As with other religious traditions, water is a prominent element in Voodo witchcraft, rituals and ceremonies. Spiritual cleansing, baptism, divination and many other rituals are dependant on water, which is believed to have the ability of absorb and transform negative energies.
Voodoo magic has evolved rapidly in Louisiana, amongst the black community. Under the conditions of poverty, constant monitoring and partial loss of spiritual communication, potions were not always created for magical rituals that were performed. Today is a different era, where it is quite simple to buy needed liquids in pharmacies, botanical and esoteric stores in Louisiana. It is still recommended to create your own potions, though.
Cleaning baths have always gotten special attention in the traditions of Voodoo. They are encouraged to take when you feel the approach of danger, anxiety, depression or wish to relieve fatigue. They can also be useful if you want to restore mental balance after a bad accident.
Cleansing bath recipes differ by the purpose of each bath. Before taking such a bath, certain preparation is needed:
- Water gets enchanted by speaking to Voodo spirits (Loa) or praying to Catholic saints.
- Before going into the bath, pour some water on yourself from head to toe, while calling all of your problems out loud.
- Be inside of the bath no less than 15 minutes, but longer than 30 minutes. During this time you can meditate, imagining how you get rid of all your problems.
- When releasing the water, imagine how your problems and worries go away with the water.
- Clean the bath with salt water after each session. Use plain salt only if you don’t have sea salt.
Before making cleaning procedures, wash yourself with soap and water in a regular bath. Don’t use soap with cleansing herbs. After cleaning yourself, let your body dry in fresh air, don’t use a towel.