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Bathing in some cultures is treated as a ritual. It cleanses the body, strengthens and toughens it. Sometimes baths are attributed a spiritual dimension. It is true that baths cleanse not only the body but also the mind. The metaphysical dimension here is the strongest of all bodily cares.
Far away in Arab lands…
The celebration of bathing has been going on since ancient times. At that time, people knew how to properly care for the skin, which is why baths and related cosmetic treatments are now a tradition. Of course, this is done differently in different cultures. For example, in Arab countries, a bath called hamman (means a bath) is popular, which aims to cleanse the body and soul. In order to fully surrender to the purification, you need to go through several stages of the ritual. At the beginning, you should use the steam sauna to moisturize the skin. The next step is the whole body peeling, which must be done with a special olive soap and olive oil – soap based on these ingredients effectively detoxifies, exfoliates and oxygenates the skin. It is best to massage the body intensively, but at the same time with sensitivity, to remove dead epidermis and stimulate microcirculation. After peeling, it’s time to nourish and firm the body with clay. The final stage is hydration – argan oil (called “liquid gold”) is massaged into the skin and left on the skin to be absorbed. Commonly, hammanm is considered a real feast for the body and relief for the soul. It is so well-known and popular that it is used in spa salons all over the world.
Baths in the land of the cherry blossoms
Another country that loves bathing and loves to celebrate it is Japan. The Japanese believe that a bath is much more – you can wash your body in the shower, and the bath is an experience that connects the body and mind, an experience of unity and a metaphysical dimension. According to the Japanese, a bath looks like this – water should be hot, salt is added to it, which firms and moisturizes the skin. Salt also relaxes the body and mind. Aromatic oils are often added to the bath, which additionally smooth the skin and relax. For the Japanese, bathing is very important, which they undergo only once a year, namely, the New Year’s bath in cold water (in which huge blocks of ice usually float). They believe that thanks to such a bath, the body is hardened and they will be able to live in good health throughout the next year. The Japanese are also very eager to use the city baths, which often replace their evening bath at home, but it is primarily used to relax after a hard day’s work. A Japanese proverb is: “Take a bath and you will feel like in heaven.” Does that tell us something?
Sacred baths in India and Indonesia
Some rituals in different cultures are closely related to religion. Hindus wash their hands in the river Ganges once a year because they believe that the water of this river cleanses them of the sins they have committed. India also hosts the world-famous Kumbh Mela festival. Pilgrims bathe in the Yamuna and Ganges rivers to wash away all traces of evil deeds from their body and soul. An interesting fact is that during the 55-day festival, about 100 million people take a bath. In turn, for Indonesians, a pilgrimage to the Tirta Emplul temple in Bali, where there is a source of holy water, is a ritual. According to beliefs, this water was created by the god Indra and it has healing properties – it heals the body and cleanses the soul.
Care, professional baths can be used in our native spa salons, however, in order to experience something deeper, cleanse the body and mind in the healing waters of Japan, India or Indonesia, we encourage you to travel.
Therefore, a daily bath should be such a small ritual for us. Momentary relaxation and rest. We also encourage you to light small candles around the bathtub, the bath takes on a very intimate character and allows you to calm down, relax and forget about any troubles at the same time.