In various cultures around the world, juniper has been known as a protector tree. Throughout its mythology, it is found protecting travelers and sheltering people in danger. In the Biblical story, during their escape to Egypt, Jesus and his family hid under a juniper tree when King Herod’s soldiers pursued them. And, in the Old Testament, when the prophet Elijah fled Queen Jezebel, it was a mystical juniper tree that safeguarded and hid him, keeping him safe while he rested in preparation to cross the desert to Mount Sinai.

Native Americans and Tibetans have used juniper incense in ceremonies and as traditional medicine for millennia. It has been widely burned since antiquity as a fumigant to stave off viruses and plagues of sickness all over the Mediterranean and surrounding regions. It has also been a symbol of strength, fertility, and longevity for centuries.