Holistic Healing: Restorative Resistance Bath

Battling white supremacy is tiring--- physically, mentally, and emotionally. For black folks especially, along with our indigenous & brown sisters, we absorb a lot of toxic energy throughout our day, some that we are conscious of (like people trying to run us over with their cars or yelling slurs at us) and others that we may not necessarily register (like someone glaring at the back of our head or talking ill of us out of earshot). It is critical for any black, indigenous, and woman of color to regularly clear this energy from our aura. It is necessary even if all you are doing is going to work, moving through mundane tasks as there is much dark, shadow energy lurking in the air.

Of course, we know that many of you do not stop there, and if you do we would encourage you to do a little bit more and reach a little bit more outside of yourself during moments of justified anger and hurt. If you are someone who takes every opportunity in front of you to educate someone, put an ignorant person in their place, and stand up against white supremacy, you know that that takes an additional toll on your spirit and body. Self-care rituals, such as this restorative bath are totally crucial to maintaining your mental, physical, and emotional health necessary for long-term resistance. I would recommend incorporating cleansing baths into your overall routine, maybe once a week or corresponding with the new and full moon. I want to emphasize, however, that self-care DOES NOT mean being selfish and self-centered with your energy. Just because you are sad doesn't mean you can hide away and not fight. We need you to fight, as you need yourself to be your savior. Self-care is the recharging of your bodily battery so you can continue to be engaged and active, and not just when the media gasses you up again.

I love to take baths whenever I am feeling out of whack. I always take a bath on the first couple days of my period as the heat, salts, and herbs work miracles on a heavy, cramping uterus. However, even if you are not on your period or do not get periods, baths can be incredibly relaxing, cleansing (physical dirt and psychic energy), and restorative. Feel free to add whatever you want to your tub, you can be very creative depending on what you want to focus on, however these ingredients are my go-tos for a cleansing bath.

Prepare your tub/ bath space and set the mood with whatever crystals and candles are calling to you. To absorb negative energy and give grounding energy, try working with black obsidian and black tourmaline. To provide overall clarity, try working with reliable crystal quartz. If you're in need of a little extra love, grab some gentle rose quartz.

restorative resistance bath add herbs:

• peppermint
• lavender
• rose petals (fresh or dried)
• mugwort
• sage

add essential oils:

• tea tree
• eucalyptus 
• jasmine

other embellishments:

• sea salt
• epsom salt
• cannabis-infused bath salts
• agua florida
• rum (for spiritual cleanse)
• beer (for skin clearing/softening)

decorate water with any flowers or bubbles you desire.

stay strong, and keep pushing babies! 
xo Kenya Ku$h