A spiritual bath is a very potent tool because of the power of water. Water is one of the four basic elements of life – it is foundational to every spiritual practice. Water is used as a cleanser, purifier, and conduit in almost every spiritual ritual or ceremony for people worldwide.
A spiritual bath can be used to clear spiritual toxins or sludge from your physical body. It may likewise be used to attract peace, health, money, love, etc. And when done properly, a spiritual bath can be powerful for these reasons and more. In this post, I outline some basic steps for taking a spiritual bath. Keep in mind that these are suggestions based on what has worked for me and others that I know. Feel free to only use what resonates with you, and leave what doesn’t.
I personally don’t recommend connecting with higher-level spirits (orisha or loa) through a spiritual bath without the guidance of a qualified spiritualist. These energies have specific preferences and taboos that you should be mindful of when working with them. And they tend to want specific things during their rituals and ceremonies. Giving them the right or wrong offering at the wrong time can lead to undesirable results. It is best to only take a spiritual bath for invoking these energies when prescribed by a skilled spiritualist.
SET YOUR INTENTIONS
Spiritual work is all about intentions. A spiritual bath is not like a regular bath when you simply wash your physical body of impurities. A spiritual bath is meant to cleanse you of spiritual toxins or attract good energies into your aura.
It is best to be clear about what you plan to achieve by taking a spiritual bath. Your intentions are vital to every aspect of the bath. As mentioned, spiritual baths are generally taken for two primary purposes – removing or attracting spiritual energies. Your intentions can be general or specific in this regard.
You may simply want to remove all spiritual slug from your aura, or you may want to target a specific entity. Conversely, you may want to connect with your spiritual team. Or, you may be interested in eliciting help from specific entities like your Higher Self (Ori), your ancestors, or spirit guides.
Your intentions may be geared toward prepping you for spiritual work or an integral part of a ritual process. They can likewise be for general purposes, such as restoring or revitalizing your spiritual well-being. The most important aspect of this process is to set clear and realistic intentions. Because without focused intentions, the bath probably won’t be beneficial.
Set Your Schedule
The timing of your spiritual bath is essential. In general, I recommend that you take a spiritual bath when you intuitively feel that you need one. If Spirit calls you to take a spiritual bath, it is best to engage in the process as soon as possible.
Otherwise, if this practice is new to you or if you want to maintain a regular schedule, it is beneficial to align your schedule with moon cycles. It is best to invite benevolent energies into your space during the phase between a new and waxing gibbous moon. This is a great cycle for eliciting spiritual help when starting something new like a project, relationship, business, etc.
Between the start of the full moon and the end of a waning crescent, it is best to use your bath for clearing work. This is a great time to release toxic energies. But, above all, be led by your intuition. Your Higher Self knows what you need and when you need it.
Also, consider taking a spiritual bath when you have plenty of time to rest. Spiritual baths are best paired with other spiritual cleansing and releasing practices like fasting, meditation, massage, etc. So try to take your bath when you have time to relax before and after your bath.
You can take a spiritual bath during the day or at night. I personally prefer to take spiritual baths at night because I am usually tired when I finish. Also, females shouldn’t take a spiritual bath during their menstrual cycle.
Cleanse Your Space
The first thing that you need to do is cleanse your space before taking a spiritual bath. Because you will be interacting with the spirit realm during this process, you need to be careful not to attract negative energy into your space. An unclean environment is a perfect conduit for negative energy.
At a minimum, the entire bathroom needs to be clean before taking a spiritual bath. You need to scrub the tub, toilet, and sink area and clean the mirrors, floor, etc. Also, be sure to remove any waste from your trash. If your bathroom is connected to a room, it is also beneficial to cleanse that space as well.
After you complete your spiritual bath, you will need a place to rest as you dry off. If you plan to lie on a bed during this process, I recommend that you have clean white sheets on the bed. However, if you don’t have white sheets, light-colored sheets are also acceptable. It is best to prepare everything before the bath. That way, you can enjoy the bath and get adequate rest afterward.
Select Your Ingredients
Your intentions are vital to the ingredients that you select for your bath. If you are doing cleansing work, you need to select ingredients that are useful for clearing. Contrarily, if you wish to attract peace or love, you should select ingredients aligned with that vibration. However, some base ingredients are useful for all spiritual baths.
The type of ingredients that you select should directly correlate to your intention. Keep in mind that certain ingredients are best for dispelling, and others are best for attracting. Likewise, certain spirits prefer certain ingredients while others don’t. You may have to do more research on this topic if you are not familiar with the use of various spiritual tools.
