(^26) A Wiccan Bible
who said the Earth was round? Or was it folk who dared to say that the Earth was not at
the center of the universe? Oh no, that whole heliocentric thing isn’t in the Bible, so we
can’t have that now, can we?
The fact that Wicca is a religion of science is almost completely overlooked if we do
not include the lustral bath and its deeply founded connection to science in the start of
each and every seeker’s introduction to our religion. To do otherwise would be to per-
petuate the myth that Wicca is something other than a Nature-based religion. After all,
science is nothing more and nothing less than an attempt to explain Nature.
So then, what is this lustral bath? It is a time not only of the body, but of the mind
and soul as well. It is a time to forget, a time to return to that moment when there was
no mind, body, or soul, a time when there was no life on this Earth and thus not a care
in the world. To that end and in accordance with the intent of the specific ritual, to that
bath certain blends are sometimes added.
Unless one enters the ocean for the lustral bath, the recipe for the lustral bath
always begins with sea salt. This is the symbol of our Lord, and the water is a symbol of
our Lady. Adding sea salt to the lustral bath symbolizes the introduction of sperm into
the womb, and your exit from that bath symbolizes your birth and the birth of all life
within the womb of our beloved Earth. As you step from that bath, your footfalls are the
very first creatures to leave the ocean as well as the very first steps a child takes when it
learns how to walk. It is a common act that speaks volumes. Recognize it for what it is
and you realize that the daily bath, even when not conducted for a specific religious pur-
pose, is an affirmation that you will spend that day celebrating the life that you have.
In the case of an infant’s Wiccaning, it is best to use nothing more than a very
sparing amount of sea salt. Infant’s skin, eyes, and mucus membranes are typically very
sensitive to bath additives. If you decide to use something in addition to a tiny amount
of sea salt, please ask your pediatrician first. This should also be the case for anyone
under legal age unless their parent is directly involved in the selection of herbs and
other additives. In the case of someone who is of legal age who can make educated
decisions for themselves, I suggest the following in accordance with a ritual’s intent:
Lustral Bath Recipes
Each recipe refers to the weight of dried herbs. With each recipe, mix equal amounts
of the recipe (by weight not volume) with sea salt. It is okay to guess at the relationship
between sea salt and the herb blend, but do not guess when it comes to the herb pro-
portions to each other. Bundle into a cheesecloth or fabric with a weave no looser than
burlap and then tie the end. This way your herbal bath will not turn into a cleaning
nightmare. Because our eyes are linked our minds, it is a good idea to add an additional
measure of sea salt such that you witness its entrance into the bath.
When drawing the lustral bath, do not use cold water. Instead, turn the hot water
on such that it is absolutely scalding. Then add to the bath your herbal bundle, and let
it soak until the water is comfortable enough to enter. During the time in which the
water is cooling, try to think of nothing at all. Try to empty your thoughts. Then take a
palm full of sea salt and slowly let it run from your hand into the water. As you do, see
g WB Chap 0.p65 26 7/11/2003, 5:47 PM
barré
(Barré)
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