Self Cleansing Ritual in Water and Botanicals

[Celtaur]

There's nothing more important than taking care of yourself. If you lose yourself, you have nothing to give and nothing to create from. The less of yourself you have collected and balanced, the less you have to harmoniously bring forth from your deeper self.

To connect to the spirit it is important to take time to oneself among the busy days and release the clutter in our minds. Having a bath with the intention set to relax the body and clear the mind will allow inspiration and magick to flow.

Tools:

Botanicals: The magic of nature can assist us in entering a closer bond with spirit. By breathing in deeply the scents of real nature, we connect to the earth and life itself. Plants are of the most spiritual and peaceful manifestations on earth and in working with them our lives become more filled with this peacefulness. Plants carry life energy and have a high energetic vibration, they sustain life, and are at the roots of all living things.

Candles: Natural light is calming to the mind and spirit and is said to draw spiritual energy. Candles are used in many world traditions to connect with divinity.


Directions:
Prepare all items you will need before and after your bath including towels, robes, slippers, etc. so your mind can be at ease knowing you haven’t forgotten anything. To keep your mind in the moment and from being disrupted you may wish to turn on some soothing music or have the hum of the fan drown out any sounds outside the bathroom.

Run your bath water and imagine or visualize the magic of water flowing into your tub. That it is liquid crystal at this warm temperature (at 0 degrees Celsius water is in it’s crystal form of ice).

Realize that the atoms in this water are the same as the atoms in your body and as the 80% water your body contains, pure energy. This liquid crystal flows through your body and gives you the ability to live.

Add your botanical oils to the water. The air will fill with the magical and healing influences of these botanicals for you to breathe, and the water will carry the botanicals to flow around you and permeate your being.

As you lay in the bath, relax, breathe and with your eyes slightly open imagine and see the energy flowing all around you. With your third eye centre you can visualize and know that all the energy inside and outside you is of the same source.

When you feel relaxed connect to any expression of a spiritual nature that you feel most comfortable with either through prayer, meditation, guided visualizations, chanting, or toning. Breathe deeply and in a relaxed manner the scents of plants will infuse your body, mind and spirit with the magic of nature.

According to your intention keep focused. If your intention is for healing with energy stay in the moment, visualize and feel the connection to spirit that this moment gives. If your intention is to rid yourself of negative energy and influences keep focused on what you would like to see as a good outcome of change to your situation. With each breath, breathe in new energy, and breathe out stagnation, stress, and tension.

Wash at the end of your bathing experience and visualize any negative energies being removed and positive energies radiating from your being. When you drain the tub know that the negative influences are flowing back to the earth to be purified and the water will enter its cycle of energy flow from ground to plant to sky to raindrops and back to earth again. You can further cleanse your energies by showering, allowing the waterfall to refresh you.

After, you will radiate positive energy from your being. When you step out of the washroom you are a renewed person in a new world.

You may have moments of inspiration, write them in your journal as part of your progress on your spiritual journey.

This type of bath should be done whenever you feel the need to regenerate your connection to the magic of nature, spirit and life’s purpose. If you have felt overworked, overburdened, stressed, or out of touch with your body or spirit, this experience will renew you.

You may anoint yourself with appropriate anointing oils to assist in carrying your inention with you at times when you feel a sense of returning to the old.

If you are doing chakra work, candles colored as the chakra associations help to keep one focused.

Enjoy the rest of your time awake, or send yourself into the dream world by giving yourself the opportunity to have a restful sleep.

[Aelwyn]

This is fabulous, thank you!

I do something similar, except I can't get down into a bath tub (physical disability....), so I do it in the shower. I make a scrub of herbs and botanicals, and just wash myself down while sitting on my shower seat.

[Klasien]

I simply don´t have a bath tub... but I like the idea of doing this in the shower better anyway... I find the idea of letting the water run off you and down the drain to be even more cleansing... I'd have the feeling that when I share my energy with the bath water, I'd be floating in my own negative feelings before long... I have trouble moving energy through water, though I can send it towards...

again, I almost only use lavender, I love the scent and it helps me sleep or relax. And I sure need help there on occasion...

[Gypsy Bladesmith]

Wonderful exercise. Thanks for sharing. I think for me the shower is a good place to start.

[Celtaur]

I usually prefer the shower as well, the running water is powerful. Baths are nice on occassion and offer a more passively relaxed experienced. It would be great to have a tub large enough to be fully suspended in water with the head supported. I've nearly fallen asleep a few times in the bath while zenning out. The great thing about the bath is when using essential oils, the scent permeates everything and lingers. The shower doesn't offer the same experience.

I've been to a scandinavian spa which has steam rooms with eucalyptus, and that is a wonderful experience. It is probably one of the most purifying places I've been. Essentially it is a hydrotherapy spa which focusses on hot and cold therapy from cold waterfalls, to hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms, warm and cool pools and reclining infront of a fire while basking in the sun or snowfall. The best time to go is in the winter when it is absolutely freezing out as it is mainly an outdoor spa. With all the temperature changes the system gets flushed well and the body adapts leaving you feeling comfortable sitting outside in nothing but shorts even in freezing temperatures. I remember sitting on reclining chairs with ice on them while reclining in the sun. The only problem was my sandles got very icy, but hopping in the hot tub made the problem of cold feet go away in no time.

[Mozelle]

It’s wonderful that you broke it down Celtaur. I do take spiritual baths on special occasions in addition when feeling worn-out and tired to re-energize myself. Get rid of the negativity and mud of the day. I like showers more then sitting in a tub. I find laying a few menthol crystals around the tub to provide a wonderful relaxing shower. It’s simple and it only takes a few sat around the edge of the tub or lower edge of shower (tub).

[Morrigan]

I find the bath a lovely way to relax after a long day as it soothes the aching muscles...but when I'm upset, sad, depressed, etc. I always have a shower--I take a little plastic step stool in with me to sit on, throw in some earplugs, turn off the light and let the water cascade over me. I always feel better.

Now if someone would just invent a waterproof iPod....

[Echo]

If you lose yourself, you have nothing to give and nothing to create from. The less of yourself you have collected and balanced, the less you have to harmoniously bring forth from your deeper self.

Well said, Celtaur. It is easy to forget this!

The relaxation of the bath and the parallels with baptismal immersion does work wonders, but it can also be a wonderful start to the day to imagine the water of the shower as light and energy, and the evening shower can be made a ritual simply by imagining the waters deep cleansing the soul, washing away the grime of business, stress and struggle.

[gbcaine]

I just LOVE the bath...I actually have been taking a bath nearly every night as it is starting to turn cool at night in SoCal. It is so relaxing. I have been under stress lately and I feel like it is the only thing that can take the pressure off, just floating totally suspended in the water and feeling weightless...I frequently fall asleep. I use botanical oils like Eucalyptus and it totally penetrates my body and cleans out my respiratory system. Actually, I think it is bath time now!

[Sigon]

I personally use both shower and tub when working with water. Shower mostly when I need to clean myself of negative energy or just sad emotions and bath tub for feeling myself with energy. Not a big fan of oils and stuff, so I don't really use them, hot water is enough relaxation for me