The modern world moves at a relentless pace. Our lives are cluttered with information, while our senses are constantly bombarded with lights, sounds, smells, vibrations from a world that has become detached from nature.
As a result, our souls crave a connection to the earth to maintain balance and inner peace. Fortunately, through the element of water, we can reawaken our senses and reinvigorate our weary souls.
A spiritual bath can cleanse the spirit, revitalize energy and heal the soul. While a regular bath cleans the physical body, immersing in water with intention, in a spirit of reverence, can be spiritually significant and awaken all the senses.
In this post, I’ll explain more about what a spiritual bath is and how you can take a spiritual bath. Then I’ll give you recipes for three very special spiritual baths: one to ease anxiety, one to reconnect couples, and one to welcome fertility.
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What Is A Spiritual Bath?
A spiritual bath involves immersing yourself in healing water infused with essential oils and other natural ingredients. The purpose is to cleanse your mind, soul, and spirit of negative energy that blocks your ability to thrive. The spiritual or ritual bath is a practice used by all major religions to welcome life transitions and purify the body and soul.
A spiritual bath is a time to detox, not only your body but also your soul. You will leave the bath feeling at peace and rested.
However, removing harmful toxins from your physical body can also be achieved as your entire system takes a holistic break from a world full of heavy metals, pesticides, and pollutants.
You may even experience a physical reaction to the sudden release of so much negative energy and elements that you have been unwittingly storing.
Read this post for more about what to expect after a detoxing spiritual bath.
How to Take a Spiritual Bath
Enter into a spiritual bath with intention and optimism about the positive change to come. Consider scheduling your spiritual bath a few days ahead.
Think of it like a date night with your soul; give yourself permission and time to detach from the world for a few hours before and after your bath.
1. Gather Your Ingredients
Nature provides a plethora of natural healing remedies for our physical bodies and serenity to bring healing to our souls. Essential oils are made from the most potent part of plants and flowers; they contain both the scent and the healing power of the source.
Sometimes we all feel unsettled, like something is not okay deep inside our souls, but we aren’t sure exactly what the trouble is.
If you keep a range of quality essential oils on hand, like Natrogix from Nirvana, you can let your body decide which healing spiritual bath scent it is craving. Close your eyes, open each bottle, and slowly and mindfully inhale the scent of each of the 18 bottles of pure essential oil.
You will know when you find the essential oil that you need. You will be drawn to a specific scent, and when you plunge your body under a soothing warm blanket of water infused with the oil that you have selected with your intuition, you’ll immediately feel relief.
2. Choose an Intention for Your Spiritual Bath
Spiritual baths should be carefully planned and anticipated to receive the maximum benefit. Preparing a meaningful line of poetry or verse of a song that ties in with your bath ritual can go a long way in clearing your mind. Find something you can use as a mantra.
3. Prepare Your Space
With purpose and intention, prepare your bathroom for your spiritual bath. It needs to become your temple where you expect to receive spiritual renewal.
Here are some things you should be mindful of:
- The bathtub must be thoroughly clean. (Here are tricks to make your tub gleam like new.) The powerful ingredients of the salts and essential oils that you will be using to renew your soul must remain unpolluted.
- Move all artificial and plastic items away from the bath area. The energy around your bath needs to be pure and free from pollutants, so remove things like razors, toothbrushes, plastic bottles, and decorations.
- Surround the bathtub with natural items that include healing stones, a candle, and a small ceramic or glass jug.
4. Add Salt to Your Spiritual Bath
Almost all healing bath recipes contain salt—not regular household salt that may have anticaking agents or other additives, but natural salts like Himalayan pink salt, Epsom salts, or Dead Sea salts. (And don’t worry. If you’ve had a package of bath salts around for a while, they won’t expire unless they’re mixed with oils.)
Besides its remarkable physical healing properties, salt also absorbs negative energy and vibrations.
Adding salt to a spiritual bath will draw toxins out of your pores, leaving your skin tingling and refreshed.
But bathing in salt can also be dehydrating. (Take it from me, who passed out in the college library after floating in a tank of water with Epsom salt. Read all about my blissful float tank experience followed by extreme mortification!) Suffice it to say, I learned the hard way to drink water or herbal tea before, during and after I bathe in salts.
Head over to this post to learn much more about the wonders of adding Himalayan salt to your bath.
5. Mix Essential Oil into Carrier Oil
Once you select which essential oil to use in your spiritual bath, you should carefully measure it out. Note carefully that oil and water do not mix, so they should never simply be dropped in under a running tap.
For your skin to soak up the benefits of the oil, you’ll need to mix the essential oils into a carrier oil, such as melted coconut oil, jojoba oil or sweet almond oil.
There is a specific ratio of how to mix your essential oil with the carrier oil so that you receive the most benefit from its healing properties safely. By using a good quality product, you will only need to use a small amount each time.
I usually wait until the bathtub is full of the water and salt mixture before adding the oil mixture.
6. Set Out Candles, Crystals or Flowers
Using a candle during your spiritual bath can help to cut outside distractions and keep your mind focused on self-reflection and inner healing.
There should be no artificial light present as you focus on restoring your balance and serenity of the healing water.
If you have crystals, these can benefit you during your spiritual bath. You can surround the bathtub with them, or if you have a particular intention, you can lay the crystal on your chest as you surrender to the power of the healing water.
Your spiritual bath is important, and by adding flowers or petals, not only will it look beautiful, but you can remind yourself that this is your special time to renew your energy.
Besides looking beautiful, many flowers also have therapeutic effects that you can enjoy during your spiritual bath experience.
