Spiritual bathing is an ancient and restorative practice that promotes health and wellbeing by combining the healing power of water with various herbs and minerals to shift spiritual energy in your favor. It is found in many cultures all over the world. In the African-derived traditions such as Santería and Hoodoo, spiritual baths are often prescribed for specific purposes such as drawing love and money, facilitating healing, cultivating
wisdom, removing negative conditions, uncrossing and reversing spiritual attacks, providing protection, increasing personal influence and domination and creating success. Sometimes used bathwater is saved and utilized in future works. Often, a portion of the bath water is used in a floor wash following the personal bath and the leftover water is thrown in the direction of the east at dawn or at a crossroads.
People have used the sanctity of water in ritual contexts for thousands of years. As a rootworker, it is an integral part of the healing and magical practice. It is the ultimate purifier. Cleansings can be performed on the person and the environment, in preparation of a work and in conclusion of a work.
Spiritual bathing is done with any number of washes and bath salts
made with special herbs and colors specific to the purpose at hand. Many cleansings are for the removal of negative energy, to remove obstacles, and illness. Other cleansings ‐ more aptly referred to as washes or baths – involve drawing a specific energy or condition to you. Spiritual cleansings can include full body immersion, washing a specific part of the body such as the face, hands, head, or feet, as well as
fumigating or sprinkling the environment with special botanical, mineral and zoological preparations. For example, using the smoke from burning herbs, roots, minerals, and feathers to cleanse an object, self, or the environment are traditional, effective and commonplace in southern conjure.
In addition to the use of water based or smoke deployed methods of cleansing, the use of objects, both natural and human‐made, can be used to cleanse both the environment as well as yourself.