A soothing herbal bath to bathe away the stress and pain is fairly simple to prepare. If a person can make a pot of tea, then he or she can make an herbal bath preparation. The following guidelines can help those who are new to herbal relaxation.
Steps to take:
1. Choose which herb of blend of herbs to use. This will depend on the individual’s preferences and purpose of the bath
2. If using a plant such as rose petal, which is very small and fairly flimsy, then merely add a handful to the bath water.
3. If using a plant that may clog the drain or be uncomfortable having floating around the tub, then either make a tea from the herb first, or place the herb in a muslin or cheesecloth bag that can be fastened shut. To make the tea, add a handful of the selected herbs to three or four cups of boiling water. Let the tea steep for quite awhile, to make it very strong and to gather as much of the plant’s essence as possible. Pour the tea into the bath as the water is filling the tub. For the muslin or cheesecloth bag, simply fill it with the selected herb, and then allow the bag to float around while taking the bath.
Choosing the right herbs:
According to Native American legends, there are 408 healing plants. Each plant has a healing power of its own, or can be blended with other plants to create a more potent healing remedy. The plants produce different affects. Thus, when the plants are added in, the bath can serve a wide variety of purposes. The bath can be uplifting, calming, energizing, relaxing, or ease mental fatigue or physical aches and pain. The temperature of the bath water also affects the outcome of the purpose served. The warmer the water is, the sleepier the individual may become.
Some herbs and their affects:
1. Calming – geranium, jasmine, lavender, orange, rose, spruce, sandalwood, cypress, and ylang-ylang
2. Energizing – eucalyptus, orange, peppermint, rosemary, cypress, and ylang-ylang
3. Mental fatigue – cedar, geranium, lavender, and basil
4. Muscle aches – cedar, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, rosemary, basil, birch, and marjoram
5. Nervous tension – cedar, eucalyptus, geranium, jasmine, lavender, patchouli, peppermint, spruce, sandalwood, and ylang-ylang
6. Relaxation – cedar, clary sage, geranium, lavender, marjoram, orange, patchouli, spruce, sandalwood, and ylang-ylang
7. Uplifting – cedar, clary sage, cypress, geranium, grapefruit, jasmine, orange, peppermint, rose, rosemary, spruce, sandalwood, and ylang-ylang
Buying herbs:
Herbs are sold in bulk, or by the individual herb or blend. If purchasing the herbs, be sure to buy them from a reputable herbalist. Consult with a professional herbalist before buying any large amounts of herbs, especially herbal medical remedies.
Each person should take into consideration that everyone is a unique human being and should experiment with the various herbs available on the market to see which works best for him or her. Additionally, the individual needs to consider his or her own medical health conditions, such as diabetes or allergies.
If a person has existing medical conditions, he or she should consult a physician or naturopathic doctor who is trained in herbology before using any herbal remedies. Certain herbs may cause the medical condition to worsen. They may also cause internal bleeding under some medical conditions.
Growing herbs:
When first starting out, it helps to have the guidance of a mentor who can recognize the various plants. Many of these plants may be growing in the yard already. However, it is best to use planters or special plots designated to just the herbs to avoid the chance of confusion.
The easiest herbs to grow are the grass type or flowery types. These do well in planters, flower boxes, or tubs. They can be planted indoors or outdoors, depending on the climate. Rose petals are also easy to attain, if a person grows roses. Simply gather the petals when the roses are blooming, then lay them on a mesh screen to dry, turning them frequently.
Members of the mint family are also pretty easy to grow just about anywhere. This includes peppermint, and winter mint. Just plant seeds and experiment.