Water is an important tool for magic rituals in many religions and spiritual beliefs. Although it sounds redundant, most cults, sects or spiritual beliefs use it to represent the cosmic element of water for purifying, scrying, and even starting wars. Considering that most of the time H20 is not the only element a spirit seeker needs, the water may go through a bit of a special transformation that requires flowers, herbs, sticks, and other natural resources to become colognes/perfumes or spiritual waters.

Some of the spiritual waters as we know it now were born commercially as colognes. Since all colognes/perfumes possess herbal bases, they rapidly gained a special symbolism in the spiritual world and spell-craft sometimes referring to some of them as spiritual waters.

These products are widely used in rituals of home protection, and spiritual cleaning. Spiritual waters are used to work the soul and mind, and they are so common to the eyes of Afro/Latinos that they may be worn on the person, placed on the altar as offerings, or sprinkled around the premises as needed. Commonly, men wear them as spiritual waters, scents, and as after shaves in many cases whilst women sprinkle them on theirselves as an attractive scent that comes along with protective powers. These colognes or spiritual waters are inexpensive and easy to get in major pharmacies, esoteric shops, botanic and magic shops in many cities, but having the option of being done at home if the spirit seeker has the correct formula.

Florida Water

Florida Water is a staple for many of the religious ceremonies of Afro/Latino religious expressions or sects. Basically, it is cologne used for spiritual services, purification, cleansing, healing, jinx-breaking, protection from enemies, tranquility, peaceful home, dealing with the dead, safe travel, and psychism.

Florida Water is a 19th century formula for a commercially-prepared eau de toilet that blends an array of floral essential oils in a water-alcohol base. The name refers to the fabled Fountain of Youth said to have been located in Florida.

I prefer to buy the ones at stores, without saying a specific brand. But I found a formula to prepare this spiritual water from "Fortunes in Formulas For Home, Farm, and Workshop" edited by Garner D. Hiscox, M.E. and Prof. T. O'Conner Sloane, A.B., A.M., Em., Ph.D. (The Norman B. Henley Publishing Company, 1937):

- Oil of bergamot 3 fluid ounces
- Oil of lavender 1 fluid ounce
- Oil of lemon 1 fluid ounce
- Oil of cloves 1 1/4 fluid drachms
- Oil of cinnamon 2 1/2 fluid drachms
- Oil of neroli 1/2 fluid drachms
- Essence of jasmine 6 fluid ounces
- Essence of musk 2 fluid ounces
- Alcohol 8 pints
- Rose water 1 pint

Mix and pass it through a soft filter.

Kananga Water

Also a 19th century eau de toilet, Kananga Water is used for psychism, purification, and dealing with the dead. In Jamaica and the Caribbean, the Kananga water is known after the huge commercial Kananga plantations were established during the 19th century by the British colony.

The Kananga Water is built upon a foundation of essential oil of Cananga Odorata, also known as Ylang Ylang. It flowers consist of six narrow, twisted, drooping 3 - 4" long petals. And the orange color of this spiritual water comes from its greenish yellow and orange petals.

The home made formula for this spiritual water comes from the same author lines above:

- Ylang Ylang oil 45 minims
- Rose oil 15 minims
- Cassie oil 5 minims
- Almond oil 1/2 minims
- Tincture of orris rhizome 1 fluid ounce
- Tincture of storax 3 fluid drachms
- Grain musk 3 grains
- Civet 1 grain
- Tonka beans 3 (chopped)
- Alcohol (90%) 9 fluid ounces

Mix, and let sit for one month, then filter.