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, spacious home 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 doesn't get the memo about our plans, or hungry scavengers and critters decide they have 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 quite similar.
After more than 20 years in a partnership, two people can grow apart and call it quits. We can land our dream job and discover that our boss is a sadistic sociopath. Yup, I know the one. Sometimes we are 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 for don't work out? How do we keep scars from forming that keep us from trying again or sabotage our plans?
When I learned more about cinnamon, I found answers to these questions and 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 to enjoy 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, across the globe, it has been used 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 naturally heal our emotions.
1. Address it early.
When a cinnamon tree is three or four years old, its bark is ready for harvest. It is stripped during the rainy season because the bark is easier to remove when it is wet.
Life lesson: It is best to address relationship challenges early, at a time likely to produce a positive outcome. Distance grows in silence, and the longer the problem lingers, the longer it takes to resolve.
2. Seek understanding.
There are over 100 different types of cinnamon trees. Most of what we buy in stores is cassia cinnamon 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 more than a teaspoon is consumed. So, Cinnamomum verum (Ceylon cinnamon) is used medicinally.
Life lesson: When we seek more information to learn, our curiosity opens the door to seeing the situation and our role in it differently. In our gardens, we look 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 often mentioned in the Bible. Its warming, sultry nature appears in the Song of Solomon and Revelation. In Exodus, cinnamon is one of five herbs in the holy anointing oil. Interestingly, cinnamon is placed 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 means 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 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 those taking blood thinners should consider using another herb medicinally, given concerns about coumarins. Also, since it warms the body, daily consumption 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 a job isn't meant to be right now. After we address our concerns and seek the truth with humility, the answer becomes clear.
5. Be grateful.
The medicinal value of cinnamon makes it a staple on herbalists' 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. Because it's warming and improves circulation, cinnamon is excellent for cold hands and feet. It is also an antioxidant, reduces inflammation, and relaxes muscles. Cinnamon is 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 for the lessons learned, we are emotionally free to focus on what's next.
