Jeudi: Root Work

Negativity is, unfortunately, all around us. Our ancestors who practiced magickal arts knew it, and they knew how to wash it off - both physically and spiritually - on a regular basis. Particularly in hoodoo, a magickal discipline informed by those on the margins of society, baths to wash away negative and harmful vibrations are plentiful. Here is my favorite recipe for both a relaxing and affective bath to scrub you clean of psychic gunk.

In a muslin square, assemble equal parts of the following dried herbs, either from your garden, the farmer's market, or that big grocery store down the way:

Basil
Rue
Rosemary
Lemon zest
Sea or Kosher salt

Tie the bag up with white thread and let it steep in your very warm bath water for five to ten minutes.

Meanwhile, add a sprinkling of holy water (either from the Catholic/Orthodox Church or made by you) and/or a sprinkling of Florida Water (available at many of the shops noted on the sidebar including New Orleans Mistic and Erzulie's Voodoo).

Florida Water is an American version of a specific French eau de cologne that became popular, particularly in New Orleans and then New York, in the late 18th century. By the 19th century, Florida Water was the scent of choice for both lady and gentleman Creoles in Old New Orleans. The recipe was quickly picked up by root workers for use in a like-makes-like sort of way: if rich people wore the scent, it would surely convey their luck to the less fortunate.

This bath will work perfectly well without holy water and/or Florida Water so don't feel constrained by ingredients. In fact, never feel afraid to omit or substitute an ingredient in any hoodoo working. As noted before, root work is largely an art of the less fortunate, and that means we don't always have access to everything a spell/working calls for. As in love, you most beautiful magickal tool is your mind.

Soak in this bath for at least fifteen minutes, allowing the scent of the herbs to wash your mind clean of negativity as their presence in the water cleanses you body. When you step out, allow your skin to air dry if at all possible.

If you do not have a bathtub, you can brew the same mixture in four or five cups of warm water and pour it over you at the end of a shower. The spiritual results will be exactly the same. Bonne chance ~

Header: Lisbeth Prepares a Bath by Carl Larson c 1909 via Old Paint