I started to get into spiritual baths last fall. I had this urge one day to lay in a tub full of herbs, moon water, magical oils and to light every candle I owned at the moment. I didn’t understand the impulse but I went with it and my baths have never been the same.
History
The ritual of bathing and immersing oneself into special springs for curative purposes has been practiced for thousands of years. Many ancient civilizations esteemed water with great reverence and considered it a gift from the divine. Indians, Greeks and Egyptians thought that water was the source of the world (Archè) and of the human being. In Genesis of the Bible, water has been described as the origin of the cosmos. Egyptians and Israelites used to plunge themselves in the sacred water of Niles and Jordan, Hindus in the Ganges river, and Egyptians in the Nile (and more), for healing their soul and body.
The ancient Maya have one of the oldest sweat baths that archaeologists have found located in Belize called Cuello. It dates back to 900 BC. The Maya used sweat baths as a way to help keep themselves healthy. They also used it for women during labor, during religious purifying rituals, and when someone was sick. The Maya, like other traditional cultures, used sweat baths as a way of getting to the underworld. They thought sweat baths let them talk not only to previous generations, but to the Gods as well.
Rx
Spiritual baths are a supercharged, self-care necessity that should be included into your routine regularly. Some people will do these weekly or monthly, or even annually. In times of grief and low energy a bath infused with healing properties can do wonders. Similar to the method of giving a fussy baby a bath with lavender scented wash, the end point is to get the baby to a calmer state of mind. Well, now you know you where it came from.
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