With the New Moon this past week on Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 1:05 p.m. CST and Valentine's Day today, I thought I'd talk about one of the easiest and greatest activities I have found success with in increasing my self love, and a great manifestation tool, Spiritual Baths.
I first discovered spiritual baths when my guides nudged me to purchase some ingredients and throw them into the bath a couple years ago. Only then, I started to discover some of the many benefits of spiritual baths.
Intention setting, cleansing, meditation, and mindfulness are only some of the benefits of spiritual baths. We can also use our baths to set intentions or call in blessings. Our intentions are amplified when we sync the rituals with the lunar cycles. if you are a woman partaking in these rituals, it can also be beneficial to sync these rituals with your own menstrual cycle.
How is a spiritual bath different than a normal dip in the tub?
Firstly there is no soap needed in this type of cleansing and intention setting. This bath is not just about cleansing our physical body, but also our emotional and spiritual bodies.
As we clean our body, mind, and spirit, we want to make sure we use the cleanest form of ingredients meaning organic, unpasteurized, and fresh as much as possible. If fresh herbs and fruit are not available, you may consider using ingredients that have been dried, frozen, or extracted to make oils or water.
If you are using prepackaged bath salts, waters (i.e. florida & rose water), essential oils, herbs & teas pay attention to where they are sourced and if they contain any additives or preservatives that you could avoid. Remember to research if ALL of ingredients are safe to bathe with.
Setting the Mood
Crystals
Not all crystals can soak in water or salt water and not all crystals are not safe for us to bathe with.
Oils
When using essential oils, it is important to familiarize yourself with a few facts first. The first step is to find out if it is recommended for use in the bath. The second step is to look at the ingredients and determine the potency of the oil. Most oils that are safe for use in the bath require carrier oils such as rosehip, jojoba, almond, coconut or even olive oil. Speaking from experience of someone who learned the hard way, always test it on your skin first with a carrier oil before putting it in the bath or you may have a reaction.
Sound
Guided meditations, sound baths, singing bowls, or complete silence? Follow your intuition and do what feels right for you. For my spiritual baths, I like to create a playlist related to the intention I am setting.
Lighting
Candles are often used in rituals to welcome God (s), deities, spirit guides, and ancestors. Candles are also used for protection, healing, purification, light, and to amplify intentions. As mentioned above, you are using a candle for this ritual, do not leave it to burn unattended but do not blow it out if you can help it. If the candle is used for intention setting and it is blown out, the intention is said to be left unfinished. If it is unavoidable, alter your intention or make time on the following day to continue the ritual. If you're like me, and you might forget, you may want to use smaller candles or do the ritual earlier in the day or evening to ensure it can burn out on its' own. To amplify your intentions, you can carve the wax with words, initials, or even zodiac signs.
*I don't dabble in third party spells, rituals, or readings. I believe that the Universe will always deliver what is best for us even if it doesn't always feel like it at the time. I also believe in the law of attraction meaning that we will attract true, unconditional love when we learn to truly love ourselves unconditionally.
The Recipe
*Ingredients can be brought to simmer on the stove and dumped into the bath or added directly to the bath. Clean up is easiest if you place the loose ingredients (dried or fresh) in cheesecloth or in a muslim bag before placing it in the bath.
Red or Pink candles are symbolic of fire, therefore its' use can speed up the manifestation of our intentions. Some of its' uses are courage, independence, stamina, passion, strength, willpower, love, action and success. Pink candles are symbolic of love, but have softer touch than red. Pink focuses more on self love, intimacy, healing, and emotional connection.
Cinnamon can also fuel the fire behind your intentions. Some of its' other uses are for love, confidence, sexual healing, trust, attraction, lust, sensuality, prosperity, protection, cleansing, prosperity, abundance, opportunities, luck, and enhancing psychic abilities.
Coconut can be used for chastity, cleansing, protection, luck, healing. It is also said to be a natural antioxidant, moisturizer, anti-inflammatory, metabolism booster that can be used to increase metabolism, weight loss, and heart health.
In this recipe, I used coconut milk due to my dietary restrictions (vegan). Feel free to substitute with cow's or goat's milk if you wish. The milk is used here as symbol of fertility, protection, longevity, abundance, and nourishment.
Vanilla is also a natural antioxidant with some of its' uses being luck, fortune, happiness, peace, love, empowerment physical and mental stimulation and of course as an aphrodisiac to increase sexual desire. In this recipe, I used vanilla beans but you can substitute it for natural vanilla (liquid), the ratio is 1 tbsp. per vanilla bean.
The key here is to make the whole process relaxing, simple, and intentional. There is no right or wrong way. You can use your intuition, ask your spirit guides, or choose an intention, then do your research!
1. Prepare Your Bodies (ALL of them).
Rinse off with soap & water before your spiritual bath. It can also be useful to do a cleansing of your other bodies. Journaling, visualization, and mediation are just some examples of useful practices that can help.
2. Cleanse & Prepare Your Space
Clean your bathroom and cleanse your space using herbs, incense, oils, sprays, movement, and/or sound. You can cleanse your space with cinnamon if you have an extra stick ready.
3. Call in God (s), Deities, Spirit Guides, Ancestors, & Deceased Loved Ones.
Candles are lit to welcome the light. Be intentional in your invocation.
4. Recite an Opening Prayer of Gratitude and Protection
It is my practice to open with a form of gratitude and protection. It doesn't have to be fancy. Do what works for you!
5. State Your Intention
Whether you write it down and burn it, read it aloud, or sing it, your intention will be heard.
6. Soak for 20-30 minutes
Allow your whole self to soak in the new intentions
7. Stay in the bath until it drains
The bath water will be filled with all that we wish to release.
8. Allow the candle to burn
If you cannot allow it burn to near the end, snuff it out and relight it again with the same intention.
9. Close the Ritual
Recite a Closing Prayer or simply end with "And so it is."
10. Surrender to the Universe
Let your intention go and try not to focus on it. The magic often happens when and how we least expect it.
As with all spiritual work, if you are reaching an altered state, I highly recommend a grounding and protection ritual immediately after.
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