Herbal baths are used to calm and soothe and even to restore pieces of oneself that may have withdrawn from the conscious mind and thought processes because of trauma, pain, or shock (due to an accident, the death of a loved one, abuse, etc.). I find it is a great way to directly and personally connect with a plant on an emotional and spiritual level. I learned about herbal baths several years ago in a workshop taught by herbalist and naturopathic doctor Rosita Arvigo (https://arvigotherapy.com/node/16). She is a North American who studied with many traditional healers in Central America, including Don Elijio Panti, a Mayan shaman in Belize.
Herbal baths can connect you to the healing spirit of a plant, very much in the same way of flower essences. Flower essences are the result of an alchemical process that happens when flowers, water, and sunlight interact with each other. This alchemical process is used to distill the healing life force of a particular flower or plant and infuse it into pure water. You are combining the fire of the sun with water to refine the essence of the flower. Alchemy!
Taking herbs in forms such as teas or tinctures provides a very tangible dosage of a plant that can be measured with our sense of taste, touch, smell, and sight. When you distill the essence of a plant in water, while you can not physically measure the presence of the plant, you can feel subtle changes within your energy body when you interact with a plant essence. By taking an herbal bath, you are literally blending your own unique energy with that of a plant, with the water as the conductor.
You can use any type of herb or plant, whether it is flowering or not, as well as fresh plants or dried plants. I love taking herbal baths in spring and summer when you can use the fresh plants. Leaves, such as plantain, poke root, or dock leaves make wonderful additions to any herbal bath. I often suggest that people use whatever fresh flowers or plants are in their garden or house. Or you may find that a plant is calling your name, and you feel particularly drawn to it. This is a good indication that this plant may have some a special meaning or message for you at that time. Or you can intentionally choose a plant that has physical or emotional healing properties or qualities you would like to cultivate internally. You are inviting this plant in as a teacher, ally, helper.
Each flower has different healing properties and meanings. There are many different ways of learning about the healing properties of plants and flowers. Materia medicas and accounts of others’ experiences with plants can offer you tremendous insights into individual plants.
My preferred way is to go directly to the source, the plants themselves. You can pick a plant you are drawn to or one that has appeared repeatedly to you or simply any plant in your garden. To do this, sit quietly with a plant and observe its qualities and characteristics of how it presents itself in a natural setting. Also, drop you inner awareness to your heart and smile, first into your own heart and then allow that smile to radiate out to the flower directly. As you smile out to the plant, see what you notice about the plant, whether it is visual images, a voice or even sensations in your body, as all can be clues and communication. Most importantly, do not allow your mind or brain to interfer with the process. Simply be present in your body and trust the unfolding and the messages you may receive. You may intuit very specific healing properties for flowers that have personal meanings to you that are not listed in any book or you may come away with a deeper understanding of how the works on a physical level. Enjoy whatever comes!
You can also select specific flowers or plants for inclusion in your bath based on their indications as flower essences or according to their physical healing properties. Here are several resources I love for learning more about the individual healing properties of plants.
- Kaminski, Patricia and Richard Katz (1996). Flower Essence Repertory. Published by the Flower Essence Society.
- Wood, Matthew (1997). The Book of Herbal Wisdom. North Atlantic Books: Berkeley, California. I recommend any materia medica written by Matthew Wood.
- Tierra, Michael (1998). The Way of Herbs. Pocket Books: New York, NY. (good for physiological properties of plants).
- Tierra, Michael and Candis Cantin (2003). Herbal Tarot: The Sprit of Herbs. US Games Systems.
- Green Hope Farm (http://www.greenhopeessences.com/) makes flower essences with a huge range of flowers they grow personally at their farm. They have excellent descriptions of the spiritual properties of all of the essences they make.
I am sharing the very simple method I learned from herbalist Rosita Arvigo. It is always best to use fresh herbs if possible, but don’t let that stop you. Dried herbs work fine as well. I recommend using whatever is available.
1. Choose an herb or plant you would like to use. When gathering flowers or leaves, take a moment to appreciate the plant and thank it for sharing itself with you. I personally like to smile at the plant and connect to it from my heart center. I also like to have a clear intention in my mind when I connect to the plant, such as wanting to learn more about it or asking for help with a specific issue. Be open to whatever wisdom the plant may have for you in this process.
2. You can gather a specific number of flowers or leaves, using your favorite number or a number that resonates for you (ie 3 flowers or 9 leaves). In healing traditions such as the Mayan and Chinese traditions, numbers carry special significance and invoking them imbues the action with the healing powers of that number. I like subsets of nine because of the special significance of that number from my Taoist practices.
3. Draw a warm bath and put the flowers in the bath. Let the plants sit in the water before you get in. During this time you focus on the special intention you have for your bathing experience. Remember to smile from your heart at the plant in gratitude for all if is offering to you.
4. Get in the bath and most importantly, enjoy yourself! Be sure to take a bowl or glass that you can use to pour water over your head. Observe any feelings in your body or thoughts that come up. You may want to write about what you noticed when you get out, but while you are in the bath. Be as present as you can with the whole experience, experiencing your body and your feelings.
5. Take a moment before you finish your bath to appreciate and thank the plants for whatever information of assistance you have received.
6. Remove the plants and drain the bath water. If you can, it is nice to let yourself air dry or lightly pat yourself dry with a towel. You can dry and keep the plants you used or compost them.