If you don’t have fresh flowers readily available, dried flowers can work wonderfully too. I love this set which includes 9 bags of 100% natural flowers, including rose petals, jasmine and lavender.
7. Revitalize Your Soul While You Bathe
During the spiritual bath, detach entirely from time and technology. Keep your phone in the other room and focus your mind on your spiritual journey. Cover any clock you may be able to see. This will help you remain fully present in each moment and not distracted by the limitations of passing time.
Close your eyes and lay back in the bath to soak up the healing properties.
If you’ve included a crystal, you can place it on your chest and visualize it extracting negative energy from your core.
Towards the end of your spiritual bath, use the jug to anoint yourself with the healing water while voicing your intention into the universe.
Pour small amounts of water over each shoulder repeatedly and consciously feel how it runs over your skin and down your back. Lift your head, pour it under your chin, and feel how the warm healing water runs smoothly down your neck and back into the bath.
Receive the power that the universe is giving you to revitalize your soul.
8. Nourish Yourself When You’re Done
Plan ahead for what will happen when your bath is through. Nourish your skin with body butter. (Try making the very easy Peppermint Swirl Body Butter described in the video above.)
Use soft towels, wrap yourself in an extra cozy bathrobe, and then drink plenty of water. Ideally, you have time to relax and even sleep.
Spiritual Baths With Specific Intentions
If you’re consciously aware of what is troubling you deep inside, you can prepare a bath that can bring healing to that specific situation.
The cleansing ritual and profound psychological benefits obtained from the healing effects of the water can deliver a deep sense of wellbeing to your soul.
But while your actual situation may not have changed after a spiritual bath, your ability to cope and new sense of inner peace can go a long way toward getting you through even the most challenging obstacles.
A Spiritual Bath for Anxiety
It is unavoidable that we will all experience periods of anxiety in our lives. Challenging situations at work, problems in your relationships, or stress about upcoming tests can all bring about disturbances to our inner peace and gnaw away at your core.
One of the most popular essential oils that can help to ease stress and anxiety is lavender oil. You can blend it with other ingredients to create a serene bath experience. This beautiful purple plant has a long history in aromatherapy and is made into a wide range of soothing products.
Bath Recipe to Relieve Anxiety
Add the following to your bath and relax for at least 20 minutes:
- 20 drops of lavender essential oil, mixed into carrier oil
- 4 tablespoons of a carrier oil of your choice
- 2 cups of Epsom salts
- ½ cup of baking soda
- Optional: Add a few sprigs of fresh lavender or orange peel
A Spiritual Bath for Couples
Spiritual baths are usually taken alone. The purpose is to realign and cleanse your soul of any energetic blocks. However, sharing this intimate and sensual experience with your partner regularly can go a long way toward breaking down barriers that you may be experiencing as a couple.
Sharing a spiritual cleansing session can rejuvenate a tired routine and create a deep bonding experience. You are both likely to leave the bath experience with more understanding, and any inner emotional wounds that may have been sustained through unintended harsh words or actions may be mitigated.
Bath Recipe to Connect Couples
- 12 drops of jasmine essential oil
- 8 drops of ylang ylang essential oil
- 4 tablespoons carrier oil (any kind), mixed with essential oils
- A handful of fresh or dried rose petals
- A cup of apple cider Vinegar
- 1 cup of Himalayan pink salt (Stir the water with your hand as the crystals may need some time to dissolve)
- 1 cup of Epsom salt
For other bath ideas for couples, read this post.
A Spiritual Bath for Fertility
Taking a spiritual bath can be a potent way to prepare your body and soul for pregnancy. Water is the bringer of life on earth – without rain, there is no harvest. Bringing life into this world is a profoundly spiritual undertaking, and taking a spiritual bath can prepare your body and soul in unison.
During your spiritual bath, surrender yourself entirely to the miracle of new life. Awaken your senses to the power of the essential oils as your soul is energized, and you are ready yourself to create new life.
One of the most critical elements, when couples are trying to fall pregnant is relaxation. So cleanse your soul, prepare your energy to receive abundantly from the universe.
Possibly Pregnant? Or Breastfeeding?
If you think you may already be pregnant (or if you’re breastfeeding), it’s wise to talk to your doctor before using essential oils.
That said, there are some essential oils many doctors consider safe to use during pregnancy, including those in this recipe. But there are other essential oils most doctors prohibit.
If you get your physician’s permission, use only those oils specifically for expecting and breastfeeding moms. Try Mother’s Bath Oil, a delightful blend of bergamot, ylang ylang and lavender oils from Neal’s Yard Remedies.
Bath Recipe to Summon Fertility
- 10 drops of geranium OR 10 drops of chamomile essential oil
- 4 tablespoons of carrier oil of your choice
- 1 cup of Epsom salt
- 2 cups of pure baking soda
- 1 cup of Himalayan pink salt
- A handful of fresh mint will add a feeling of invigoration and energy – you can use this whole or chop up the leaves.
This spiritual bath recipe is not only recommended for those preparing to conceive. It is also a powerful body cleanse and detox. When you get out of the bath, be sure to give yourself time to relax and rehydrate.
Benefits of a Spiritual Bath
Regularly taking a spiritual bath is a great way to switch off your anxiety button for a short time and give your spirit time to heal. Spiritual baths can be a time of restoration for your soul, and you can emerge feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on the world with a renewed sense of purpose.
One particular kind of spiritual bath is a moon bath. Find out about the tremendous benefits of moon bathing and get recipes to use during each phase of the lunar cycle: new moon, waxing moon, full moon, and waning moon. Take a moon bath to reconnect with the rhythms of nature.
Want to feel your best? Get our free guide to making easy bath recipes. Then bring on the bathtub bliss!
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