Manifest Your Intentions With TikTok’s #SpiritualBath Trend

At the end of last year, spiritual baths went viral on TikTok, with an array of relaxing and inviting baths using essential oils, flowers, and salts popping up across our For You pages. While taking a spiritual bath (or a bath with intention) may be currently trending — with the hashtag #SpiritualBath gaining over 39 million views on TikTok alone — the roots of the rituals go back centuries. In fact, many Black spiritual practices and African Traditional Religions, like Ifa and Black American Hoodoo, have long used water rituals for cleansing and manifesting.

Taking a spiritual bath is far more than making your next bubble bath look “aesthetic”, as each item added to the bathtub holds a different cultural and spiritual significance. That’s why speaking directly with a diviner or spiritual worker to talk you guide you through your first spiritual bath can be helpful for those wanting to learn more about the process. To get started, we asked three spiritual practitioners the steps for drawing a bath with intention.

Figure Out Your Intention

The most important part of the process is being certain about what you intent to draw in. “It's important to get clear on what your intentions are first before doing anything,” says Edgar Fabián Frías, an indigenous Mexican artist and brujx who launched Our Sacred Web. This can be nearly any thing Frías explains: “Are you trying to draw a bath to relax? To manifest a new career? To inspire self-love, To draw in magic?” If you don’t know where to begin, they recommend journaling to uncover what it is you are hoping to achieve through the bath, before moving on to the next steps.

Porsche Little, a diviner based in Los Angeles, recommends getting hyper specific with your intentions. It’s not necessarily enough to want to attract success or love, she says, “what does that success or love look like to you?” Semra Haksever, an eclectic witch and owner of Mama Moon Candles in London, says that this clarity will allow you to better “tap into the energy” of the intention, feel it, and harness it. That means “visualizing your intentions coming to fruition and living in your intentions,” she explains. If you struggle with the abstraction of visualization, she suggests writing down your intensions in the past tense, as if they’ve already come true. Haksever also warns that your intentions should come from the “best version of yourself”, as to avoid doing any spellwork from a place of desperation or anger.

Prepare For Your Spiritual Bath

Frías says the first step in preparing your bath is scheduling uninterrupted time to take it. “Honor this time and make sure you don’t have any distractions that will pull you away,” they say. Next, Frías recommends collecting all the elements you're going to need for the bath prior to the time you’ve carved out. Remember, because it’s such a deeply personal process, there’s no one-size-fits-all way to draw a bath with intention. Be thoughtful about what sacred objects make sense for your intention. “What is so exciting about these practices is that they are an art form and should hold special significance for you and the intention you are trying to manifest,” Frías says. However, it’s important to note that other objects are not always necessary as the ritual can be achieved through water alone.

Prior to taking your spiritual bath, Frías says to create a sacred space by “cleansing” the area. This can take the form of smudging with rosemary, creating a circle around the bath with salt, ringing bells, or saying a short prayer or affirmation to clear any negative energy before you start. “Then, connect with the sacred element of water. Because water holds memory, it’s a perfect element to soak your intentions into.”

For a Spiritual Cleansing Bath

If your intention is to cleanse or protect your spiritual energy, Frías recommends preparing your bath with objects known to hold the power of cleansing and transmuting, such as obsidian, cedar smudge, lavender, or tea tree essential oil. They also suggest surrounding your space with black or white candles. You can also draw special protective sigils, symbols, or a pentagram on your body or in the water. During you bath Frías say to, “envision any negative imprints or attachments you may have on you dissolving away into the water and all of your power and energy returning to your body”. Before giving thanks at the end of the bath, you also might want to take a moment to visualize any negative energies going down the drain.

For a Self Love Bath

For a bath that manifests self love, Frías says to gather any objects that “make your heart sing”. They suggest photos of your loved ones, pets, or passions. “The crystals that support self love are rose quartz, rhodochrosite, citrine, amethyst, and quartz—which you can place on your heart,” they explain. The plants that also support this intention include roses, chamomile, and jasmine which can be used as whole plants, essential oils, or incense for your bath or surroundings. For this ritual, you may also want to play some gentle music and bring into the bath elements that bring you joy (like a drawing pad or your favorite book to read). Others may spend the time in the bath making a list of all the things they love about themself.

Supplement With Candles

Little is a firm believer in candle magic. “I love to do candle magic and use the moon to amplify its energy,” she says. She explains that she anoints the candles with certain oils, depending on what type of spell work she’s doing. “For a protection spell, I’d rub the candle down with patchouli or if I’m doing a love ritual, I’ll use chamomile or rose oil instead.” Each ingredient is subject to change depending on what your intention is and, while there are a number of variations, Little often uses oils, incense, spiritual waters, flowers, herbs, and money, as well as candles. Candles like Keys Soulcare Sage and Oat Milk Candle also include sage within the candle itself, clearing negative energy and encouraging mindfulness, while a rose-scented candle like the classic Diptyque Roses Candle would be more suited to love spells.

Complete Your Spiritual Bath

While taking your bath, your main goal should be to visualize and affirm your intention coming to fruition. “Repeat a mantra or affirmations out loud or to yourself to reinforce your intention,” advises Frías. Affirmation often take the form of “I am” statements. For example, if you are manifesting abundance consider, "I am worthy and deserving of abundance" or "I am grateful for the abundance that flows into my life”.

Haksever’s ritual involves creating a playlist of affirmations to listen to in the bath and telling the running water what it is she wishes for. When leaving the bath, take a few moments to give thanks for the experience. “You might say a short prayer, offer some incense or gentle movements, or simply express gratitude internally,” says Frías. The point is to thoughtfully end the ritual Haksever says, “so when you step out of it, feel the energy of the spell being complete”.