Throughout history, it is easy to see the importance various cultures placed on the ritual of bath. As early as the third century BC, public and private bathhouses could be found across Greece and Rome as people discovered not only the sanitary necessity of bathing, but also the healing and beautifying properties as well. One source tells us that the Roman Baths of Caracalla offered more than 20 different types of baths, including mineral, oil, steam, massage, friction and of course, various herbal options.
Hippocrates, the 'father of medicine', often prescribed baths as basic medicine for certain diseases, especially those related to the muscles, bones and joints, as well as certain mental disorders. In fact, the soothing effects of a warm bath were one of the first treatments for emotional and mental disturbances. Today, we find the effects of hydrotherapy are still recommended for treatment of arthritis and certain other muscular disorders.
Baths can sooth and relax, or refresh and stimulate. They can ease the body and calm the mind. The 'holistic' practitioner knows the importance of bringing together mind, body and spirit in the tranquil, centered atmosphere of the bath, literally washing our physical and emotional troubles away.
PREPARATION
If you're envisioning (with either hope or fear) sinking down in a tub strewn with handfuls of selected flowers, leaves and stems, it's a lovely picture, but not quite practical in these modern times of easily clogged drains! One of the best ways to experience an herbal bath is to prepare your own herbal tea bags. Take a square of cheesecloth, muslin or other lightweight (either natural or colorfast!) material and wrap about a ½ cup of your selected herbs - that's basically a heaping handful - in it. Tie it up to make a bundle or Bath Tea Bag. Either hang the bundle from the faucet, letting the water run over and through it, or let it float along with you in the tub, letting it 'steep'. With some of the more gentle herbs, you can even use the cheesecloth bag as an 'herbal skin scrub' to directly treat the skin and release the fragrances.
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