Water Magick: How To Perform A Ritual Bath

By Carmen Pouerie 

Immerse yourself in magickal water rituals with these sacred herbs, tips, and ingredients. 

Photo by Nastasya Day from Pexels

At Enchantments, we always recommend taking a sea salt bath before performing magick (or for any occasion). Usually a good Uncrossing bath (or scrub) is all I need to feel “back to myself,” but since NYC has been on lockdown and the store temporarily closed, I realized I didn't have any left in the house. When this happens, I normally add a few drops of Uncrossing oil to plain sea salt or Epsom salts, but even my oil vial was empty. This meant I had to improvise – as witches do. 

After cleaning my small bathtub, I decided my intention would be purification, healing and love. I focused on this as the tub filled with water and went searching in my kitchen for herbs and items to promote those intentions. 

This is what I gathered...

• Clear and rose quartz (for clarity, healing, love)
• Sea salt (which strips away spiritual negativity. My sea salt is blended with pepper, which is also good for repelling negativity)
• Coconut water (known to cleanse and protect your spiritual aura. You can also use coconut milk, as an alternative)
• Lemon and orange slices (They not only act as a mild disinfectant and astringent, but are great for clearing and happiness.)
• Green tea bag (to promote healing)
• Basil (for love and protection)
• Bay (for purification, strength, healing, protection)
• Rosemary (for healing)
• Dried roses (for love)
• Sage (for cleansing, healing, protection)
• Rosehip seed essential oil (to promote love and also heal damaged skin)
• Vanilla extract (to promote love, balances mood and reduce stress)​ ​

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Photo by Amy Peryam on Unsplash

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With all my magickal tools in place, I lit incense (Van Van, for this occasion) and tea light candles around the tub. I charged my crystals by visualizing my energy and aura being fused with each one. I then held each herb and said aloud what its job would be for my ritual. I combined the tea and a pinch of all the herbs in a cloth sachet bag and added it to the water. Lastly, I added the sea salt, oil, coconut water and fruit slices (with a bit of juice squeezed out) to the bath. 

Now it’s time to create an incantation. Sometimes I use a quote from a book I’m currently reading or a ritual poem from ancient folklore, but for some reason I was feeling something different that day. I went to my playlist on my music app, hit shuffle, and “Alive” by Sia started to play. Perfect! As I sang along with the vocals, I saw my tub as my lifeline. I saw the water as my medicine – meant to cure my spiritual and emotional turmoil. I visualized radiant, rainbow colored light filling my body as I lowered myself into the warm, magickal water.

The circle was cast. 

As my anxiety began to melt away, I could let down my psychic protections and feel the energy of my intention enter my aura. I continued to sing, I continued to visualize. I focused on releasing all the negative energies within my psychic body, and as this energy flowed out of me, it would be replaced with my healing intention.

When I’m ready to end my bath and feel relaxed and fully myself again, I allow the tub to empty completely. This ensures that the dirty water that is now holding the negative energies is washed off entirely. I then put out the candles, step out of the tub, and dry off my body as I chant affirmations like “I am safe, I am healthy, I am loved.” 
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© Victor Castro / Enchantments NYC

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Sometimes it’s good to follow up your water bath with a sound bath or short meditation session to affirm your magickal intention. You can also place your sachet of bath herbs on your altar until it completely dries out and reaffirm your intention each time you look at it. After it dries, empty the cloth bag and re-use in your next bath (up to 2-3 times). 

Cleansing is only one step in the process and spiritual hygiene involves more than just purifying yourself and space. I always recommend doing some kind of protection ritual and attract positive energy after you do a cleansing. Candle magick is always a good follow up to bath rituals; in this case, I carved myself a Peace and Protection candle after I was done. 

Here are some other ingredients you can add to your bath...

• Coffee or coffee grounds (for banishing and stimulating  the senses)
• Pineapple juice (for energizing, to dissolve dead skin cells, and for use as an astringent)
• Milk of any kind (for purification and Goddess energy. Plus, it softens skin)
• Aloe gel or juice (for protection, luck, to soothe skin irritation, and restore the skin’s natural pH)
• Vinegar (for banishing. Can also be used as a mild cleanser and astringent)
• Calendula/Marigold (to invoke calming vibes. Also an anti-inflammatory)
• Chamomile (helps calm anxiety and soothes irritation)
• Cucumber (for healing and to hydrate skin)
• Eucalyptus (for healing and to open up airways)
• Fennel (for healing, cleansing, skin hydration)
• Ginger (for healing, luck, wealth, grounding, and to relieve aches)
• Lavender (for love, protection, purification, and to soothe skin)
• Witch Hazel (an excellent astringent)
• Beer (to invoke abundance)
• Wine (used for consecration and blessings)
• Vodka (as an astringent)
• Coins or money (to welcome in wealth)
• Stones or rocks (for protection)
• Locks (for security and safety)
• Nut, bolts, and screws (to ensure success in projects)​​

Photo by Elly Fairytale from Pexels

For more stories and tips, here's how to add magick back into your daily routine.