Monday, February 4, 2013

Relaxation Bath Salt

Baths are generally underutilized tools in our box both for maintaining health and for combating numerous ailments. While a bath alone can aid the body in many ways, adding herbs in the forms of herbal infusions, bath bags, or bath salts can make a bath more medicinally beneficial.

I recently made a small batch of an herbal bath salt (singular: es Baadsalz; plural: die Baadsalz) that I use for relaxation. While bath salts are easily purchased in myriad stores everywhere, I find bath salts to be far more effective when I make them myself. As I assemble the ingredients and put them together, I use runic Braucherei prayers and chants (particularly focusing on Ansuz) to imbue the concoction with healing energies. The chants call to the essence of the plant spirits in the herbs and awaken the life force energy (die Megge) that remains even in dried herb.

For relaxation, my bath salt recipes change depending on my mood or my needs, but I do have one recipe that I use frequently in order to relax and to fall asleep.

Disclaimer: This description is not intended to replace, nor does it replace, advice or treatment from a qualified medical professional. Essential oils are highly concentrated and should be handled very carefully according to the specifications on the producing company's bottles.

Ingredients

1/3 cup Epsom Salt (Deitsch: Englisches Salz)
1/3 cup of Sea Salt (Deitsch: es Seesalz)
1/3 cup of Baking Soda (Deitsch: der Backsoode)
10 drops of Lavender (Lavendula vera; Deitsch: der Lafendel) essential oil
7 drops of Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis; Deitsch: die Kamille or die Zaahmerkamille) essential oil
4 drops of Rose (Rosa gallica; Deitsch: die Ros) essential oil
4 drops of Marjoram (Origanum marjorana; Deitsch: der Maru) essential oil
4 drops of Wild Lettuce (Lactuca virosa; Deitsch: es Raahmgraut and other names) essential oil
1/8 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin

I mix together all fo the dry ingredients in a metal or ceramic bowl, and I then add in the essential oils and the glycerin and stir the whole mix well.

I then cover the bowl with cheesecloth and allow it to dry overnight. The next day, I stir the ingredients again in order to break up any chunks. I then pour the bath salt into mason jars.

I use about 1/2 cup of the salt in the bath water, adding the salt while the tub is filling. If there is a particular need, I will utter Braucherei chants while adding the salt to the water. One example of a chant I use is:

Es Wasser, Es Wasser
Wann es Salz verschmolze iss
Sinn mei [Druwwel] aa zerriss'
Zing! Zing! Zing!

Water, Water
When the Salt is melted
My [troubles] are also torn to bits
Zing! Zing! Zing!

I also make the motion of the Dagaz rune over the dissolving salt. The words "Druwwel" and "troubles" can be replaced by whatever it is that is keeping me awake.