Ritual Bath 2

A little while I wrote about Ritual Baths and gave an example of the one I did for my First Degree Course for WitchSchool. The following is another example for yet another Witch School class - Living the Wiccan Life.

While the bath for First Degree is for releasing the past, the bath for Living the Wiccan Life is for purification and is more of an "in general" use.
The lessons teaches that ritual baths "removes negativity from you on all levels. It can energize you, and increase your psychic awareness and ability."
This ritual bath exercise too uses herbs and asks that you choose from a list and pick at least one purifying herb and combine it with at least one other mentioned.

The purification herbs listed at Burdock, Lavender and Dandelion Leaf.
Other herbs listed are:
Cinnamon to raise spiritual vibrations
Jasmine to promote psychic ability
Peppermint to increase psychic ability
Red rose petals which are sacred to the Goddess and promote clairvoyance and happiness.

I do disagree with the inclusion of cinnamon as it can be very irritating in a bath.
The lesson even recommends using essential oils instead of herbs if must and, thought it does warn that peppermint and cinnamon can be irritating to skin, it does not include that the essential oils should be diluted in a carrier oil and that cinnamon oil can actually cause burns on the skin.

Other than that, the herbs listed are great and easily obtainable for the most part at health food stores, supermarkets and in fresh, dried or tea forms.

I chose Lavender and Rose as well as Chamomile which was not listed to aid Lavender's soothing powers.
I did light a few white tea lights to set around the tub and some lavender e.o in a nearby oil burner.

Ritual Bath

In the months and year to come I will be taking a few courses on spirituality and healing/herbalism.

One of these courses is the First Degree course for Witch School. The first lesson in this degree involves a bath as the spell of the month. Sounds simple enough except when you get into the spell, it involves reviewing and releasing all the painful memories of the past. 

That being said, the spell does involve some herbs. 

In the bath or in a cheesecloth (like a tea bag) I'm asked to add a handful each of Rosemary, Sage and Sea Salt. 

Rosemary:

A sun-related masculine herb with the element of fire.

Energies include cleansing and purification as well as protection. 

This is also a great herb for mental clarity.

Used for kitchen witchery as well as ritual magic, this is also a great herb for the garden or a small potted plant. 

Other purposes- rosemary is used in incense, dream pillows, to asperge a ritual space with holy water, and was even used in wedding garlands in the past. 

On a more personal note - Rosemary was one of the herbs in the bath mix i was given for my first less on with Herbal Healer Academy. I find it suiting that it is another rosemary bath that starts me on this first degree course. 

Sage

Another masculine herb, sage has the properties of Air and is associated with Jupiter. 

Energies include purification, healing, mental clarity and amplification, and prosperity.

Sage can even be used to contact spirit guides and expand the self to reach the Higher Self. 

I am most used to using Sage as a smudging stick for ritual cleansing of a space or a person and I believe that this use most reflects is Air-like quality. 

Salt

While not an herb, salt is used in all forms of magick form High Ritual to low garden or kitchen witchery. 

Today we have access to all kinds of salt from Pink Himalayan (my personal favorite) to black to white flaky sea salt. 

For this bath purpose course sea salt or even bath salts can be used. 

Its always best to make your own ritual tools, including herbal blends, but if you wanted something ready to go, there are many stores online and off that offer a variety of herbal bath salt blends for various purposes. 

This Wicca Ritual Cleansing Bath Salt is made with quartz crystal (which you can easily add to your own bath mix if using a tea ball or cheesecloth). This particular blend was mixed on a Full Moon during a "Raging" storm, so it will also hold that powerful energy amplified by the crystals. 

Buy at The Witches Corner on Etsy

This beautiful blend I could not describe better than the words on the website so I will simply share them here with you:

"This is the "healed" blend of exclusive Sage Goddess bath salts, designed to facilitate physical and emotional wellness through purification and detoxification. This mixture of pure essential oils and organic herbs will encourage you to breathe deeply and clearly...

The mint leaves (spearmint and peppermint) are organic. The four essential oils in my blend - a mixture of rosemary, peppermint, and ruby grapefruit - are organic and pure. A combination of sea and dead salt provides texture and softens skin.

I package the salt mixture with one piece of bloodstone, which you can see in the photo; all salts are smudged with sage before shipping. My intention is that when you open the package, you will feel instantly at peace, ready to clear your mind and body of whatever illness or unwell sensations you have. Let go of what does not serve."

You can buy this exquisite blend at The Sage Goddess on Etsy

This collection of bath salts use herbs, resins and essential oils and are made individuality so that you can decide on just one herbal energy or a few to blend yourself to your discretion. 

Currently available are Dragons Blood, Lemongrass Sage, Hyssop (another clarifying herb), and the aforementioned Rosemary. 

Plus, they're available in these darling apothecary jars that I love. 

You can purchase these salts at Findias Emporium on Etsy.








*Magickal properties of herbs found in Scott Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs