Cedar: Magical Properties & Uses

Cedar is the herb of purification, protection, and the presence of the divine: particularly for clearings that address accumulated heaviness rather than a single incident. It is particularly good for new homes, spaces that have changed hands after difficulty, and places where the air simply feels old and weighted. In indigenous North American practice it is used in sweat lodge and smudging ceremonies for this sustained clearing quality. In the Mediterranean tradition it is appropriate for solar deities and for workings requiring the weight and authority of ancient precedent. Cedar chips in sachets protect stored items; cedar wood in the apothecary keeps moths away.

Multiple tree species are sold as cedar, with distinct properties. The essential oil from Juniperus virginiana (eastern red cedar) has demonstrated insect-repellent, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties. Cedar wood's natural resistance to insects and decay has made it a standard material for storage chests for centuries. In traditional medicine various cedar species have been used for respiratory conditions and skin complaints. The oil of Thuja species contains thujone and should not be ingested. Western red cedar (Thuja plicata) essential oil should be used with particular caution.

Osiris, Wotan, the Green Man

Ancient, evergreen, and fragrant of both temple and forest: cedar smoke is the breath of the old gods of Lebanon and the cleansing wind of the indigenous peoples of North America. The Cedars of Lebanon are named throughout the Old Testament as the supreme building material of the ancient Near East; Solomon's temple was built from them. The Epic of Gilgamesh (the oldest surviving literary epic) begins with the felling of the cedar forest as an act of heroic transgression. The indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest held cedar as the tree of life, providing material for houses, canoes, clothing, and ceremony. Two distinct trees share the name and the magical tradition: Cedrus libani of the Mediterranean and Thuja plicata of the Pacific Northwest.