Cinnamon

Cinnamon

If you've ever been to a pastry shop, you've probably smelled Cinnamon.  The strong, sweet aroma of cinnamon is often associated with the holidays when people make pies and pastries to take to the homes of friends and families.  Cinnamon scented candles, pink cones, oils, and brooms are sold at every craft store, sometimes all year round.  It is a scent, a flavor, and a color.  Cinnamon is so distinct its hard to go through life without being exposed to it at least once.

Cinnamon is a bark, specifically an inner bark.  It has a lot of mythological and religious history, even associated with Moses in the New Testament.  There are two kinds of cinnamon.  Cassia and Ceylon.  Ceylon is "true cinnamon" and has a more balanced flavor.  Cassia is sweeter but has a more acidic edge.  For magical uses, I suggest making sure you have Ceylon cinnamon.  The oils from it are stronger.  If using either of these for consumption, please keep in mind that too much of either can have negative effects on the body. A good rule of thumb is to not use more than you would use in a serving of a recipe, so break open your favorite desert cook book before deciding.

DISCLAIMER: If you plan on using cinnamon for any holistic remedy, make sure you speak to your doctor and you are not allergic.  Exercise extreme caution before making any plant a regular part of your every day, especially if you are using it to alleviate an illness.  Never use it in large doses and never jump right in to a daily regiment.  Start with twice a week and work up to daily.

Cinnamon has some fantastic holistic and magical uses.

Holistically cinnamon is used for:

-Regulating blood sugar (It has worked for me very well in the past, now with helping my Insulin Resistance, and in the past helping my hypoglycemia.)

-Kills food born microbes like e-coli.  Some people swear by using a few drops of cinnamon oil in a bottle of vinegar and lemon juice to disinfect their kitchen.) 

-Boosts memory and cognitive skills if used as an aromatherapy scent.  Put a few drops on an unscented candle, or in an oil diffuser.

- Defends against cancer - Have lots of garlic with dinner, and a cinnamonny dessert. I am on a strict low carb diet, so I sprinkle cinnamon on fresh fruit when I want to add kick to my cancer fighting regimen. 

-Bronchitis - Use as aromatherapy, or stir a stick of cinnamon in hot lemon-water and sip.

-Appetite loss - If you suffer from appetite loss and its effecting your health, try drinking some cinnamon water (prepared like above) or making lozenges using basic hard candy methods. Have a serving an hour before you want to eat, and you should have your apetite back!

-Colds - Apply diluted cinnamon oil (I use mineral oil to dilute) to your temples to help with symptoms of a head cold, and drink cinnamon tea for coughing and sore throats.

-fever - Consuming cinnamon seasoned foods or drinking cinnamon tea can help control a fever, but won't drop you down to the normal temp.  Remember, when you have a fever it means your body is fighting something off, so don't cram too many things in there or you'll just feel worst.

-Indigestion - I take cinnamon tablets if my stomach aches after a big meal, or eating spicy food.  Works like a charm.

-Soar Throat - Good old cinnamon lemon tea.  Its a staple for any household during cold and flu season.

-Infections - Apply a compress using a clean towel soaked in cinnamon tea to the infected area between bandaging. 

-Tumors - I don't know how this works, personally, but I suppose like with cancer, consuming cinnamon can alleviate and help avoid tumors. 

-Heart Problems -  Because it helps regulate digestion and blood sugar, cinnamon can help with heart problems since many heart problems are exacerbated by these other issues. 

-Dental Pain - swish lukewarm cinnamon tea around in your mouth like mouth wash to help with minor pain like gum pain after a cleaning, or a toothache. 

-Urinary tract issues - Make a pot of cinnamon tea, about one 4"-6" stick per 2C of water.  Boil until the water is reduced by about 1/3 and water has taken on color.  Drink throughout the day, diluting it as you drink it.  1C water to 1C tea.

Chewing on a cinnamon stick can help you quit smoking as well.

Magically Cinnamon is used for:

-Purification - Hand cinnamon sticks over your sacred space, or use a besom with cinnamon in the handle and bristles to sweep away negativity before ritual.

-Focus and concentration (Good for long term spells) - Use one in spellwork and make it in to a talisman. Because its hearty like other woody plants, you can carry it around and it is unlikely to break (unless you feel the spell has been successful, then it'll probably break as a sign!).

-Divination - Swirl ground cinnamon in water and look for shapes.  Sprinkle cinnamon water around your space, burn a cinnamon candle, or add cinnamon leaves when reading tea leaves. 

-Peacefulness - Cinnamon candles help clear your mind and open you up to the messages from the Divine.  

-Prosperity - Keep cinnamon near your checkbook as a charm against overspending.

-Love - Cinnamon, in any form, is an aphrodisiac, and using it will light the fires of passion and attract true love.

Cinnamon Love Spell

Items you will need

§  Cinnamon

§  pink or red string

§  candle(optional)

Pick up the cinnamon and say ''scent familliar, love true,bend -------'s heart threefold rule!'' then pick up the string and say ''with this thread/yarn i tie this love so true''

wrap the string around the cinnamon three times, tie it and state, ''it is my will, so shall it be!'' keep the cinnamon on your altar with the string still on and keep it as is untill it starts to show results. Be pationt as it may take a while, and sometimes it isn't meant to be.  Don't push it.  This spell invokes the threefold rule, meaning you understand that you are attempting to press your will upon another, and it might backfire if there is no ember from which to stoke the flame of love.

Scandinavian Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

4 c unsifted flour

1 tsp. salt

1/4 c sugar

1 c soft margarine or butter

1 pkg. active dry yeast

1/4 c very warm water

3 egg yolks, beaten

1 c lukewarm milk, scalded, then cooled

1/4 c sugar

3/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Add flour, salt and sugar in large bowl; cut in margarine until mixture looks like meal. Dissolve yeast in very warm water; add to flour mixture along with egg yolks and cooled milk. Beat well. chill in refrigerator overnight. In morning, divide dough in half; roll out each piece into 12 x 10-inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter or oleo; sprinkle with mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Roll up as for jelly roll. Cut each piece into 1-inch slices to make 12 rolls. Place on greased cookie sheet. Roll out second piece same way. Cover with waxed paper. Let rise in warm place 1 hour. Rolls will rise slightly and look light.Bake in 375 degree F. oven. Frost with powdered sugar icing.

Note: Doesn't say how long to bake, so you'll just have to watch them

Important links:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Cinnamon---A-Natural-Holistic-Source-of-Health&id=1859451

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/herbalism/96147

http://www.ehow.com/list_6860048_magical-uses-cinnamon-sticks.html

http://recipes.epicurean.com/recipe/1725/scandinavian-cinnamon-rolls.html