The Healing Bath Pt. II
Benben: The Healing Bath Pt. II
PARTS FOCUSED ON DURING THE BATH
There are certain parts of the body that are given special attention. Let’s start with the anus and the sex.
THE ANUS - Usually the baths should start with cleaning the anus. Depending on the temperament of the baby some prefer to be on their backs first, so it is flexible whether the sex or the anus is cleaned first. One of the things needed to perform healing baths is a small calabash with a small hole carved through the bottom. This is to allow a stream of water to fall into the tightly closed spaces or into small areas. When water is scooped into the calabash, it is held above the anus, or sex to clean the necessary areas. Because the anus is always closed tight, this design of the calabash allows the perfect stream of water to and loosen it just enough to allow water to enter the tightly closed area and remove the small debris or remainders that stay and cause infection. Since this is where waste exits the body, it’s very important that it be cleaned properly, especially for infants. If it stays trapped there, it can cause illness or wounds in/around the anus. The anus should be cleaned this way regularly, but not necessarily every time you bathe the baby. Once in the morning every day or two is sufficient to prevent the warm water from causing rawness or oversensitivity.
THE VAGINA - For a baby girl, heating the vagina is very important. Putting hot water on the sex when they are infants is like a medicine. As a young girl grows to become a woman, there is a moment in her life where her sexuality becomes something she may begin to have the urge to explore. Heating the area helps to calm these urges so that they do not become a distraction or focal point of her young life. Heating the vagina well when cleaning promotes fidelity and sexual modesty. In the traditions, women are valued for their beauty in modesty. It is not to suggest that she does not marry or have intimacy. Sexual modesty provides a sense of stability and longevity in a relationship. In contrast to colonial marriages or relationships that are based primarily on the fun and physical pleasures of sex, sexual interaction carries much more of intimacy when it is not the focal point of the relationship. One can observe that in modern relationships, sex is synonymous with love and once the sexual desires expire, there is nothing left to hold them together. This is why you will often see companionship and large and stable families throughout traditional communities. Her husband can travel or work, and she will not suffer from the absence of sex while he is away, nor will she be compelled to seek the sexual company of another. Therefore, a woman who is used to hot water will always have fidelity for her husband. When the expectation is not focused on fun and enjoyment, two people can focus on the quality of their survival and the survival of their family and society. The healing baths instill the value of companionship, even in infancy.
....This is what our mothers and grandmothers will all say...If you see a woman here who can’t be without a man or who is in need of sex every moment, we will say it’s because her mother didn’t clean her sex with hot water when she was a baby.
Elder Woman
THE PENIS - Just as heat is applied to girls, the same it done for boys. Unlike the sex of a girl, a boys penis doesn’t open. This difference tends to make boys more susceptible to illness because the anatomy is closed and can hide any infections inside. For a girl, if there is infection in her vaginal area, it is seen at the same time. However, the opening of the penis is small. Every time, he pees, the residue can rest inside. If hot wa- ter isn’t applied there, it can be the same situation of the anus. Certain wounds or illnesses can develop in the penis that weaken the strength of the penis for the man. As a boy infant grows to become a man, it is very important that the male sex is strong and healthy. This is why special attention is given to cleaning the area, especially prior to circumci- sion, but also after. It’s important to make sure the area is heated and cleaned well to promote strength and expose any sickness that may develop. These are some of the symptoms that, as adults, many men experience such as sexual weakness or even impotence, not knowing that the bathing process in the first stages of their development are the preventative measures in avoiding these kinds of health problems. Because many of us in Maanu have been unexposed and unaware for generations of how to properly bathe our children, there are many health conditions like this that we come across throughout our lives that, perhaps were easily avoidable, but have become the result of not having a Kemetic perspective on health/healing and being bathed properly as children.
THE BELLY - As an infant enters into the world, their organs and digestive system begin to acclimate to being here on Earth. Everything the mother eats still affects the baby, especially if they are breastfed. What goes in the stomach may cause difficulties as a newborn is adjusting. Usually after heating the anus and sex, heat is then applied to the lower abdomen, just below the navel. It is applied by placing a rag in the very warm water, barely ringing it out, and then placing it for several moments on the lower abdomen of the baby. This step is repeated a few times before moving on. Heating this area encourages/stimulates the blood flow to the area beneath and promotes a well functioning digestive system. If there is any sickness there, heat helps to alleviate these problems during baby’s adjustment.
Also, what I found interesting is the way the bellybutton is taken care of after birth. Each time after bathing, they apply a small mixture of butter and salt to the belly button with a Q-tip. This helps the remaining portion of the umbilical cord to fall off with ease. Once it does, it is kept. Why? Well, I figured with all I was learning, that it had to be more than just a keepsake. There may come a time when the baby’s stomach is bothering him/her or something is disturbing the baby that, despite all your efforts, cannot be eased and you can’t be certain what it is. At that time, the umbilical cord can be used. Place it in a bowl of tepid water and rinse the baby with the water. This will immediately calm him/her and allow him/ her to get some rest. If the baby’s discontent- ment is a result of stomach issues, you can feel that his/her belly is hard. If so, it is likely he/ she is experiencing some digestive troubles. In this case, the mother can hold the baby’s navel against her own for a little while. After some time, he will be able to sleep and what- ever was bothering baby’s stomach transfers to mother. I personally have utilised both of these methods with my child and experienced that they are very effective. I actually did both one night and found that after rinsing him in his umbilical cord water and then placing his navel against mine, he fell right to sleep. The next morning I woke up with constipation and was relieved that my child didn’t have to deal with that all night.
