Life Lessons from Cinnamon
Five Keys to Emotional Breakthroughs
Our gardens teach us many life lessons. At its core, gardening is an act of faith. We select seeds that intrigue us, give them a cozy and spacious space in nutrient-rich soil, and carefully nourish them with water and sunlight.
Sometimes, we get what we hope for, and other times we're disappointed. Some seeds mature but aren't edible. Often, the weather didn't get the memo about our plans, or hungry scavengers and critters decided they had first dibs. Still, others grow perfectly, but we don't harvest them in time, and they spoil.
The seasons of our lives and relationships are pretty similar.
After over 20 years in a partnership, two people can grow apart and call it quits. We can get our dream job and find out that our boss is a sadistic sociopath. Yup, I know the one. Sometimes, we have been careless and have to live with the consequences. I know that one, too.
So, what do we do when the things we've planned, hoped for, and prayed about don't work out? How do we stop scars from forming that prevent us from trying again or sabotaging our plans?
When I learned more about cinnamon, I saw answers to these questions, with lessons for emotional healing and resilience-building. I call it "cinnamon therapy."
As an herbalist, I love learning about the characteristics of an herb, and each one blesses me with invaluable insights. Cinnamon is fascinating. Most of us know it and have reasons for enjoying it. Its aroma in our tea, baked bread, or apple pie takes us to a happy place. In savory dishes like masala and curries, it is divine. For thousands of years, in every part of the globe, it has been in medicine, perfume, currency, dye, preservatives, and more. This is why cinnamon was worth more than gold for centuries.
Yet, the way it grows and is used offers helpful insights into how we can heal our emotions naturally.
1. Address it early.
When a cinnamon tree is three or four years old, the bark is ready to be harvested. It is stripped during the rainy season because the bark is easier to remove when wet.
Life lesson: It is best to address relationship challenges early and at a time likely to produce a positive result. Distance grows in silence, and the longer the problem lingers, the longer it takes to resolve it.
2. Seek understanding.
There are over 100 different types of cinnamon trees. Most of what we buy in stores is cinnamon cassia because it's a cheaper option for retailers. While cassia works well for cooking, it is not best for herbal medicine. Why? Because it has more coumarins, which can thin the blood when consuming more than a teaspoon. So, cinnamomum ceylon or verum is used medicinally.
Life lesson: When we seek more information with the goal of learning, our curiosity opens the door to seeing the situation and our role in it differently. In our gardens, we search for potential causes when things go wrong. Similarly, in our relationships, searching objectively for facts leads to a balanced perspective.
3. Stay humble.
Cinnamon is mentioned in the Bible often. Its warming, sultry nature is mentioned in Song of Solomon and Revelation. In Exodus, cinnamon is one of five herbs in the holy anointing oil. Interestingly, cinnamon is between myrrh, an extremely bitter herb, and calamus, which grows in the mud and is ready to harvest when it's bent over. Symbolically, cinnamon is the sweetness that balances what's bitter and paves the way to humility.
Life lesson: Humility is being willing to put others before ourselves - admitting when we aren't right and when we believe we are, creating room for another opinion to be valid as well. It prioritizes peace over judgment and what matters most in the long run. Maintaining a humble mindset can be hard to do in the moment, but it can be what you look back on and appreciate the most.
4. Shift your focus.
While cinnamon has many incredible medicinal benefits, it is not the best choice for everyone. People with liver problems or who take blood thinners should consider choosing another herb to use medicinally, given concerns about coumarins. Also, since it warms the body, consuming cinnamon daily can be uncomfortable if you run hot or live in a warmer climate.
Life Lesson: Some things just aren't right for us. Maybe gardening isn't for you, or a relationship or job isn't meant to be right now. After we have addressed our concerns and sought the truth with humility, the answer becomes clear.
5. Be grateful.
The medicinal value of cinnamon makes it a staple on herbalist's shelves and gives us many reasons to be grateful. It is classified as a digestive stimulant, increasing circulation and digestion. This is why cinnamon helps with gas, cramps, stomachaches, and constipation. Since it's warming and improves circulation, cinnamon is excellent for cold hands and feet. It is also an antioxidant, decreases inflammation, and relaxes muscles. Cinnamon is also well known for reducing blood glucose and cholesterol. In addition, its volatile oil is antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal. (Sidebar: cinnamon essential oil is lovely to add to your infuser to help purify the air and receive its benefits by inhalation.)
Life lesson: Whether it's memories that make us smile or insights from honest reflection, every challenge can be positive and transformative. It's a gift to see what we can build on and what should be pruned. If it's time to move on, cinnamon teaches us that when we are grateful for what was good and the lessons learned, we are emotionally free to focus on what's next.
You can visit eden’s leaves website to see our herbalist-crafted, organic herbal products with cinnamon that are always made with love.
Kim Violet is a mom, wife, herbalist, and the founder of Eden's Leaves, an herbal products company with medicinal blends for immunity and emotional wellness. She studies, writes, and teaches about herbal medicine. She is also the founder of Simply Brilliant, a consulting practice for organizations creating the world we want to leave for our great-grandchildren.