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Taking a long, luxurious bath is one of the best ways to unwind after a difficult day or week. But, if you're seeking more than a physical release, it's actually pretty easy to reap spiritual benefits from your soak, too. You just need the right bath recipe.
Spiritual baths are a form of cleansing, not unlike the ritual baths of ancient Rome. They're meant to be a sort reset button for your energy, and they can even help you set meditative intentions. It all depends on what you add to the bathwater.
Adding crystals, essential oils, and herbs to water is an act of blessing, says Deborah Hanekamp, seeress and medicine woman. All of these items are believed to be spiritually restorative, and they're thought to imbue the bath with their healing powers. That's what makes spiritual baths so unique: Unlike holding a crystal against your body or smudging a room, your entire body is submerged in the energy these items possess.
"When we submerge ourselves in that [blessed] water, it, in turn, blesses us," Hanekamp says, adding that you should dunk your head under the water, if possible. "We hold so much energy in our heads and this helps to get us to a quiet mind."
Hanekamp recommends spending at least 20 minutes in the bath, but if you only have a few moments to spare (or if you don't have a tub), you can prepare a simple foot bath. And if your crystal collection isn't very extensive (or if it's completely nonexistent), don't worry. Hanekamp says you can still have a spiritual experience in a regular bath, as long as you spend your soak reflecting on ways to serve and care for yourself. If you hop out of the tub feeling recharged and with a renewed sense of purpose, consider your mission accomplished.
Ahead, we've rounded up nine different spiritual baths, each with different properties to fit your needs, courtesy of Hanekamp's gorgeous Instagram account.
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