The spiritual significance of the umbilical cord is important in the life of a mother and her children. While the baby is developing in the mother, he is connected to her through this channel. The umbilical cord is cut so that a child and his/her mother can be separated physically and the child can begin his/her journey on Earth as a physical entity apart from the mother. But this cutting only takes place physically. That same connection remains between a child and their mother throughout life. Even as a child grows to become an adult, whether they are near or far, that connection between them and their mother is ever present spiritually. When one is not well, there’s even a sense of it in the other.
THE BODY - After the sex and anus are heat- ed with warm water, the washcloth is wrung slightly and placed on the soft spot on the top of the head to give it heat. This is repeated maybe a couple of times. Next, the baby is washed thoroughly from head to toe, front to back. The washing is done using pure black soap with no added ingredients, followed by a hot water compress with a washcloth.. Putting hot water all over the body with pressure is like a massage that will help the baby sleep well afterwards. If you don’t wash the baby well, they may fuss or cry because their bodies aren’t clean. You may even find yourself searching tirelessly for a solution. If the water is good and hot on their body, they will be cleaned properly and sleep well. While baby is inside the mother they are in a cocoon of warmth and security. But, once they are on the outside, they are so fragile and susceptible to nature. My son was born during Harmattan, which is considered the cold season in West Africa and the wind carries a lot of dust/dirt in the air. It was necessary for me to keep his head and body protect- ed from the cool air at all times, especially in the mornings and evenings. Therefore, some mornings we delayed the bath altogether to prevent him from catching cold.
While in this cocoon, the baby has been growing in a fetal position with all of their limbs curled up. When the baby is on the outside, the baths encourage the baby’s body to relax and extend. This prevents abnormal postures, joint issues or crooked physical developments. The washcloth is dipped in the warm water and without ringing it out, is pressed in a loose ball all over the baby’s body. When you arrive at the feet, the baby’s legs are straightened forward and the washcloth is applied to from the hips to the feet giving attention to the joints. This helps to relax the joints and nerves and ensures that the legs are straight as the baby continues to grow. It’s important to hold the legs in the proper posture or they could develop in an awkward way. This hot water compress is done a few times on the front of the baby’s body before turning them on their tummy and continuing with the backside. Once the washcloth compress is done on the back side, we move to the arms. Each arm is brought to the back with the palm facing out and the joints are heated with the washcloth from the shoulder to the hands. Each arm is done separately, then both are placed on the back together while applying the washcloth of warm water. Doing this pro- motes flexibility and exposes the body to the fuller range of motion in the limbs. After focus- ing on the arms, the warm water compress is done all over the baby’s back side. The butt is also pressed in an upward motion from the bottom to give some lift.
THE HEAD - The head is pretty much the most fragile part of a baby, especially a newborn. When the baby comes out, the skull is actually still in the process of closing, not just in the area of the soft spot. It’s very important for it to be protected from the elements, namely the sun the cold. The soft spot is treated with hot water as well as medicine so that it closes and hardens. If not, it can remain open for too long and even collapse resulting in other illnesses.
Once the baby has been cleaned with soap, Shea butter is applied to the head. “This is where the real work starts”, Gran-mama would tell me. After discarding the wash water from the basin, warm water is poured into the basin and a calabash is used to continuously pour water on all sides of the baby’s head. It’s good to place the washcloth on the baby like a blanket so that the rest of their body doesn’t get cold. Then, sup- porting the neck and head with the left hand, you position the head over the basin and pour the water on their head with calabash in the right hand. The water, when poured should come as far front as the hairline. You can then adjust the head to get all the angles that will allow you to heat the entire head. After a few repetitions, add more water from the hot water to the basin to ensure that the water doesn’t cool. My son seemed to be pleased with this part of the bath. It relaxed him as he would even turn his own head from side to side while I poured the water. This is a very important part of the bath. Applying heat this way helps the skull and soft spot to close more quickly.
During this step, the baby’s back is also heated using the same method. The baby’s limbs are tucked together close to their body and held in place by one hand while the calabash continuously pours water with the other. This step was only done for my son until he was about 4 months. By this time, he had grown too big to hold all of his limbs together with one hand.
HERBS
At this point, the baby is ready to receive their medicine. Usually, just before the bath starts, I would heat the herbs on the charcoal, but not bring it to a boil. Before the herbs are used (depending on the medicine), they are sorted, and boiled until all the water has boiled off. Once there is no more water in the pot, it is refilled and a small amount of ‘potass’ (potassium) is added. The medicine is brought to a boil once again and is ready for use.
After the baby’s back and head have been heated with the hot water, the water in the basin is discarded and the medicine is poured inside. If the medicine is too hot, it is cooled by scooping it with a calabash and pouring it back in repeatedly. This allows the air to cool it as it is poured back in the basin. Once it is warm, the baby is placed inside, but still held with support with one hand. With the other hand, the medicine is poured all over the body. A few scoops are taken in the hand and held to their mouth to drink as well. The herbs are an essential part of the bathing experience. They support the child in many ways, by providing various strengths physically and spiritually. However, not all of these medicines are given during the course of the healing bath.
Tossing - When the bath is done and the baby is ready to be towelled dry, they are tossed gently in the air a couple times. After tossing the baby is brought closely to the chest or comforted if they didn’t like it. This aids the courage and strength of character in a baby very early and helps to prevent a fearful heart. The first few weeks, my son was not a fan, but after that, he didn’t cry or scream. Again, this is one of those steps that a baby can grow out of before the healing baths adjust. Next time I’ll share with you what those adjustments look like and why.
