Tree of Serenity ~ Cherry Wood

12-cherrywood-moon The energy of the Cherry Wood tree is soothing and calming. This is an essence that may balance feelings of shock, fear, fright or trauma. Cherry Wood unlocks the sense of being “frozen” in the trauma and so creates a safe and contained space for self-healing. Cherry Wood is a wonderfully comforting essence and can assist with gently reintegrating back into life after the trauma has passed.

Affirmation: The outer world reflects my inner Peace. I am Peace.

Corresponding Colour: Magenta

Cherrywood moon

Supportive Essence: the Hard pear may act as a supportive essence to the Cherry Wood essence, particularly if the Cherry Wood essence is being used to address a long-standing imbalance and an “awareness crisis” has arisen. An awareness crisis is an intensification of negative feelings or old patterns for which a flower essence was being taken. It is the soul’s way of calling our attention to these old blockages that need to be acknowledged, blessed and released.

Botanical Info

The Cherry Wood
Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus
Family: CELASTRACEAE

Learning about how this tree grows in nature brings further appreciation for its essence:

The Cherry Wood is a variable tree. In forests it can reach a lofty height of twenty metres and more; along the coast it tends to be low growing and sprawling in habit. At Platbos it occurs mostly on the forest edge as a small, bushy tree. The Cherry Wood tree is found throughout the Western Cape. The Cherry Wood bears sweetly scented, creamy flowers in spring. They appear as clusters of tiny stars along the young branches. These are followed by orange, three-pointed, waxy seed capsules. The foliage of the Cherry Wood is attractive – smooth, slightly rubbery, green-blue leaves and the branch tips are often tinged magenta.

The bark and leaves are rich in tannic acid and in the Clanwilliam district of the Western Cape, a tanning industry developed around the Cherry Woods there. The timber of this tree is heavy and hard, pink to dark red in colour and it has a beautiful ribbon-like grain. The wood has been used for flooring, veneers and paneling. Wind-fallen branches are gathered at Platbos and hand-made into unique and beautiful pendulums.

In the old days, the Bushmen used a wax obtained from the tree to attach their arrow heads to the shafts of their arrows. In a similar fashion, African warriors used a sticky resin that they extracted from the roots to fix the blades of assegais to the handles. Early Cape colonists, learning from the indigenous people of the area, used the branches and roots as torches because of the resin they contained. The other common name for the Cherry Wood tree, “Candle Wood”, reflects the light-bearing properties of this beautiful tree.

The tree has a number of traditional medicinal uses: it has been used to treat respiratory ailments, for purifying the blood and as an antidote to sorcery.

The Cherry Wood is a hardy and beautiful tree that is tolerant to frost, sea spray and wind and will grow under a wide variety of conditions.

Harvesting of any parts of a tree or plant must always be done in a kind, respectful and sustainable manner, and necessary permits obtained from the relevant authorities. Those purchasing natural plant remedies also have the responsibility to ensure that these products have been sustainably harvested as otherwise they too are contributing to the likely extinction of the plant and other animals in the ecosystem that rely upon it for their survival.

Read more feedback

The Cherry Wood essence has really helped me through a traumatic time!
Knowing you have breast cancer is quite a reality check but it was the 6 weeks of daily radiotherapy that really horrified me. The thought of nuking healthy cells too goes against everything I believe in. Initially I was very emotionally traumatised by that rush of yang energy of the treatment, but very soon, and I do believe with much help from the Cherry Wood and the positive visualisation it afforded me, I started to relax and was able to thank the radiotherapy for the good it was doing! At first, the improvement was emotional and mental, but as the weeks passed and I had my weekly checks by the oncologist, both the radiographers treating me and the onc started commenting on my very positive attitude, my energy and how well my skin was handling the usually damaging rays. And by the end of the 6 weeks my breast was showing almost no visual effect of the treatment! The expected “skin burn”, breast shrinkage and slight hardening just never happened! I was able to continue working full time and have an active social life without feeling exhausted. In fact, in the end, I sailed through something I had dreaded! I thank the Cherry Wood essence for soothing my shock and calming me to the point that very little physical or emotional trauma was evident and I know my energy was not as sapped as others on the same treatment. – Andrée

