Boldo bath: from Oxalá, with lavender, rosemary, basil and more!

Used for centuries by different cultures, herbal baths are responsible for working and taking care of the energy and vibratory field of those who use them. Energy exchange with these elements of nature brings many benefits to physical, emotional, spiritual and psychic health.

Known in umbanda as the carpet of hope, due to the velvety touch of the leaves, boldo is a plant with great energy power. In phytotherapy, it is indicated for disorders of the digestive system due to its action on the liver.

In phytoenergetics, boldo is responsible for purifying, balancing and harmonizing the vibratory field of the person who uses its leaves for a good herbal bath. This should always be poured from the neck down, due to the presence of the coronary chakra in the head, responsible for the spiritual connection.

This is due to the fact that each person has their own specific ruling orixá and each one has an affinity with certain plants. However, the boldo bath is the only one that can be played on the head (also called a crown), regardless of the person and the regent orixá.

In this article you will better understand the potential of the boldo herb, a plant widely found in South America and widely used in Brazil, mainly for its medicinal properties.

Several cultures and religions work with herbal baths as a way to harmonize the body in its most subtle layers, but with effects that reflect on the physique and health as a whole. Boldo is one of the best known herbs in the world and has been used for centuries in this process of therapeutic baths and spiritual treatments.

Learn more about the history of boldo, what the plant is for, its uses, how umbanda sees the potential of the herb, tips and care when taking a boldo bath and more!

In traditional indigenous cultures of the Americas and also of the African continent, boldo, as well as many other medicinal plants, was already used both for its healing properties of physical and spiritual ailments.

Boldo is found in regions of the planet with a predominance of tropical forests such as South America and India, however, there are several species of the plant that, despite maintaining the main characteristics, contain chemical and aesthetic particularities.

The most common boldo found in the gardens of houses in Brazil is the so-called Boldo-miúdo (Plectranthus neochilus) and Boldo-grande (Plectranthus grandis). The famous Boldo-do-Chile does not have that name for nothing, as it only grows in the Chilean region.

However, in herb houses it is possible to find varieties of the plant, including Boldo-do-Chile, because the herb is dry, which makes importation possible. For herbal baths, any of the species can be used, as the focus of capture is the energetic part of the plant.

Boldo is commonly associated with the treatment of liver and digestive disorders in general. That’s why people who drink too much find the herb a good helper for recovering from excess alcohol in the body.

Just as the boldo works when ingested as a purifier and balancer of the body after a hangover, the boldo bath also acts with a similar function, that is, performing energy cleansing, purifying the person’s subtle bodies and helping to reduce anxiety and sadness. .

In addition, because it has a physical effect on the liver, an organ associated with anger in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the boldo bath also helps to dissolve this feeling and purify the organ, bringing harmony and balance to the chakras.

Boldo bath also relieves the feeling of heaviness from everyday stress and brings tranquility and positive energies to the person who uses it. It is also excellent for spiritual cleansing and unloading, as it acts on the energy of Oxalá, the great orixá of African matrix religions.

In umbanda, herbs are sacred and associated with the energy of the orixás. In the case of boldo, the energy is connected with Oxalá and that is why the plant is also called the carpet of Oxalá. The association with the “carpet” is due to the soft characteristic of the leaves, slightly velvety.

For umbanda practitioners, boldo energy has the power not only to clean and purify, which is great for unloading, but also to magnetize and strengthen the spiritual connection as it is an herb that acts on the upper chakras.

Do you remember that boldo is one of the few herbs whose bath can be taken on the head? It is for this reason that boldo is a plant indicated to balance people’s mediumistic potential and bring protection, due to its high vibration level.

Herbal baths are alchemical preparations, where the combination and proper choice of plants can enhance it. The combination will depend on the objective that is intended with that bath. The mixture can also have other ingredients such as salt, honey, brandy, among others.

However, one must be aware of the energy potential and the function of the herb added to the boldo bath, as some cannot be used very often because they are plants considered energetically aggressive, as is the case with rue and guinea.

Although there are several ways to carry out a herbal bath, there is a basic pattern, starting with the way the energy of the plants is activated and transmitted to the water, which can be cold or warm to hot.

