwood essential oil. It is the embrace of the mighty ones who came before us. It is the strength of generations of love and wisdom. Cedar is full of fragrant and potent oils for both healing and emotional support, and if we use the oils provided by this majestic tree, we too can be lifted up in the remembrance that we are not alone in this great big world and universe, and that in fact, we are part of the intricate synergetic network and ecosystem that is life.
Delve into your own personal experience with cedarwood essential oil through diffusing the oil, diluting it in a base oil and rubbing it on the bottoms of the feet or wrists, or through adding a few drops to a bath. You will open gateways which invite the sense of belonging and community which will then trickle out from your nourished field into the space of those with whom you come in contact, for when we resonate with love and togetherness and community, we draw it to us—and we are all the more enlivened and connected for it.
