Rose Ariadne's Chitchcraft Blog

Dear Friends,

One of the most important things to do before starting any ritual or spellwork is to take a spiritual bath. When you think about ancient times, baths were only taken for special occasions. We in the modern world have been spoiled with the thought that a bath or shower is needed everyday. This century, in fact, is one of the first in which baths and showers have become prevalent. It is no wonder that we have lost the meaning and importance of this pre-ritual step.Since baths were not a regularity, they were taken with specific purposes and close attention to intention. When a witch of ancient times bathed, it was a ritual in and of itself. In a way, our daily shower or bath can become a mini-ritual. It marks the beginning of a new day and wipes our energetic slate clean for the coming tasks. When you take your daily shower, keep this in mind. You might want to invest in some herbal soaps and shampoos to emphasize this point. If you need to be energized, choose orange blossom or another citrus scent. Vanilla and lavender bring relaxation. Ylang ylang and other spicy scents can infuse you with power for the coming day. Refer to a herbal list of correspondences to bring meaning to this seemingly mundane task.

A spiritual bath takes this process one step further. When you take a spiritual bath you are preparing your body, mind and spirit for the magickal work ahead. Fill your tub with warm water and use an herbal bath preparation of your choice. You can also use some herbal oil that is appropriate for the ritual you are going to be doing. Consecrate the bath as the water is running by using 3 pinches of sea salt. Take the first two fingers of your right hand if you are right handed and your left if you are left-handed. This is your power hand. Use the fingers of your power hand to swirl the water around 3 times and say the following blessing (of course you can use your own words as well):

O Water I charge thee, be Purified
By the powers of the Lady Goddess and Lord God
O Blessed Mother of all living things
Make this ritual bath Holy and purify it
I will take honor of thee
I come before thee in pureness
Of mind, body and soul
In They name I do ask
So Mote It Be

Trace a pentagram in the water as you end the blessing. If you are going to be honoring a specific God or Goddess during your working, name them in the blessing.

Use candles and incense in the bathroom to make your aura receptive to the ritual ahead. Make sure to turn off the bathroom lights and relax for no less than 9 minutes. While you relax focus on your wishes and pour water over your head and shoulders three times. After you are done with your bath, dry off and anoint yourself with appropriate oil on your chakra points.

Ritual baths are appropriate to do before any circle or ritual. If you are part of a coven, take your bath at home prior to arriving at the meeting place. You can also do a ritual bath after the Full Moon, on the night before a big event (a new job, promotion, wedding, celebration) and on Monday, which is sacred to the Moon. Spiritual baths can be used to banish any hostility you feel from others or any time you need to cleanse and purify your spirit. It’s a good practice to get into whenever you’re feeling a little low or energetically out of balance.

Enjoy your baths!
Love And Light,

Rose Ariadne, Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”