Limpia: Cleansing with herbs and flowers in a spiritual bath.
Nice to do on a full moon like tonight! With all of the emotional stress going around the world at the moment, it is good to take time to cleanse and nurture ourselves from negativity.
You can use various types of herbs and flowers in your bath for spiritual healing. You can use them for cleansing, protection, relaxation, vitality, and many many types of healing. In some cultures, these are called Limpias. Herbs, flowers, prayers and songs, and the sacred sound of drums or rattles or other forms of music can help purify a person’s mind, body, and spirit. Another essential element of the limpia is the smoke of copal, palo santo, white sage, or other plant you consider deeply clearing and protective for this kind of work. You can also use crystals to infuse the water, or bring in water from sacred areas (mountain streams, holy wells, the ocean, hot springs and so forth).
We all draw energy from different sources to feed emotional states, and this can essentially energize cells within our body, depending on the emotional trigger. There are specific herbs that have been used for millennia, whose frequencies are known to have an impact in deflecting and transforming negative energies. Here are some excellent herbs at deflecting negative energy and balancing your connection to all that is.
Consider using Calendula flowers, Lavender flowers, White pine, Juniper, Oak leaf and bark, Witch Hazel bark, Rosemary, Roses, Plantain leaf, or Yarrow leaf and flowers as infusion choices for skin care to encourage closing wounds. Sea salt will sting any open skin areas, with no harm other than it stings. Epsom salt does not. This will speed physical healing and gather the soul and spirit back after such a traumatic event. I suggest a spiritual foot or hand bath for the in-between situations where a full immersion bath must wait or you don’t have access to a bath tub.
An Elder Flower, Lemon, Honey, and Coconut Milk Bath soothes everything and guarantees a deep restorative sleep in the wake of anything disruptive. For some practical logistics, keep a fine mesh strainer handy for skimming the herbs out because you don’t want clogged drains.
One method is to make a fresh plant wand for the limpia. Bundle a handful of fresh plant material together, such as pines, roses, rosemary, oregano, thyme, lavender, or any of the herbs mentioned above, and any fresh spices.
You can decide to have infused water as part of this by putting it in a bowl or pot first, then bringing the water to the bath. Or just sweep the fresh bundle through your smudge smoke or essential oil mist, and work the fresh plant material over your body.
You will want to take a shower BEFORE the bath to clean off, and then you can leave the herbs on your skin, with or without using a towel to wipe off afterwards. (If you are allergic to any plants or essential oils, etc. don’t use them!)
You can also do this in a shower by brushing the water with the plant bundle over you.
Enjoy your spirit bath!
Author: Gina O’Connor
