Writing my way through the A-to-Z blogging challenge, I’ve tasked myself with creating a manifesto reflecting wonders, curiosities, and delights currently captivating me – all through the lens of unusual, obscure, or simply charming-to-me words.
B is for…
balneal – of or pertaining to baths or to bathing.
I believe regular practices that promote calmness and serenity not only help alleviate stress, but actually help us thrive. And one of my favorite recommended self-care practices is taking a bath.
We are all such watery beings, no matter what our emotional constitution; and it simply makes sense to me that immersing ourselves into water is a way to return to balance. I particularly love Isak Dineson’s proclamation:
“The cure for anything is salt water – sweat, tears, or the sea.”
But let’s focus on the bath part today. While self-care can certainly look like indulging in a scented bubble bath with an exciting new novel and perhaps a little dish of bonbons and glass of wine nearby, that’s a rather limited view of the magic you can invite into your life with a little ceremony and a lot of water.
First I like to start out with an intention. What do I want from this bath? A clearing? A pre-bed dose of relaxation? A bit of time out of my ordinary elements and a chance to indulge in a water meditation? The list of possibilities is endless, but I like to be clear on my focus so the rest can come together with perfect ease.
Once I know what I want, I can gather the bits I need – some kind of bath additive(s), be it salts, herbal teas, seaweed, essential oils, flower essences. Maybe I want to add some candle light, or music, or incense, or bring a vase of flowers in. I happen to be a serious junkie of artisan soaps so that’s always a consideration as well.
When everything is gathered then I begin. The very first thing I do as I’m drawing the water is offer a blessing and gratitude to the water. I love doing that – it feels right and it always makes me smile – who doesn’t want to have happy water molecules to commune with? As I’m adding whatever I’m using in my water, I state an intention for what I want. Do I want peace? clarity? a sense of renewal? a release of something? I welcome and thank all the co-creators of this experience – the salts, oils, essences. And when I’m done with my bath, I say thank you again. So see, it’s really quite simple, but intentional, and that can make such a difference.
So what kinds of things can you add to the water?
Salts are great, especially for detoxing and clearing. Epsom salts which are magnesium sulfate can be very relaxing and help release toxins. Baking soda can relieve itchy or sunburned skin, but can also be used to sooth that frazzled-nerves-on-edge-I-want-to-jump-out-of-my-skin feeling as well. Dead sea salts or Celtic salts or Himalayan pink salts are also wonderful additions. I happen to have a fabulous stash of pink salt chunks that look like chunks of rose quartz – so lovely! I also enjoy making my own blends of mineral-rich salts by adding essential oils (and sometimes a bit of carrier oil as well.
- Recipe: 3 cups of salt, 15-20 drops of essential oils, and optionally, 1 T of carrier oil such as jojoba which can be bit moisturizing. Mix well and store in a tightly sealed jar, perhaps a beautiful glass container. Add ½ – 1 cup per bath. Give the water a little stir to make sure the salts are dissolved.
Essential oils are wonderful to add directly to the water, or mixed in a bit of carrier oil which is then added to the water. 7 drops is about right for a tub, or added to an ounce of carrier oil which is then added to the water. Of course you always want to be careful when using oils when in the tub – you don’t want to slip.
Herbal teas are great additions as well. You can bundle a handful of herbs into a square of cheesecloth or a muslin bag that can be tied and then placed under the running water. You want to infuse the water without actually having to deal with plant bits floating in the water and potentially messing with the plumbing. You can also make actual teas, as in steeped liquids, to add directly to your water as well. Here’s a nice one:
- Recipe: For a relaxing bath:
- handful of dried lavender flower; handful of dried chamomile flowers; optional: a pinch of dried roses or hibiscus or something else you love
- Fill a small sauce pan with water leaving enough room to add the flowers. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. It’ll be nice and dark. Strain the flower bits out of liquid and then add the liquid to your bath.
Flower essences are one of my favorite things to add to a bath, and I almost always use them no matter what else I’m using, if anything. Remember flower essences are different than essential oils – they contain no actual plant material but rather the vibrational essence of the flower. So you don’t have to worry about safety precautions with flower essences in the way you do with essential oils. I like to add 7 or sometimes 11 drops of a single or combination of essences per tub.
Something else I like to do sometimes is use tuning forks while I’m in the tub. I don’t actually know anyone else who is doing this, but I like the idea of the symmetry of it – water being so much of what we’re composed of and putting that container (us) inside a container of water (the tub) and allowing the tuning forks to vibrate it all. Seems magical to me.
I am a steadfast adherent of balneal indulgences that relieve stress and promote well-being.
So there you have it, my ideas on ritual bathing. What about you? Are you using baths in a therapeutic way? Do you like to add things to your water? Have any favorite bath recipes to share? Or are you strictly a shower-only kind of person? Do tell – you know I love to hear.
HI Deborah,
Your post was fantastic and I feel like finding a luxurious hotel with a big bath and running away from home. Just to explain, our bathtub has become a storage zone. My daughter’s tutu even hangs overhead. There are a million stored up dreams in there and cast off skins.
I also suspect the bath is a big of a tight fit as I’m quite tall.
I do enjoy going into the Body Shop and trying on various moisturizers.
My theme for the A-Z is “Letters to Dead Artists”.
Best wishes,
Rowena
LOL – a posh escape to a luxurious hotel with an oversized bubble-filled bath sounds like great fun. But I think your bath sounds fascinating as well. How could I resist the lure of “a million stored up dreams” topped with a tutu? Makes me laugh with pure delight.
And speaking of delight, I’m loving your theme!
