Canadian Cedar Leaf Essential Oil

I am the heat of your hearth on the cold winter nights, the friendly shade screening you from summer sun, and the dancing bows that capture your imagination. I am the beam that holds your house, the board of your table, and the roof that shelters you from rain. I am the handle of your shovel, the bark of your basket, and the hull of your canoe. I am the medicine that heals you, the incense that carries your prayers, and tea that is used to cleanse your home. I am the wood of your cradle and the shell of your coffin. I am the breath of kindness and the flower of beauty. “Ye who pass by me, listen to my prayer:  Harm me not.” ~ “Prayer of the Woods,” a Portuguese forest preservation prayer that has been used for more than 1,000 years.  Author unknown

Arborvitae, Cedar, Eastern Arborvitae, Eastern Thuja, Northern White Cedar Eastern White Cedar, commonly called just plain “Cedar”, grows in a variety of locations that we humans might call “stressful”. It loves to grow up from cracks in rocks, on pavements, and in swamps. Cedar leaf is used for respiratory tract infections such as bronchitis, bacterial skin infections, and cold sores. It is also used for painful conditions including osteoarthritis, rheumatism, cough, tuberculosis, and fevers.

Salish names for Western red cedar include “Long Life Giver”, “Rich Woman Maker” and “Mother.” Northwest Coastal Native People have artfully fashioned grand longhouses, swift and rot-resistant canoes, durable clothing, watertight baskets, cordage, tools, art, medicine, and many other things from cedar. It made possible the rich culture and historic wealth of Northwest Coastal Indian People through providing for them from birth to death. The pitch was used as chewing gum. The leaves make wonderful incense and are used in smudging for purification. Some tribes have used parts of cedar to bring on menstruation and for birth control, but this knowledge is highly protected.

This cedar leaf will take right into the damp rainforest with it’s intensely sharp and fresh with a woody camphor scent.

Due to the presence of thujone in this oil, please consult a physician prior to using it. Dilute before use; for external use only. May cause skin irritation in some individuals; a skin test is recommended prior to use. Contact with eyes should be avoided. This oil is listed as an abortifacient (a drug or agent causing abortion). Do not use during pregnancy.

This is the cedar leaf essential oil we use in our creations, specifically in our most sought after Forest Bathing line, as well as the same cedar we harvest ourselves for our herbal smoke bundles. Sustainably Canadian forest wildcrafted, small batch steam distilled.

5ml amber glass apothecary dropper bottle