Preaching to the Soloist: Get in the tub!

Friends, I’m here, again, to testify to the power and value of spiritual baths. It’s something that I keep putting off, because it does require some “trouble.”

• You need to get up early so as to leave some of the bathwater at the crossroads around oh-dark-thirty, or anyway right before sunrise (especially true for cleansing baths, not so much for other kinds).
• You have to air-dry, which means you can’t use a towel, so as not to wash off the blessing or dilute the cleansing.
• You have to put on clean clothes, not yesterday’s, so you have to plan ahead.

Friends, do it anyway, and do it right.

See, a couple of days ago, probably because of some enemy/justice work I was doing, I had one of the worst poverty tantrums I’ve had in years. Even an invitation to apply for AIRR membership didn’t turn me loose. Friends, I was sure that not only would I starve, but I would never do any effective altar work again, and never had. It was bad.

So I resolved to bathe in … I was out of hyssop, so I settled for a little Cast Off Evil oil in warm water … and took it to the funny-shaped crossroads a few minutes’ walk away from my house, along with the remains of the enemy candle I burned.

Peace returned as soon as I stepped out of the tub.

By the end of the following day – yesterday – optimism returned in full flood. I returned to my altar work with zest and eagerness. I’m building a new justice altar, as a glance at my tweetstream will show you.

So, I’m telling myself as much as I’m telling you: never, ever hesitate to take a spiritual bath. Do it right, or as close to right as you can. Attention to detail is the better way, of course, but sloppy is probably better than not at all.