I haven’t taken a bath since grammar school, and I think if I were to want to, I’d have to get one of those step-in baths. Nonetheless, I can see where it would be a worthwhile thing for everyone else. Great post!
Thanks John – I appreciate you stopping by. I’ve always been curious about those step-in tubs, but I confess they make me a bit nervous. I have no trouble imagine the design hardware failing and having to deal with a huge flood. Not exactly the calming effect I’m after. 🙂
Hi Deborah … I think I should try a relaxing salt bath … and I love the photo with the quote, as too the idea and recipe – thanks … cheers Hilary
A relaxing salt bath might be a bit like a lovely seaside dip while you’re in Canada Hilary.
I love baths too, but have never been intentional about what I want from them. (nor have I added anything to the water) I’m always afraid that my sensitive skin will react in some way.
I always say trust your own knowing of your body. But it’s unlikely you can go wrong by adding flower essences (different than essential oils!) to your bath water as they are water-based themselves and only carry vibrational energy. And likely salts would be harmless as well. But in any case, happy baths!
I know it’s crazy, but I hate baths. I hate showers. I hate getting wet, especially my face!!!
That’s a kind of interesting quirk Beth, but I’d claim it as that, and not crazy. Some of us are just more water-loving than others. 🙂
Baths are not my thing. When we recently remodeled our bathroom we just had a shower put in, no bath. Hot tub, yes!
It’s lovely when you get to remodel and get things exactly the way you want them.
Being grateful towards the water is something I will try to keep in mind. We sometimes take it for granted, when so many people suffer from the lack of it.
Our relationship with water is very complicated isn’t it? But I think gratitude towards all things is a helpful energy.And I certainly hope we soon work out the solution to our problems with water availability and safety.
Hari OM
” I happen to be a serious junkie of artisan soaps …” me too! I very occasionally take a bath, but very much favour showering for daily bathing. Perhaps twice a year will I use the tub and it is, indeed, with a degree of ceremony.
As part of saadhana, there are mantras for everything and even if one is only washing one’s face, the prayer is said…
‘गङ्गेच यमुने चैव गोदावरी सरस्वति ।
नर्मदा सिन्धु कावेरी जलेऽस्मिन् संनिधिं कुरु ॥
Gangge-Cha Yamune Cha-Iva Godaavarii Sarasvati |
Narmadaa Sindhu Kaaverii JaleAsmin Samnidhim Kuru ||
O Holy Rivers Ganga and Yamuna, and also Godavari, Saraswati,
Narmada, Sindhu and Kaveri; Please be Present in this Water Near Me.
YAM xx
What a lovely invocation Yamini. And there is certainly something to be said for approaching everything with an attitude of respect and ceremony and true mindfulness.
Thank you Deborah so much! I will approach my regular night time bath with more intention and attention to the purpose I set for i as well as being grateful for the water itself and the fact that I can switch a tap on for running water. I cannot imagine a night without my bath – I feel it washes the busyness of day away and prepares me for sleep. I do add vanilla or sandalwood bubble bath. I think I’ll try an essential oil, or maybe boil the rose petals and add .. I like the potential of ceremony or ritual.
Evening baths are indeed lovely. I think of them as wonderful threshold practices moving us from one state to another. And something about relaxing in water prepares one for drifting off into sleep with greater ease I think.
I’m a shower person (there, I’ve put a label on myself–Ha! Ha!)
I grew up with the Hindu/Indian reverence for daily bathing (sometimes twice daily) and water and its molecules (along with the other elements). So reading this post has made me feel rather zen like.
Thank you.
Nice Arti!
After reading both A and B, already looking forward to C 🙂
Already excited to know, if will have learned new insights by the end of your Alphabet.
Big hug,
XxX
*know, I will…
Thanks Patty – and I appreciate you hanging out with me through the alphabet. 🙂
I never realized how much of a luxury a bubble bath is until I moved into an apartment that had no bathtub. Baths are definitely very good self-care. 🙂
The Multicolored Diary: Weird Things in Hungarian Folktales
In cases like that I’m of the opinion it’s good to cultivate friends who will loan you their tub on occasion. 😉 Happy bubbling when you can.
At one time I went to a LMT who was all about intentional baths. I don’t think she included a tuning fork in her ritual, but I can see her doing that, too. She got me started on the idea of making a bath a process to cleanse my body and spirit. Good ideas here.
I think I’d like that massage therapist Ally. It sounds like you adopted a lovely practice as well.
Wow this is one decadent post and I just want to jump into a bath right now. You are making me wish for a bathtub 😉
Lovely ideas for the infusions for the bath Deborah!
Color Master by Aimee Bender #atozchallenge
Without regular access to a tub just makes those occasional indulgent baths all the more decadent doesn’t it? Sometimes anticipatory treats are the most delicious.
this is gorgeous … I love the way that you put together words and intentions and wishes and dreams .and manifestos …. it’s gonna be an incredible month of reading these.
Thank you Cynthia. I suspect we’re all going to soak up a month’s full of richness. I always feel like a sponge during April’s A-to-Z.
Bathing with intention and gratitude and ceremony – that is such a lovely thing to suggest Deborah and I will be putting it into practice …. I love baths – with a good book and sometimes a few candles and glass of wine. It’s a real indulgence and I often add either Epsom Salts or a mud mineral preparation which takes away all aches and pains and leaves my skin really soft. I always thought that Flower Remedies would be damaged in the hot water, so I’m looking forward to trying that too. Nice idea with the tuning forks 🙂
Fil you sound like a kindred watery spirit. May your soaks always bring joy.