Imbolc Honey & Oat Milk Bath with Lavender Flowers

This honey & oat milk bath combines classic Imbolc ingredients to create a warm, soothing ritual bath.

Indulging in hot herbal baths is one of the loveliest ways to celebrate this cold-weather holiday.  Sometimes called “the dairy holiday,” milk baths are especially appropriate for the season of Imbolc.

Easy to make with only 4 ingredients!

Meaning of Ingredients

Any time you make a ritual item, you want to know the symbolism and meaning behind the ingredients and tools you use.

In this case, all the ingredients in this recipe serve as symbols for the holiday of Imbolc.  This makes them a perfect addition to a ritual bath during this last of the winter holidays on the Wheel of the Year.

Powdered Milk

The use of powdered milk in this recipe acknowledges Imbolc as a dairy holiday.  We include milk in Imbolc rituals as a nod to its celebration of the first seasonal lactation of domesticated animals in early Celtic cultures.

In this case, powdered milk also represents the last snow of the winter season.

Honey Powder

During the coldest months of the year, honey provides a reminder of the return of the light.

Often served as a decadent treat for the traditional Imbolc meal, honey cakes and other honeyed pantry delights call to mind the coming season of flowers and light.

Quick Oats

Imbolc honors Brigid, the Celtic goddess of childbirth and healing.  Oats and oat flour were often used in the offering cakes left out for her during the season of Imbolc.

This inclusion of oats in this milk bath recognizes this connection to the ancient world.

Lavender Flowers

The soothing, sweet smell of lavender flower calls to mind the coming of warmth, light and joy.

With the last frosts beginning to fade, we sometimes include delicate florals in Imbolc recipes to remember that after the darkness and cold, new flowers appear.

Things You Will Need

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-Jar or bottle (I used a milk jar)

-2 cups powdered whole milk

-1 cup honey powder

-1/2 cup quick oats

–dried lavender flower

Step 1

In a blender or coffee grinder, grind oats until they break down into a soft, fine powder.

Do the same with the dried lavender.  

Step 2

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine powdered milk, honey powder, powdered oats and powdered lavender flowers.

Step 3 

Fill clean glass jar with milk bath mixture.

To use, 1 cup of mixture to a hot bath.

Enjoy!

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