New Year New Moon Banishing Bath Tea

Ok, so it isn't technically the New Moon, but the wordplay was fun anyway. Today is the first Dark Moon of 2022, the time when the Moon is no longer visible in the sky. While some witches believe no magic should be performed during this time, I strongly disagree. The Dark Moon is deeply associated with banishment, cleansing, and protection, as well as baneful magics such as cursing and binding. This makes it a perfect time to remove unwanted energies, bind negativity, and let go of the past in order to have a fresh start. While most witches were talking about performing banishing rituals on December 31st, I usually wait until the first Dark Moon closest to the upcoming year to fully shed the past year as the magical correspondences are greater during this time. One of my favorite ways to do this is with a bath tea. The following recipe is made using commonly found items in your pantry to ensure you can do this last-minute tonight if you so desire.

What You'll Need

• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary or 2 tbsp dried
• 2 cinnamon sticks or 2 tbsp ground
• 1 tbsp whole cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 orange, sliced
• 1 cup Epsom salt or sea salt
• Obsidian, black tourmaline, or smoky quartz (optional)
• White towel (optional)
  
  

What to Do

Combine rosemary, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, and 2 orange slices with 3 cups water in a saucepan and bring to a bowl. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until fragrant. Cool slightly before straining. Meanwhile, run a hot bath. Combine salt, tea mixture, and remaining orange slices and stir counterclockwise.

As you stir counterclockwise and say, "Through my will and through my might, I banishing all negativity from my sight. With salted water, I shall be free. Past be gone, let me be. I release all burdens from my life. And ask for a future without strife. A new me I shall become. So I will it, so shall  my spell be done." 

If using a crystal, charge it with your intention, asking it to help banish negativity and the previous year.

Slide into the bath and soak for at least 30 minutes, feeling the warmth of the water wash away the preview year, leaving you refreshed and renewed. When finished, drain the bath and rinse off with clean, warm water. Air dry or lightly pat yourself dry with a white towel. Finish the ritual with some light food and a cool glass of water to ground and rehydrate your body.

Why You Did It

Understanding the why's of a spell are just as important as performing it. It helps you understand the process so you can modify the spell or ritual to suit your needs and helps guide you to write your own. It's my intention that by providing these explanations, that you can build a better understanding of how spells are written and executed so you can modify and build your own spells (the goal of my Spellcraft Series). 

For this spell/ritual, the spell is performed during the Dark Moon, which is the perfect time for banishing rituals. This ritual can also be performed during the Waning Moon, which is also associated with banishment.

Rosemary, cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaves are all associated with banishment, cleansing, purification, and protection and therefore help to remove all unwanted energies from the past year while simultaneously protecting you, leaving you with a clean slate for the future. Cinnamon is also associated with success, money, and luck, thus replacing the removed energies with more positive ones. Bay, like cinnamon, is also associated with success but is also associated with healing, allowing you to heal from the traumas of the past year, which have likely been great. Orange, however, is uplifting and is associated with happiness, courage, and success. In this ritual, orange ensures that all the energies you banish are replaced with positive ones.

Finally, the salt in this spell is for purification and protection. Salt is a known deterrent of negativity and is even strong enough to deter wanted spirits. Not only does it remove spiritual impurities, but also bodily ones as well, helping the body naturally detox. As mentioned above, you will want to drink a glass of water after this ritual to rehydrate as salt is naturally dehydrating, especially when coupled with a hot bath.

If you chose to use a crystal in this spell, obsidian, black tourmaline, and smoky quartz are all associated with banishment and grounding. They help remove the negativity from you, either storing it within them or helping transfer it safely into the Universe or Earth. 

Wish to break this spell? Unfortunately, this is not a spell to be undone. If you really wish for the negative energies to come back, invite them back.

Remember to record this ritual on your ritual/spell worksheet or in your Book of Shadows for reference later.

***

I like to combine this type of ritual with a few other magical steps to make it really effective. First, I make sure I clean and cleanse my home. My Deep Cleaning House Ritual is a really good one to use this time of year. I follow up the cleaning with a bath and often light a black candle for further banishment. Etch what you wish to banish on the candle, such as 2021, anoint it with oil, and roll in some slightly ground rosemary. Follow up the entire ritual with replacing the wards and protections around your home and do a tarot or rune reading for the year to come.

I hope everyone has a wonderful 2022. I know things are not looking that bright at the moment, but we will get through this. You are strong and capable of so much greatness. 

If you liked this post and would like to support future content, please consider leaving a small tip in the jar.