When selecting ingredients, be sure that they are natural or organic. If an item or substance is laden with chemicals and poisons, you risk attracting unwanted energies into your space.
Base Ingredients
The basic constituents for any spiritual bath include salt, spiritual cologne, candles, and incense. The salt and cologne will go into the water. Of course, the candles and incense will only be placed in the environment. Combined, all of these items represent the four basic elements of life, which are important to include in any spiritual work.
Salt represents earth and is used to purify and consecrate. It is used to dispel evil energies and welcomes benevolent energies. Many varieties of salt are useful for this purpose. However, it is best to use natural salt in a spiritual bath. Avoid table or iodized salt whenever possible.
Spiritual colognes serve in the same capacity as salt, yet they represent the water element. They dispel evil spirits yet attract good spirits. There are likewise many varieties of spiritual colognes. Florida water is most often used in the West. However, many fragrances like rose, orange, tobacco, Kananga, etc., are used in other parts of the world. Some people even make their own herbal-based spiritual colognes.
Candles embody the element of fire, which is likewise a spiritual conduit. White candles are recommended when taking a spiritual bath because they attract benevolent spirits. You generally only need one, but you can use as many as you desire during your bath. However, always use unscented, non-toxic candles.
Incense corresponds to the element of air and serves to dispel and attract certain spiritual energies. Many varieties of incense can be used when taking a spiritual bath. Sandalwood, frankincense, myrrh, sage, dragon’s blood, Palo Santo, lavender, jasmine, rose, etc., are excellent for spiritual baths.
Main Ingredients
The main ingredients serve as the anchor for your bath. They coincide with the purpose or intention of the bath. Technically, you can use salt and spiritual cologne if that is all that you have. Or, you just want to keep it simple. Though, other ingredients are usually added to seal one’s intentions into the bath.
The main ingredients should correspond to what energies you wish to dispel or attract during the bath. For instance, coffee is a staple in many ancestor veneration rituals and baths. It is used to induce fast movement, quick energy, strength, power, courage, etc. It is a trigger that wakes both you and your ancestors up. Coffee is also useful for spirit guides.
Other main ingredients may include fresh or dried herbs, flowers, crystals, stones, clay, etc. Typically any item that is beneficial in spiritual work is also useful in a spiritual bath. However, your ingredients should be planned and prepared properly.
I personally like to keep it simple as I prefer to use 2-3 main ingredients with my base ingredients. However, you can use as many as you desire or need to get the job done. Just be careful to properly select ingredients according to your intentions.
Spiritual Soaps
One last item you may want to use is spiritual soap. Spiritual soap is technically not an ingredient for the bath, but it is used for washing your body. There are many types of spiritual soap available for taking a spiritual bath. You can buy or make spiritual soap. Many online handmade retailers sell soaps, scrubs, bombs, etc., that are very useful for spiritual baths.
If you practice within a spiritual system, you can probably get consecrated spiritual soap from the spiritualist you work with. I get mine directly from my Babalawo, who lives in Nigeria. But there are many places where you can get similar soap in whatever country you reside in.
Prepare Your Spiritual Bath
Once you have gathered all of your ingredients, it is time to prepare your bath. As you walk through the steps of preparing your bath, focus on your intention. As you run the water, talk to it about the purpose of the bath and ask for its assistance.
Drop the base ingredients into the bath one at a time and gently stir them into the water with your hand. Likewise, speak to each of them and ask them for their assistance in realizing the beneficial properties that they offer.
You can light the candles and incense before or after you begin adding the ingredients to the water. You can also add soft, soothing music. Instrumental music is best because it helps with focus and concentration. You need to focus on your intention while you are in the bath, so avoid distracting music or noises during this time.
Enjoy Your Spiritual Bath
The final step is to enjoy your bath. You simply need to get in the water and soak. Immerse your whole body in the water – even dip your head and face in the water a few times. As you soak, meditate on your intentions. Try to focus on the purpose of the bath as you sit quietly or commune with your spirits.
You can stay in the bath for as long as you wish. I generally recommend 20-30 minutes, but let your intuition guide you. You will know when it is time to get out of the bath. Once you get out, lightly pat yourself dry with a white towel. Do not rinse off or rub all of the ingredients off your body at this point.
Instead, wrap yourself in the towel and lay down on a bed or sit in a chair. Try to relax for a few minutes as the ingredients soak into your body. Continue to meditate on your intentions. Allow your body to dry for at least an hour, and then you can shower or rinse yourself off. You can even wait until the next day to take a shower if the ingredients aren’t too messy.