6WITCHES

Lucy Almey Bird

In the tale of Eros and Psyche, Aphrodite sends Psyche to the Realm of Hades to retrieve Persephone's own Serum of Beauty. Upon her return from the Underworld, Psyche defies the warnings not to peek within the box, and discovers that the Serum is the Essence of Sleep.

We can honor Persephone and Aphrodite both with restful sleep.

This recipe was taught to me by a Gujarati friend, based off of an old ayurvedic remedy for sleep. It reminds me of the tale of Psyche, and the Goddesses' lesson to us of the importance of sleep.

6 oz non-dairy milk*

4 oz pomegranate juice

1 tbsp honey

2 tsp rose petals

1 tsp chamomile

1/8 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp ashwagandha (if you can find it)

A pinch of turmeric

A pinch of cardamom

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan, warm, and froth with a wisk. Infuse with your positive intentions of calm, sleep, and peace. Thank Persephone and Aphrodite for their blessing and guidance. Strain out the flower petals. Drink warm before bed.

*My friend swears by almond milk, but I'm allergic to that and use soy. Cashew, coconut, rice, hemp, and oat also work. Cow milk may curdle when exposed to pomegranate juice.

I drank it with some dragon fruit (omitted most of the honey) and it made me so sleepy right away.