For today's journal post, I highly recommend checking out our entry titled “Water in Spellwork”, which has some excellent information in it, especially if you are in need of a good jumping off point for this latest topic. This latest entry is more procedural if anything and is mainly a basis for where you can begin your own practices in order to gain the most healing/cleansing effects during your baths. So, without further ado, let’s get into it!
Why take a specially concocted bath in the first place:
This may seem off topic, but I assure you it’s really not, for those of you who have seen the animated film Spirited Away (and minor spoilers for those who haven’t) the reason for taking a magic bath is very similar to the reason for cleaning the stink spirit that shows up halfway through the movie. When the spirit first appears at the bath house it was covered in a nasty toxic sludge due to polluted waste, and when it was finally cleaned/purified it revealed its true form which was that of a very powerful river god. I bring this up because that is the exact reason magic baths should enter your repertoire if they haven't already. In our day to day lives we can all become weighed down by outside forces, whether they be toxic environments, people, or events our bodies being the physical and spiritual sponges that they are will often soak up the energy of their immediate environment. When this occurs, we may feel fatigued, anxious, or depressed, which leaves our spiritual aura more susceptible to negative vibrations.
So of course, we can take a magic bath to cleanse our bodies and banish residual or static energy that we feel may be clouding our person, or we can bathe to enhance or illuminate certain properties within ourselves. It’s not an uncommon practice for people to program their baths with the sole intention of enhancing their own beauty or to amplify certain psychic abilities. As you can see the reasoning for taking a magical bath are endless and is more so dependent upon what it is you need/are looking to gain.
Clean the Tub (No really, clean it):
Cleanliness is next to godliness, and it is especially so when concocting a magical bath, and a clean tub with no grime, dirt, hair, or gunk is a must. In this case scenario the bath is the canvas or the vessel in which your spell will be housed so making sure it’s clean especially if you're going to be adding ingredients like flowers, herbs, Epsom salts, and oils is crucial.
Preparing the Ingredients & Setting the Mood:
You don’t necessarily need any special ingredients to take a magic bath. Sometimes speaking your intent into the water is enough to activate its healing properties but like anything, specially curated ingredients can help give your bath the extra oomph it needs as well as help set the mood. For me my most key ingredient in any magic bath I take is Epsom salt. Epsom salt isn’t just for soothing tired aching muscles, it also has incredibly purifying properties due to the crystalline nature of salt itself.
You’ve also probably seen those instagramable/pinterest worthy baths, the ones filled with soothing candles, crystals, and a tub filled to the brim with aesthetically appealing flowers. These kinds of baths aren’t just for decorative or ornamental value as having an organized and visually appealing space i.e., candles, crystals, wine, or a nice book really can set the tone for a good bath especially if you are focusing on bringing in more self-love.
I’d also like to take the time to list some of my favorite kinds of baths to take as well as some of the ingredients you can use to help amplify them unless you go to an herb store that specializes in curating a wide array of ingredients, I’ve pared this list down to items that you can easily retrieve at a grocery store with a few ingredients that you may need to hunt down. I’m also listing the properties of each ingredient so that you can understand how they’ll aid you.
Psychic/ Dream Bath for Deeper Sleep:
- Epsom salt- Cleansing, purifying
- Lavender sprigs dried or fresh- love, peace, sleep
- Dried chamomile-luck, positivity, calming, sleep
- Rose petals- love, romance, passion
Self-Love Bath for Healing & Nourishment:
- Pink Himalayan Epsom salt- cleansing, purifying, balancing
- Pink rose petals- beauty, femininity, appreciation
- Geranium essential oil- fertility, protection
- Sliced Oranges- love, lucky, prosperity
- Sliced Lemons- purifying, cleansing
Uncrossing and Banishing Bath for Dispelling Negative Energy:
- Epsom salt black or white- black salt is used for warding
- Finely ground coffee beans- warding, uncrossing
- Dried or fresh rosemary- protection
- Sliced lemons- purifying, cleansing
- Sage dried or fresh- protection, cleansing
Courage Bath to Instill Confidence and Vitality:
- Dried or fresh ginger sliced or minced- courage, passion, vitality
- Sliced Oranges- love, luck, prosperity
- Cloves ground or crushed finely- positivity, luck
- A PINCH of ground cinnamon (use sparingly cinnamon can irritate those with sensitive skin)- prosperity, passion, luck
These are just a few of my quick and dirty favorites that usually require one or two trips to a natural grocer and for those who don’t have easy access or don’t feel like ordering certain ingredients from an herb shop for items like dried chamomile or lavender, you can use and cut open tea bags to add to a bath in a pinch.
How Many times should I take a magic bath?
As many times as you feel necessary. You can take one weekly, every other week, or once a month, but in all honesty, I recommend taking at least one weekly, especially on Sundays. It’s also highly beneficial to think of washing up during a new moon or a full moon using the energy of the lunar cycles to imbue your baths with power.
Conclusion:
Water is a basic elemental tool that can be used to cleanse and enhance certain properties and by soaking in well curated bath full of the proper ingredients and finely tuned intentions we can soak our physical and spiritual vessels in the healing water which harkens back to the time where we were safely nourished in our mother’s womb. To me the bath is a sacred place in which we can wash away the stress and remove excess energy to reveal a lighter, brighter, sense of self. It also matters not if your bath is filled to the brim with delicate flowers and dancing candlelight so much as taking the time to speak to the bath and program it with your desires.
