Ritual Baths: A Beginner's Guide

Ritual baths are a powerful way to literally immerse yourself in magick.

But what makes a bath “ritualistic”? What’s the difference between an ordinary dunk in the tub and a spiritual experience?

Here’s a beginner’s guide to ritual baths and how to make your bathtime a little more magickal.

Ritual Baths vs. Mundane Baths

With so many ideas for ritual baths on Pinterest, in magical blogs, and in witchy books, it’s easy to wonder: What sets a magical bath apart from a mundane one?

The answer is the same for many questions related to the Craft. Your intentions.

Which is an answer both liberating and frustratingly vague.

While all the ideas below certainly can help you to set a magical tone and put you in a spiritual frame of mind, it is your intentions—not the gemstones, candles, or essential oils—-that make ritual baths special and enchanted.

All that said, here’s a few ideas to set the stage for a mystical bathtime experience.

Give it a good clean.

Nothing takes you out of the mood for spellcraft and magic like a grimy bathroom. Before you do a sacred bath ritual, make sure you give your bathroom a good clean using natural bath products.

Set an intention.

As noted above, the crucial component of a ritual bath—the thing that distinguishes it from simply scrubbing off the dirt from your last backyard earthing session—is intention.

Your intention can be anything from “cleanse me of negative thoughts” to “steep me in energies of love and attraction.”

Particularly if you plan to do your ritual bath as a prequel to a spell, try and think of something that will complement that spell.

It’s best to keep it simple. Just give yourself something to focus on.

Set a mystical mood.

Before you draw your bath, consider adding elements that create an otherworldly feel.

Play soft music (instrumentals with no lyrics, or music with ethereal chanting are good choices—lyrics tend to distract from your focus).

Candles are also a nice touch. If you are crafty or well-versed in candle magic, you can even select candles that are specific to your intentions—although that is totally optional.

Think about your bathtub like a giant cauldron.

The bathtub is a vessel of transformation—-very similar in function to the cauldron.

When you think of your tub this way, it becomes a perfect place to brew magic.

Consider what the intention is, and choose elements that symbolize that intention for you.

For example, if you are trying to draw financial success, pick an essential oil that you associate with abundance (mint, eucalyptus, and patchouli are all common choices for this intention).

Or, try using a natural, fiber-based drawstring bag. Fill it with appropriate herbs and gemstones and allow it to steep in the water.

If you don’t care about cleaning the mess up later, you can even float flowers in the water—it’s super rewarding and luxurious!

Consider your bathroom vanity.

If the tub is like a cauldron, the bathroom vanity is the altar—complete with a flowing water feature. 🙂

Use your vanity to place items you consider sacred to your intention. Wildflowers, candles or even statuary are all lovely additions to your sacred bath experience.