As the moon wanes she draws the tides inward and downward, and the wells of the earth run deep and cold. This is the hour to drink from the still water that lies beneath restless thought.
This draught, bitter and green, quiets the surface-mind and lets the sleeper descend into the deep well where the long, unhurried dreams are kept. It is a letting-go, a loosening of the day’s grip so the night may hold you instead.
The Working
- On a waning night, warm water in a bowl until it steams but does not boil.
- Steep valerian root and a little chamomile in the water, covering it while it draws down its strength.
- Ring a bell once over the bowl to settle the brew and to mark the surface of the well.
- Strain the draught into a cup and hold it in both hands until it is warm enough to drink.
- Speak the incantation over the cup, letting your breath ripple the steam.
- Drink slowly in the dark, then lie down at once and picture yourself sinking, hand over hand, down a cool stone well.
The Incantation
Bitter root and waning moon,
draw me down and draw me soon.
Past the noise the day has made,
past the light, into the shade.
Deep well water, dark and still,
keep me dreaming as you will.
Ring the bell and let me fall,
soft below the surface of it all.
Do not fight the heaviness that comes, for it is the well receiving you. Rise in the morning slowly, as one drawn back up on a long rope.