When using fresh herbs, the ideal is to use cold or warm water at most, never boil a fresh herb! Macere (rub) the leaves with your hands in a container with cold or warm water until the juice of the plant comes out, that is, the juice of the herb. The amount of water used has to be enough to be able to dump it all over the body.

At this time, take the opportunity to connect with nature’s energy, asking permission and giving thanks for the plant being used at that moment. This procedure is valid for any herbal bath.

Afterwards, you need to let the preparation rest for a few minutes. It is a way of giving the necessary time for the energy of the plant to pass into the water. If you have made the preparation with hot water, cover the container.

When taking the mixture to the common bath, strain it if necessary. Some people throw the bath liquid over the body with the same herbs, to enhance the effect, but if you want to strain it, that’s okay. Pay attention to the temperature of the water so as not to burn the skin.

Before pouring the herbal bath on the body, focus on the present and mentalize positive thoughts, healing, cleaning or the chosen goal for the bath. If you have any affinity with guardian angels or spiritual guides, this is the time to ask that the bath be enhanced. This goes for any bath you take.

In the case of boldo, start pouring the liquid on the head and the front of the body, then move to the back and then to the right side. Finish the bath by pouring the water on the left side and wait a few seconds or even minutes before drying yourself for the energy of the herb to act in the field.

When drying yourself, try not to rub the towel, dry yourself slowly and gently, so that the energy of the bath doesn’t have so much interference. This tip is also for all baths, whatever they may be.

It is important to pay attention to, when using boldo in a bath together with another plant or ingredient, you should not throw the preparation on your head. Only the boldo is “neutral”, therefore, in these cases of combinations, carry out the procedure by pouring the liquid from the neck down, pouring it in the shape of a cross: front, back, right side, left side.

After using the herbs for the bath, thank them for using them and, if possible, return the plants to nature by discarding them in a flowerbed or park. If this is not possible, you can throw it in the regular trash.

Unlike other plants that are stronger in terms of cleanliness, such as rue, guinea and even rock salt, which require a spacing of weeks and even months between one bath and another, the boldo bath has no contraindications.

Follow the recommendation of mediums or terreiro guides and, if you are not a religious goer, use common sense and intuition. Try to take a boldo bath if you are experiencing symptoms such as tiredness, sadness, anxiety and discouragement.

The boldo herb is associated with Oxalá, a male orixá of great light and power in African cults, as it is considered the orixá of life and the father of all others. The Oxalá bath has several purposes, but it has as its principle the cleansing of negative energies and spiritual elevation, on account of the associated orixá. Understand how to do the Oxalá protection bath with boldo.

Oxalá is considered the greatest orixá for being responsible for the creation of the universe and all beings. In Umbanda fans, the first guide (necklace) that is usually received is in the vibration of Oxalá, which has the color white as a representative and brings the concepts of purity, respect and wisdom. In Christian religions, Oxalá would be the energetic correspondent of master Jesus.

A herbal bath in the energy of Oxalá brings the power and strength that is this orixá and puts the person in an energetic vibration of peace and light and, consequently, divine protection.

Boldo is considered the sacred herb of Oxalá by religions of African origin such as Umbanda and Candomblé. Therefore, the use of herbs in baths automatically connects the person with the energy of the orisha, promoting a spiritual cleansing together with balance, peace and harmony, while enhancing protection, as it brings the vibration closer to the frequency of Oxalá.

In addition, the boldo bath for Oxalá cleans and enhances the pineal gland, located between the eyes and associated with mediumship. It is indicated to be taken on Fridays, as it is the day of the orixá, but the recommendation is not a rule and the boldo bath can be taken whenever you feel the need.

– A handful of boldo leaves (fresh or dry);
– 1 liter of water.

Put the water to heat. If you have fresh leaves, macerate them in the water container and do not let the temperature rise too much, try to leave the water more warm or even cold. If it boils, it will burn the plant. Mentalize the desire for protection while preparing.

After macerating the herb, cover and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Take it to the bath and throw it all over the body after performing common hygiene. If using dried herbs, the water temperature can be warmer, more or less like brewing a tea.