Cinnamon

Cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka and India. It is the inner bark harvested from trees in the Cinnamomum species. It is then dried and crushed into the powder we know and love to use in our baking. Shavings of the inner bark are wrapped together to dry, forming the curled sticks we’re familiar with.

Of the four common varieties of Cinnamon, the most popular in the US is Cassia Cinnamon which has a dark reddish color and thick curls. It typically has a stronger and more bitter flavor than other varieties. If you’re looking to step up your cinnamon game try sticks of Ceylon Cinnamon– known as true cinnamon, which has a lighter color, softer texture, and a more complex quality to its flavor than other varieties. You can crush or blend these to a powder to use.

Cinnamon was traded on the Silk Road first through Egypt and Asia and then on to Europe. It was such a valuable resource that Pliny the Elder recorded that in 1 CE Cinnamon was worth 15 times the value of silver. The Portuguese, Dutch, French and English all took turns seizing the island of Ceylon in attempts to control the market and steal the resources. By the mid-1800s Cinnamon became cheaper and more accessible as it became cultivated in tropical areas

As a stimulant, cinnamon moves energy through the body helping with arthritis, colds and flu, infections, & excess gas and many other problems. Cinnamon is: anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-viral, and anti-microbial.

Terpene is a popular word in plant medicine right now. Did you know that terpenes are found in nearly all plants? They are naturally occurring chemical compounds that produce the taste, smell, and often medicinal qualities in plants. Cinnamon contains the terpenes: linalool, pinene, and eucalyptol.

Ingredients: 2c water, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1T cloves, 1T peppermint, 2t salt.

Instructions: add cinnamon, cloves, peppermint, and salt to a 2 cup jar. Fill the jar with boiling water, cover and let sit until cool. Strain plant material out and rebottle. Can stay on counter for up to 3 weeks

Cinnamon is said to have masculine energy, it is ruled by the sun, and is a fire element. It has spiritual associations with abundance, love, health, protection, purification, and psychic connection

A few simple ways to bring the magic of cinnamon into your spiritual practices are: rub it on money or documents (like contracts or lottery cards) to attract prosperity and wealth to you. Consume it in teas and food remembering the properties you want to bring into your life. Or burn a cinnamon stick as incense (it has been used as incense in many religious traditions throughout history).

To set an intention and bring abundance at the start of a new cycle (like a new moon, new month, new job) simply put a small amount of cinnamon in the palm of your hand, stand outside and blow it towards your front door while thinking of what you want to bring in. You can also blow it on your resume, at your office or wherever you want to bring that energy.