Wake: a potion for last minute mornings, rough weeks, and all-nighter recovery
As some of you may have noticed, I’ve been a bit absent from this blog since college started back up—mostly due to being completely overwhelmed by a tremendous amount of work in addition to my school duties. I’m sure we’ve all been there; you’re treading water with your normal workload, when suddenly everything else goes belly up and you’re stuck with WAY more than you think you can cope with (and, if you’re like me, you might even get lucky enough to catch a gross cold on top of that!).
Well, the good news is that you probably CAN handle what life is throwing at you. The bad news is it’s probably still going to suck for a while as you get things back under control. A little self care can go a long way at such times, so this and the next few posts will focus on just that! This first recipe (or potion, if you prefer) is quick, dirty, and a lifesaver on rough days. It’s simple, and can easily be tweaked to replace different ingredients (chai instead of coffee, etc.) as long as they abide by the same goals: keep awake, keep fed, and keep going.
Coffee (or another stimulant)
Optional, if you have time:
Pinch of cinnamon (energy, good vibes, strength)
Dash of clove (protection)
Peeled ginger (strengthens and intensifies workings it is part of)
Vanilla (restores lost energy)
Pinch of calendula flowers (courage, energy, protection)
If you’re in a rush, just make coffee or caffeinated tea as you normally would and move to the next step. If you have a few minutes—or are prepping ahead of time—you have two options:
1. Steep the optional herbal ingredients in coffee while gently heating until infused, straining once finished, or
2. Place herbs in a saucepan with a 2 / 1 mixture of sugar and water, enough to cover the herbs. Heat until sugar is melted and herbs have fully steeped their flavor into the syrup. Strain and bottle to add to your coffee base later.
If you are using vanilla extract, do not add it until the mixtures are cooled from a simmer, as the alcohol will evaporate. If you are very stressed while making this, I recommend stirring counterclockwise to banish negative energy and taking the simmer time to take a few deep breaths, clear your mind, and try to release a little tension.
To your base, add the following:
Milk/cream/soy (adds healthy fat and calcium—milk’s a food, too!)
Powdered nuts; specifically, I like a big scoop of powdered peanut butter for this (peanuts bring prosperity and protection), but there are a lot of different nuts with different properties available on the health market. A big huge jar of powered peanut butter will run you only about nine bucks at most stores.
This part seems like it might taste bad (I know that’s what I was afraid of when I first made it), but it’s honestly kind of good. And most importantly, both the above ingredients—mostly the peanut butter—are full of protein and good fats, which upgrades this from a short-term energy boost to something that will actually sustain you throughout the day.
When mixing the components, I place them all in a jar and shake vigorously. Jars are great for carrying drinks around in (or am I just weird?), and shaking the potion is my favorite point to really focus on its purpose: energy. If you want, this is a solid little chant to do over it as well, especially if accompanied by visualization:
I won’t rest; sleep won’t take me
Daily trials will not shake me
I am still here, standing strong
Time for rest has come and gone.
Throughout the day, this serves as a light power shake and a great way to kill both your hunger and your caffeine addiction at the same time. When I know that I’m not getting back home until late, this is my go-to for powering through the day!
