Magickal Baths
Most Witches partake in magickal bathing. A magickal bath is considered important for cleansing the spirit, the same way regular bathing is for cleansing the body. Magickal baths work best by candlelight, with herbal, oil, and/or salt additions, corresponding to the need. You can also use magickal bathing to allow the water to work on you and impart some of its wisdom to you, through your immersion in it. In this manner, a magickal bath can be used for spell casting.
Please make sure you are not allergic to these herbs on your skin.
Adding herbs to the bath is certainly one of the easiest forms of Magic. In essence, a tub of water containing a bath sachet is little more than a huge pot of herb tea in which the bather brews. When herbs are placed in warm water they release their energies as well as their scents and color. As such, baths are powerful tools in gaining psychic awareness, drawing love, speeding healing and granting personal protection. Making the Sachets Choose to follow one of the recipes on my pages or create your own. Each bath mixture may be prepared in advance and saved until needed if kept in an airtight jar. Once you've assemble all ingredients, add them to your mixing bowl. Mingle the herbs with your fingers, pouring your power into them and visualizing your Magickal goal. When mixed, place about a handful or so in the center of a large square of cheesecloth. Tie up the ends and add this to the bath. If you don't have any cheesecloth, simply use an old washcloth. To save time in the future, make up several bath sachets. Place them in a jar with a tight fitting lid and store. Using the Sachets This is simple. Fill the clean tub with warm water. Place the sachet in the tub and let it steep until the water is colored and scented. If you don't have a bathtub, or if you simply prefer showers, make up a sachet in a washcloth and scrub your body with this after your normal shower, just before toweling. A third method of using the sachets is a little more complicated. Heat two cups water until boiling. Pour this over one or two sachets in a heat-proof container. Cover and let the herbs steep for ten to thirteen minutes. Remove the sachets, squeeze out the last drops of scented water from them, and pour the infusion into the bath. As you step into the tub, feel the herb's energies mixing with your own. Visualize your Magickal goal. Don't make the herbs do all the work-invite their energies inside you and send the out to the universe (through your visualization) to bring your need into manifestation. Repeat the bath for as many days as you feel is necessary. If you wish, burn an appropriate incense and perhaps some candles in the bathroom while you soak.
Bath Salts are an easily prepared alternative to bath herbs, and are to be preferred to the caustic mixtures now on the market. Most of these chemical ridden formulas are almost guaranteed to irritate your skin.
Creating Bath Salts The basic ingredients are table salt, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate). Some herbalists also use borax. Add the salts to a large bowl in these proportions:
Mix thoroughly. This is not the base from which you can create a wide variety of bath salts. With this you can make up a large quantity of one type of bath salt. If two or three types are preferred, simply divide the base and set aside those portions to be separately fragranced and colored. It's wise to add the power of color to bath salts. Use plain food coloring for this purpose, letting it fall drop by drop onto the salt base. If two or more colors are required to mix an exotic hue (such as purple), mix these in a spoon first and then add to the salts to avoid creating a two toned product. Recommended colors for all bath salt mixtures are included in the recipes. For those that read "Color: White", simply leave them untinted. Add many drops for a darker colored salt; fewer for a lightly hued salt. Mix the color into the salts with a spoon until it is evenly distributed. Now add the essential oils drop by drop, one ingredient at a time, until the scent seems right. Mix with a spoon until all salt particles are moistened. Be prepared to spend some time doing this, perhaps a half hour or so. As you mix, visualize the energies within the oils merging with each other and with the salt. Keep the salt's magickal goal in mind while you stir. Empower the mixture. Use or store until needed. As to the proportions: Though each recipe lists relative proportions (two parts almond oil; one part mint), rely on your nose to determine the exact quantities (such as one tablespoon or 30 drops). The more potent the finished product's scent, the less will have to be used for each bath. Bath salts should be strongly scented.
To use, add from two tablespoons to one half cup of the ritual bath salts to a full tub. Mix with your hands, feeling their energies merge with the water. While sitting in the tub, soak up the power. Allow yourself to receive it, or alternately, to release specific negative energies from yourself into the water. Directly after every ritual bath (and before, if necessary), clean your tub, either with a commercial cleanser or with a damp cloth covered with baking soda. Ritual baths taken in unclean bathtubs won't have the desired effects. The proportions in the recipes, though for essential oils, are by parts. One part may equal six drops. Generally speaking, there shouldn't be more than ten drops of essential oil per half cup of bath salts. Experiment to find what works best, and please use only genuine essential oils for Bath Salts Recipes
Air Bath Spell (Elemental) 3 parts Lavender 1 part Bergamot Mint Bouquet 2 parts Rosemary 1 part Peppermint Color: Yellow
Use to attune with the powers of Air, for divination, theorization, aiding the memory, concentration, clear Thinking, visualization and study.
Celibacy Bath Spell 4 parts Lavender 2 parts Camphor Color: White
Add to a tub of tepid water-not hot. Bathe in this blend when you wish to cool down.
Circle Bath Spell 3 parts Rosemary 2 parts Myrrh 2 parts Sandalwood 1 part Frankincense Color: Purple
Bathe in Circle Bath before any form of magickal working to strengthen, purify and prepare yourself for ritual.
Earth Bath Spell (Elemental)
4 parts Patchouly 3 parts Cypress 1 part Vetivert Color: Green
For use in attuning with the Earth, or for spells involving money, foundation, stability, creativity, fertility, ecology and so on.
Exorcism Bath Spell 3 parts Frankincense 3 parts Sandalwood 2 parts Rosemary 1 drop Clove Color: White
Bathe in this mixture for a heavy psychic cleansing. Splash fresh water over your body after the bath. NOTE: Do not add more than one drop of clove essential oil-it can irritate the skin.
Fire Bath Spell (Elemental) 3 parts Frankincense 2 parts Basil 2 parts Juniper 1/2 part Orange Color: Red
For use in attuning with the element of Fire, or for rituals involving strength, courage, passion, lust and so on.
Flowery Love Bath Spell 3 parts Palmarosa 2 parts Lavender 1 drop Rose Color: Pink
Bathe in this mixture to attract love and to expand your ability to give and to receive love. NOTE: I've specified one drop of rose oil because of its high cost. More can be added if desired; rose absolute can be used in place of palmarosa, which is much less expensive.
Healing Bath Spell 3 parts Niaouli 2 parts Eucalyptus 1 part Sandalwood Color: Dark Blue
For use in speeding healing. Release the ailment into the water. Splash fresh water over your body before toweling. And don't bathe, of course, if your condition doesn't allow it.