Cedar is a tree highly valued for its aromatic wood, which has been used for practical, medicinal, and spiritual purposes throughout history. Its wood, chips, and essential oil are commonly used in rituals and spells, while its fragrance and extracts are also appreciated for their healing and protective qualities.
Video Lesson: Cedar Magical Properties
Placing a small piece of cedarwood or a sachet of cedar chips under the pillow can promote restful sleep and ward off nightmares. Its calming scent can also enhance meditation and support clearer visualization by grounding the mind and opening intuitive pathways.
Uses of Cedar in Witchcraft
Cedar is used to protect homes and sacred spaces from negative forces, often burned as incense or placed at doorways to ward off harmful energies. Cedar chips or tips can also be added to spell jars, where they reinforce protective intentions and help seal the spell against outside interference.
It is also used to purify the body and spirit, bringing strength, resilience, and grounding during times of uncertainty. Another common use of cedar in witchcraft is to cleanse ritual tools and altars, ensuring they remain free of stagnant or unwanted energies.
A recommended practice is to carry a small cedar charm or wear cedar oil for personal protection and spiritual clarity throughout the day.
Cedar has long been used in talismans for protection, with small pieces of its wood carried to guard against negativity and ill intent. Placing cedar chips in a charm bag or wearing cedar beads is believed to create a powerful shield that wards off spiritual harm. In many traditions, cedar is also kept at doorways or windows as a natural guardian, ensuring safety and strength for those within.
Cedar is especially honored at Yule, when evergreens symbolize endurance and the promise of renewal during the darkest time of the year.
Spells with Cedar and Cedarwood oil
Precautions:
- Cedarwood essential oil is potent. Always dilute in a carrier oil before topical application.
- Some people may have skin irritation or allergic reaction. Test a small patch first.
- Avoid use of undiluted cedarwood oil in sensitive skin or mucous membranes.
- Use with caution during pregnancy; there is limited data on safety in pregnancy.
- Avoid internal ingestion unless under supervision of a healthcare professional, since oils can be toxic in high doses.
Printable: Magical Uses of Cedar
Transcription of the video
The Latin (botanical) name for cedarwood depends on the species. Two common ones are Cedrus atlantica (Atlas cedar) and Cedrus deodara (Deodar cedar). “Cedar” has been revered since antiquity: Biblical cedar (often Cedrus libani) was prized for its durability, fragrance, and sacred wood. In many cultures cedarwood was used in temples, for incense, for protective talismans. The wood is aromatic, rich brown, often with a resinous, warm and slightly spicy‐woody scent. Cedar trees tend to be tall conifers with dark evergreen needles and stout trunks. Cedarwood essential oil (distilled from wood or sawdust) is relatively easy to obtain and has a long history of both magical and practical uses.
Magickal Properties of Cedar
Protection
Cedarwood is deeply associated with protection. Across many traditions, burning cedarwood in the home or placing cedar chips or wood inside doorways or windowsills is believed to ward off evil spirits, negative forces, and unwanted energies. Its strong, grounding aroma is thought to create a shield around the aura.
Grounding & Strength
Because cedarwood grows into massive, enduring trees, it is used magickally to instill inner strength, resilience, and stability. Practitioners might carry small pieces of cedar or wear cedarwood oil to feel more centered, grounded, or steady especially in times of stress.
Cleansing & Sacred Space
The fragrance of cedarwood is often used in incense or smudging rituals to cleanse a space, purify objects, or consecrate altars. Cedar incense or oil is believed to clear away stagnant energy, refresh the spirit, and sanctify sacred space.
Medicinal Properties of Cedar
Antimicrobial & Antifungal Activity
Cedarwood (especially Cedrus atlantica essential oil) has been shown in lab studies to inhibit growth of multiple bacteria and fungi. In a recent study, Cedrus atlantica oils showed strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and antifungal activity in vitro. MDPI
Anti-Inflammatory & Antioxidant Effects
Studies have found that cedarwood essential oil exhibits both anti-inflammatory activity (reducing inflammatory markers) and antioxidant effects (scavenging free radicals). For instance, emulsified cedarwood oil preparations showed increased antioxidant power compared to non-emulsified oil. PubMed
Sedative / Relaxation Aid
Animal studies have found that inhaling components of cedarwood oil, such as cedrol, produces sedative effects: helping with sleep, calming restlessness, and reducing anxious behavior. WebMD
CONTRAINDICATIONS
- Cedarwood essential oil is potent. Always dilute in a carrier oil before topical application.
- Some people may have skin irritation or allergic reaction. Test a small patch first.
- Avoid use of undiluted cedarwood oil in sensitive skin or mucous membranes.
- Use with caution during pregnancy; there is limited data on safety in pregnancy.
- Avoid internal ingestion unless under supervision of a healthcare professional, since oils can be toxic in high doses.
Cedarwood Correspondences