Melissa’s labor of love in bringing forth these unique thirteen African Tree Essences from a place of all our origins, is a veritable gift to the world of essences and to healing. They provide an important piece of the puzzle, and have become a valuable addition to my essence repertoire. America is still reverberating from the shock of 9/11 and the ensuing wars, and I am finding that the Cherry Wood and Spike Thorn are coming forward frequently to be used in my work. – Patricia Meyer, Flower Essence Practitioner and Teacher, USA

I took Cherry Wood the afternoon that I got the essences. During that night I had the most real dream that I was working again in the office that I left 9 years ago.

I woke up during the dream as I was crying real tears! My rational mind said “oh look there is stuff from work that you have not released and are doing it now” and I went back to sleep and went into the same “dream” again. It all ended with me realizing that I did not belong there and did not wish to be a part of what I was experiencing. So although I had thought there was no cellular memory of the hassles I had while I was working it must have been deep seated and the drops brought it out. So the African Tree Essences work not only on past life stuff but this life as well! Absolutely brilliant. – Jean, Energy Healer

My workshop went really well. In fact, it was exquisite and I linger in the afterglow still.
The cherry wood did exactly as promised, I felt grounded, solid, in power, clear headed with an acute capacity for discernment and my senses were wide open, receptive and attuned. I had energy that felt boundless and a sense of compassion and humour that was amplified beyond what I know as “normal”. All in all, a fantastic experience. – Jackie Plank, Clinical Psychologist

I use the cherry wood essence for stilling that nervous “butterflies” in the stomach feeling when giving a speech or interview. Public speaking has always been a challenge for me and of all the remedies that I have tried, the Cherry Wood essence has been most effective: A few drops, applied directly to where the nervousness is felt, clears it immediately. It brings calm and clear thinking so that you can deliver your message unhindered and actually enjoy the experience – Melissa Krige

Feedback on the Cherry Wood essence

The Cherry Wood releases old blockages and trauma accumulated over past lives which is blocked in the cell memory of the body. – Bram Zaalberg, Bloesem Remedies

I find the Cherry Wood very helpful – I am able to sleep at night and it calms me down. I will definitely recommend it. – Marie
(Marie had a very traumatic experience of being “Car-jacked”)

I have always suffered with headaches at night time – the Cherry Wood essence has taken care of all that – no more headaches and I sleep so well. This remedy has also cleared the abdominal pain left from after my miscarriage – my body now feels healed and “together” again. I am also feeling so much happier and lighter. – Monica

I use the Cherry Wood for one of my older horses who is very anxious and quite insecure. I recently moved stables and he coped extremely well, settling quickly, he has 10 drops in his water bucket at night. – Sam, horse owner.

We welcome your feedback on the African Tree Essences: if you would like to share your experiences about this essence, please contact us.

Feedback on the Cherry Wood essence

The Cherry Wood releases old blockages and trauma accumulated over past lives which is blocked in the cell memory of the body. – Bram Zaalberg, Bloesem Remedies

I find the Cherry Wood very helpful – I am able to sleep at night and it calms me down. I will definitely recommend it. – Marie
(Marie had a very traumatic experience of being “Car-jacked”)

I have always suffered with headaches at night time – the Cherry Wood essence has taken care of all that – no more headaches and I sleep so well. This remedy has also cleared the abdominal pain left from after my miscarriage – my body now feels healed and “together” again. I am also feeling so much happier and lighter. – Monica

I use the Cherry Wood for one of my older horses who is very anxious and quite insecure. I recently moved stables and he coped extremely well, settling quickly, he has 10 drops in his water bucket at night. – Sam, horse owner.

