CAUTION - Be careful with pure essential oils - they can burn your skin if not diluted properly. Choose your herbs and oils based on your personal preference or on the kind of ritual or magick you plan to do. When you feel ready, get up slowly. As you are stepping out of the water, let go of any negativity. Imagine it has stayed in the water and that you are letting it flow down the drain away from you. This way when you emerge from the tub, you will be cleansed physically and mentally. Put on your clean robe or clothes, and you are ready for ritual.
The purpose of a ritual bath is to cleanse Yourself, from the inside and out, of negative energies and prepare your Physical, Mental and Spiritual Self for Circle. A ritual bath is a rite in and of itself. The rite is ideally done just prior to Circle, but this is not always the case. (An example of such is if you have to travel to the meeting place.) After the rite is completed and you must travel to another place for Circle, try to keep your mind in a Spiritual frame as this will aid you in Circle.
The bath water should be infused with salts, herbs oils and colors that are harmonious with the work to be done in Circle. To prepare for the bath:
Select the Herbs, (it is best to have your herbs in a satchel for easier clean-up) oils and salts (of the same color as the candle) that you will be using.
Have a censer and charcoal block ready to burn a corresponding incense on.
Anoint a candle of appropriate color (possibly using the same oil as you are using in the bath water.) If you have a shrine set up in your bathroom there should be a Goddess and God candle present.
Have some Holy Water ready. Holy Water is made from:
1/3 sea-water (river-water with sea-salt added will do if sea-water is unavailable) 1/3 river-water, 1/3 spring-water (store bought is OK)
Have a tape recorder with meditation music in the bathroom with you, as its aid to visualization and meditation is invaluable. (Be cautious to have the tape recorder far away from any water and DO NOT TOUCH IT WHILE YOU ARE STILL WET.)
A glass of wine is also needed for consumption upon completion of the rite. And your libation dish for the libation to the Gods.
To begin turn out the lights and light the candle(s) and incense, turn on tape, fill the tub with warm water and add herbs, oils, salts and a cup or so of Holy Water. With your Athame draw and visualize a Water or Banishing Pentagram over the bath water. All of these tools represent the four Elements; Air/the incense and the scents from the bath, Fire/the heat of the bath, Water/the bath and Holy Water and, Earth/the herbs and oils.
Lower yourself into the water and visualize it cleansing you of all negativity. Know that these energies are flowing from your Physical, Mental and Spiritual Selves into the water. Relax and enjoy the warmth of the water, the scents in the air and the feeling of being cleansed of all negativity, let yourself drift. Now concentrate and visualize on the purpose of the coming ritual and know that you are truly prepared. When you feel you are ready, pull the plug and stay in the tub until all the water has drained. As the water is draining visualize and know that the negative energies that are now in the water are going into the Earth and are grounded. Rise up out of the tub and do a Self Blessing like the following:
Anoint each area while saying aloud:
Blessed be my Mind, that learns of Your ways [anointing your forehead]
Blessed be my eyes, that have seen this day.
Blessed be my lips, that utter Your names and keep Your secrets.
Blessed be my breast(s), 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.
Pour a libation to the Gods and drink the wine. When dried, robe, clean-up the bathroom and take the libation outside to return it to the Earth. The rite is ended.
So Mote it Be!
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