Ritual
purification is a feature of many religions. The aim of these rituals is to remove
specifically defined uncleanliness
prior to a particular type of activity, and especially prior to the worship of
a deity. This ritual uncleanliness is
not identical with ordinary physical impurity, such as dirt stains;
nevertheless, body fluids are generally considered ritually unclean.
An
important part of ritual purification in Hinduism is the bathing of the entire
body, particularly in rivers considered holy such as the Ganges. Hindu women also take a head bath after
completing their 4 day menstrual period. In the Baha'i Faith, ritual ablutions (the
washing of the hands and face) should be done before the saying of the
obligatory prayers. It was also the
tradition for Christians to wash before entering the church for worship.
There
are also accounts from the Anglo-Saxons that the Vikings who settled in England
were considered to be ‘clean-freaks’, because they would bath once a week. This was at a time when an Anglo-Saxon would
only bath once or twice a year. In fact
the original meaning of Scandinavian words for Saturday (laurdag) was ‘Washing
Day’.
In
Norse culture, a bride's preparations was a visit to the bath-house, the
Scandinavian equivalent of the Finnish sauna, which featured wooden tubs of
water, soap for cleansing, and a steam room. The symbolism of the steam bath included both
the "washing away" of the bride's maiden status and a purification to
prepare her for the religious ritual that would follow the next day. The final step of the steam-bath, a plunge
into cool or cold water to cool the bather and close the pores, completed the
cleansing. The rinse water might be
further associated with the wedding ritual by having herbs, flowers or oils
added to it, not only to scent the water but also to add magical potency to the
cleansing rite via the supposed aphrodisiac and fertility - encouraging powers
associated with such additives.
Preparing for a ritual includes
clearing ourselves of our mundane thoughts and stresses before we begin any
devotion, magic, or other spiritual practice. Grounding, centering, and smudging are all
popular ways of doing this. A ritual bath is also a powerful component
to add to this clearing of daily stress before your rite.
The art of a spiritual bath uses symbolism to
embrace the four elements that support us all, and are the mainstay of any
esoteric practice: Earth, Air, Fire and Water. Earth (salt and herbs) gives us support and
growth, it is the practical element without which we would never be able to
reach out and find the spiritual as we always need to keep our feet on the
ground. Air (incense and music) aids our
communication and relates to our intellectual abilities. Fire (candle and incense) is the spark of
imagination as well as the passion and enthusiasm with which we live our lives
as modern goddesses. Water (bath) is the
healing element, which embraces and encourages our emotions and feelings.
Although
ritual baths can sometimes help alleviate certain physical ailments (skin
conditions or muscle soreness), they are meant for spiritual healing and
purification, not physical healing. So
if you have a physical illness, please see your doctor for treatment. Also, if you have open wounds or have just had
surgery, do not immerse the wounded area in water. You must keep the incision dry and covered.
A bathing ritual can be as simple or elaborate as
you want to make it. When you immerse
yourself in a ritual bath, you are participating in an initiation to open
yourself up to Spirit. Ritual bathing
implies that water and prayer wash away any spiritual grime — cleansing and
purifying your body and your aura. It
suggests that you are willing to listen to your higher self and begin to trust
something outside of your rational mind. It indicates that you are open to ask the
universe to transform what you believe needs to be changed in yourself.
Clean the bathtub before filling the tub with
water. You may wish to light some candles. Put in a CD of your favorite instrumental
music or of natural sounds. You may also
want to light some incense, if there's a particular scent you find soothing or
inspiring. Fill
the bathtub about half full of lukewarm or cool water and mix the ingredients
in the water. Ingredients could be Epsom
salt, herbs, minerals, oil or soaps. The best way to do this is
to tie herbs into a cheese cloth or bag and hang it on the faucet so that the
warm bathwater runs through it into the tub. Use and listen to what you want, it's really a matter of what
relaxes you best.
Bath salts such as Epsom or Dead Sea salt not only draw out physical
impurities, they provide a connection between your bath and the sea. This could be especially meaningful depending
on your rite - for instance, say a devotional ritual for an oceanic deity.
Ritual soaps made for specific purposes are sold from large metaphysical
supply companies and individuals who make them by hand. While not necessary, using these soaps is
another way to help you focus your intention for the rite.
Herbs, flowers or essential oils make excellent additions to the bath. Lavender is a good all-purpose oil to have on
hand for relaxation and purification. Sage,
rosemary and bay leaves are herbs stocked in most cupboards. They are good for purification and protection.
Fragrant flower petals such as roses if
you have them can be used.
Immerse
yourself totally from head to foot and use a washcloth or a clean glass and
keep cleansing yourself with water. Stay
in the bath for at least 6 to 8 minutes. Try to clear your mind completely. Pray for the release of any energy
that you no longer wish to carry or that is not for your highest good. Ask for spiritual support and to raise your
spiritual vibration. Or just try a type
of mediation, such as visualizing or cleansing.
For the best results, air dry when you get out of the bath. After you've gotten out of the water, release the plug so that
all the negativity absorbed by the water can be drained away.
If
you only have a shower stall or if you just don't have time for a long bath -
you can do this cleansing rite as a shower. Hang the cloth bag of herbs over the
showerhead, so that the herbal water runs over your body while you shower.
Close
by thanking the Divines and clean the bath when done.
Blessed be my mind,
that learns of Your ways
Blessed be my eyes, that have seen this day.
Blessed be my lips, that utter Your names and keep Your secrets.
Blessed be my breasts, formed in strength (beauty).
Blessed be the phallus (womb), for without which I would not be.
Blessed be my knees, that shall kneel at thy Sacred Altar.
Blessed be my feet, that have brought me in these ways.
Blessed be my eyes, that have seen this day.
Blessed be my lips, that utter Your names and keep Your secrets.
Blessed be my breasts, formed in strength (beauty).
Blessed be the phallus (womb), for without which I would not be.
Blessed be my knees, that shall kneel at thy Sacred Altar.
Blessed be my feet, that have brought me in these ways.
Please be cautious to have the electronics far
away from any water or candle flames away from flammable items. Always use caution when working with fire and
partial drowning hazards.
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