Read more feedback

The Cherry Wood essence has really helped me through a traumatic time!
Knowing you have breast cancer is quite a reality check but it was the 6 weeks of daily radiotherapy that really horrified me. The thought of nuking healthy cells too goes against everything I believe in. Initially I was very emotionally traumatised by that rush of yang energy of the treatment, but very soon, and I do believe with much help from the Cherry Wood and the positive visualisation it afforded me, I started to relax and was able to thank the radiotherapy for the good it was doing! At first, the improvement was emotional and mental, but as the weeks passed and I had my weekly checks by the oncologist, both the radiographers treating me and the onc started commenting on my very positive attitude, my energy and how well my skin was handling the usually damaging rays. And by the end of the 6 weeks my breast was showing almost no visual effect of the treatment! The expected “skin burn”, breast shrinkage and slight hardening just never happened! I was able to continue working full time and have an active social life without feeling exhausted. In fact, in the end, I sailed through something I had dreaded! I thank the Cherry Wood essence for soothing my shock and calming me to the point that very little physical or emotional trauma was evident and I know my energy was not as sapped as others on the same treatment. – Andrée

Melissa’s labor of love in bringing forth these unique thirteen African Tree Essences from a place of all our origins, is a veritable gift to the world of essences and to healing. They provide an important piece of the puzzle, and have become a valuable addition to my essence repertoire. America is still reverberating from the shock of 9/11 and the ensuing wars, and I am finding that the Cherry Wood and Spike Thorn are coming forward frequently to be used in my work. – Patricia Meyer, Flower Essence Practitioner and Teacher, USA

I took Cherry Wood the afternoon that I got the essences. During that night I had the most real dream that I was working again in the office that I left 9 years ago.

I woke up during the dream as I was crying real tears! My rational mind said “oh look there is stuff from work that you have not released and are doing it now” and I went back to sleep and went into the same “dream” again. It all ended with me realizing that I did not belong there and did not wish to be a part of what I was experiencing. So although I had thought there was no cellular memory of the hassles I had while I was working it must have been deep seated and the drops brought it out. So the African Tree Essences work not only on past life stuff but this life as well! Absolutely brilliant. – Jean, Energy Healer

My workshop went really well. In fact, it was exquisite and I linger in the afterglow still.
The cherry wood did exactly as promised, I felt grounded, solid, in power, clear headed with an acute capacity for discernment and my senses were wide open, receptive and attuned. I had energy that felt boundless and a sense of compassion and humour that was amplified beyond what I know as “normal”. All in all, a fantastic experience. – Jackie Plank, Clinical Psychologist

I use the cherry wood essence for stilling that nervous “butterflies” in the stomach feeling when giving a speech or interview. Public speaking has always been a challenge for me and of all the remedies that I have tried, the Cherry Wood essence has been most effective: A few drops, applied directly to where the nervousness is felt, clears it immediately. It brings calm and clear thinking so that you can deliver your message unhindered and actually enjoy the experience – Melissa Krige

We welcome your feedback on the African Tree Essences: if you would like to share your experiences about this essence, please contact us.

References for Botanical & Traditional Medicinal uses mentioned generally in text for Platbos Tree Species:
Moll, Eugene and Glen.1989 Struik Pocket Guide Common Trees of Southern Africa. Struik Publishers
Palgrave, Keith Coates 1984 Trees of Southern Africa (Second Revised Edition). Struik Publishers.
Palmer and Pitman. 1961 Trees of South Africa. Published by A A Balkema, Cape Town.
Pienaar, Kristo 1985 Grow South African Plants. Struik Publishers.
Schwegler, Mathia. 2003 Medicinal and Other Uses of Southern Overberg Fynbos Plants. Published by M. Schwegler, Farm Heidehof, Gansbaai
Van Wyk, Ben-Erik, Van Oudtshoorn, Bosch & Gericke, Nigel. 1997
Medicinal Plants of South Africa. Briza Publications
Van Wyk, Ben-Erik, Van Oudtshoorn, Bosch & Gericke, Nigel. 2000 People’s Plants of South Africa. Briza Publications.
Venter, Fanie & Julye-Ann. 1996 Making the Most of Indigenous Trees. Briza Publications.

Disclaimer:
The African Tree Essences products do not claim to cure, heal, alleviate or prevent any illness or medical condition. Flower essences work holistically at a vibrational level providing emotional and spiritual support. The use of these products and/or services is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment from a qualified healthcare professional.