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.

Homesickness - Heemweh

In the Deitsch tradition, homesickness begins with one no longer smells the aroma of his mother's coffee pot or sees the smoke from her chimney.

The primary weapons for combating homesickness are bread (es Brot) and salt (es Salz). Part of the reason for this is that, in days gone by, homesickness was often viewed as the result of a hex.

Salt, especially rock salt, is sewn into the seams of an article of clothing. Salt is considered far more effective of a defense if the person does not know that the salt has been sewn in. Bread is often sewn into clothing items in the same manner.

Bread offered by neighbors will build new relationships, thus reducing homesickness.

Some other sympathetic or symbolic methods of fighting homesickness are as follows:

If one has a well, one should fetch a bucket of water immediately upon moving in. The water is to be consumed through drinking and bathing.

Count the rafters in the home on the first night.

Wear shirts inside out until homesickness is gone.

Strain coffee or tea through a dishcloth used in the new home and drink it.

Eat hazel nuts, chestnuts, or walnuts for 9 days. On the first day, consume nine nuts, and then consume one nut less each day until you hit zero. 

Also, as homesickness is a form of grief, see the blog entry for Sweet Marjoram (Deitsch: der Maru, der Marun).

Der Schutzgeischt

When moving into a new home, it is customary to look upward into (or through) the new chimney. These days, many houses have no fireplaces, so this tradition has been extended to include exhaust fans or even dryer vents!

The presence of house spirits is a common theme in Urglaawe, and some traditions surround sealing a relationship with the Schutzgeischt (guardian spirit). For example, cutting a small piece of soil from the garden or from the entranceway to the house and adding the soil to one's coffee or tea is one way to forge a relationship with the Schutzgeischt.

Other methods include:

Scraping the ends of the table and adding the dust to food;

Scraping the door sills and adding the dust to food;

Making and baking bread with one's own hands and leaving bread offerings to the Schutzgeischt on the first night in the new home.

Offerings to the Schutzgeischt should be made frequently, even after one has resided in the home for a long time.

I am sure that there are far more sympathetic and symbolic cures for homesickness among our folk, but this is a good start.

Sweet Marjoram for Grief

An unfortunate circumstance has arisen that brought the theme of this blog entry to mind today. This is a facet of Braucherei and the Deitsch culture that I hope to see more people embrace.

Sweet Marjoram (Origanum marjorana; Deitsch: der Maru or der Marun) is widely known as a spice for sausages. This member of the Lamiaceae, or the Mint family, is related to Oregano (Origanum vulgare; Deitsch: der Oregaan or der Dooscht) and shares many of its qualities. It is an effective tool against colic, flatulence, colds, and respiratory issues. However, it seems to be even stronger than Oregano at combating nervous system issues, and the Deitsch practice described below seems to tap into that power.

According to Andrew Chevallier (Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, p. 241. New York: Dorling Kindersely, 2000), Sweet Marjoram's one major drawback is that it may decrease libido, but is a good general tonic to relieve anxiety, headaches, and insomnia.

Our Deitsch traditions indicate that Sweet Marjoram is also the go-to herb for the earliest stages of grief (Deitsch: die Drauer).

There are several herbs that are used in different stages of the loss, grief, and funerary in Urglaawe practices. Sweet Marjoram is the first. It is typically added, in significant quantity, to some sort of soup (I tend to use chicken corn chowder but most any soup will do). During the cooking process, various Braucherei incantations and Urglaawe prayers are uttered over the soup for the welfare of the bereaved. The intentions and energies are absorbed into the soup and, ultimately, brought to the bereaved for consumption.

Even if one does not believe in the action of imbuing food with positive energies, the simple act of caring for the bereaved and providing them with something to eat can go a long way in relieving their grief.

Sweet Marjoram is one herb that I bring indoors and grow under lamps in the wintertime. I hope that other folks can find this piece of Deitsch lore to help them to help their loved ones during times of grief.

I will touch upon the other herbs that are used in the Urglaawe rites in future posts.