Nighttime Rituals to Start Right Now
Day is done, night has fallen. Things get quiet, contemplative, and you take a deep breath. Welcome. The moon is a powerful source of energy, she changes the tides and changes our minds as well. The night brings a different way of looking at things. Our wild and primal nighttime nature inspires authentic introspection and curiosity. Honor it with simple ritual that has a deep healing impact, guiding you gently into dream land, and strengthening your relationship to magic and spirit.
Infuse Magic in Your Space
Make your bedroom your sanctuary. Weave in symbols, scents, colors, imagery, and music. I purposely leave my walls a light color to focus on the symbols I choose to display. I have an altar in my room with a chalice filled with the Lucid oil blend I crafted and water that I anoint myself with, organic incense that inspires romance and relaxation that smells like rose, imagery of love-making, spirit, and of a woman with her feet rooted in the ground and her hair extending to the cosmos, palo santo for cleansing, and candles with artwork, like my lucid candle, to inspire me to go inward to radiate outward.
Declutter your space, keep it tidy, and make sure you never do work or bring any energy that doesn’t relax you into your bedroom. I learned this the hard way when I would try to write while laying in bed and I would constantly wake up wanting to write more. Or when I decked out my walls with bright, loud, original Janis Joplin and Cream concert posters from the 1960s and found myself coming home feeling chaotic and feeding off the chaos on my walls. This is your space. Imagine yourself as a phone, and your room as the charger — it really is similar. When the day is done and you’re ready to wind down, your body will naturally crave the space you carved for yourself. Enjoy it.
Dim the Lights
Did you know that Wi-Fi and looking at the light from screens can interrupt your sleep cycles? This leads to light sleep that has profound negative impacts on your health. Dim the lights, or light your candle. Power down your electronics, or turn off your notifications (as easy as turning on airplane mode) so you can disconnect from the world and begin to power down yourself. When you disconnect with technology, you can truly connect with yourself and spirit. While it’s great to get educated through social media, this is the time to let it all marinate and tune into your own wisdom. I know how comforting it is to tune in to see what everyone is doing, or look at comforting images, or even fall asleep to your favorite tv characters. It took me a really long time to let go of Gilmore Girls to be comfortable with simply being before bed. But my sleep has improved drastically, as did my dreams and my connection to myself and spirit.
Make a Cup of Tea
Think of some herbs or pre-made tea blends that nourish you in the ways you want. It could be a tea with chamomile for relaxation, mugwort to promote dreaming, or passionflower for a deep nights rest. Or it could be my Lucid Dreaming tea, which helps you Lucid dream. Whatever you choose, let it be something that will help you unwind and be at peace. This is an opportunity to commune with plant medicine. It is about choosing a guide that will aid you on your adventure deep within yourself. This establishes a relationship with a plant ally and connect you with nature and the magic she brings.
Choose a Crystal or Power Object
Having something tangible to hold on to before bed and reflect on is a powerful and old way of healing. There are many crystals to promote dreams, like amethyst. Or to heal you, like rose quartz, or that you can program with any intention like clear or rutilated quartz. Hold on to it and set your intention, then set it by your bed. This will allow its energy to flow around you while you sleep or meditate. I personally love to work with amethyst as she is my gatekeeper to my own sacred thresholds. She takes me deep into my own world and the spirit world while protecting me.
Get Out Your Journal
Write down three things you did well today, and three things you want to improve. Think in terms of personal goals, physical goals, and spiritual and mental goals. Something powerful happens when you release your thoughts on paper before going to bed. You might find that you don’t wake up thinking about things, you sleep more soundly, and generally feel more at peace. Write down dreams, desires, things you’re grateful for, and maybe even a favorite poem or quote. Surround yourself with the words that inspire you.
When you enter your sanctuary to wind down, you enter bliss. Go deep inside yourself for creativity, calm, healing, and connection something higher. This is an invitation for your guides and spirit to work with you. You can always count on this anchor of your day to ground you when life gets stormy.