Goodnight Tea: An Enchanted Sleep Story

Enjoy a late night cup of tea in a cozy armchair by a crackling fire, then fall under the gentle spell of a custom sleeping potion, in tonight’s visit to The Haven Shoppe.

In tonight’s magical sleep story, you seek assistance from two friendly sister witches to cure your insomnia. You enjoy a wintery, late-night walk into town, and are warmly welcomed into the local apothecary and gift shop, after hours. Jadis and Aurora take you in and prepare you an enchanted sleeping brew. As you sip, you connect with the fire element, which helps you to release limiting beliefs and claim your power.

Image: Pexels on Pixabay
Music: The Inner Calling by Narek Mirzaei

Transcript

Enjoy a late night cup of tea in a cozy armchair by a crackling fire and fall under the gentle spell of a custom sleeping potion in tonight's visit to the Haven Shop.

The Haven Shop is a fantasy bedtime story series that will reconnect you with your inner magic as you dwell in the sacred space between waking and sleep.

In each episode you will return to this enchanted healing space run by two friendly sister witches who always seem to have exactly what you need.

My name is Andrea and I am deeply honored to be part of your sacred bedtime ritual.

Take the next couple of moments to find your coziest position.

What is your body asking for?

Do you want to sprawl,

Stretch,

And take up space in your bed?

Or perhaps you prefer to curl up into a cozy ball beneath your covers.

Once you're as comfortable as you can be,

Let's do one round of box breathing where you'll take a full cycle of breath,

Inhaling to the count of four,

Holding at the top for four,

And then exhaling and holding at the bottom for four.

This deliberate control of the breath sends a clear message to your brain to slow down and move into relaxation response.

I'll keep count for you.

Inhale two,

Three,

Four,

Hold two,

Three,

Four,

Exhale two,

Three,

Four,

And hold two,

Three,

Four.

You can let that go now and return to your natural breath.

From here on the only thing you need to do is relax and enjoy tonight's story.

Tonight your mind has been especially busy.

You've tried all the tricks that usually help you to settle in for a good night's sleep,

But find yourself wide awake in your bed despite your efforts.

So instead of tossing and turning,

You decide to get up and stretch your legs.

Maybe some movement and a change of scenery will help you to burn off your pent-up energy.

As you dress,

An idea hatches in your mind.

Perhaps you'll pay a visit to your favorite healing sanctuary.

It always seems to have what you need,

Even when you don't know exactly what that is until you get there.

It's late,

But the friendly sister witches who live on the premises are well-known for being out and about at nighttime,

Harvesting herbs,

Tending to their gardens,

And connecting with nature under the moonlight.

Even if the shop is closed,

You'll still enjoy the leisurely stroll,

You decide.

So before you can talk yourself out of it,

You follow your impulse toward the front door of your home.

You scoop up your keys,

Slip into shoes,

Wrap yourself in a warm jacket,

And head out into the night.

The early winter evening is crisp and quiet.

You inhale a full,

Deep breath that feels cool and refreshing to your lungs.

As you exhale,

Your breath creates a billowy white cloud of condensation that hangs in the still night air.

You fold your arms across your chest to ward off the cold as you make your way through town.

Most of the buildings you pass on your stroll are dark due to the late hour,

But there are still a few windows aglow along the way,

Illuminating the homes of local night owls.

As your destination comes into view,

Your spirits lift when you see a flickering light coming from the storefront windows.

You're in luck.

The witches are still up.

When you reach the shop's large bay window,

You see Aurora,

The healing witch,

Standing in front of an oversized wooden hutch,

Surveying her impressive collection of herbs and dried flowers.

She wears a jade green and purple floral dress that brushes the plank wooden floor.

Her dark,

Curly hair pulled back into an unruly bun at the top of her head.

When your eyes meet,

Her face breaks into a warm smile,

And she motions for you to enter.

You hear the gentle tinkling of the wind chimes hanging from the shop ceiling that graze the door as you push it open.

Aurora and her sister,

Jadis,

Greet you warmly,

Looking truly delighted to see you,

But not exactly surprised.

Even though the shop is closed for the evening,

It appears they were expecting you.

The warm air of the shop envelops you like a friendly hug,

Making your cold face tingle with sensation.

You express your deep appreciation for the witches' hospitality,

And apologize for showing up unannounced after hours.

The sisters brush off your apology,

And insist that every visit from you is a welcomed treat.

You remove your jacket and hang it on a vacant hook near the door.

As you move deeper into the shop,

Rubbing your hands together to warm them up,

You hear a singular,

Somewhat disgruntled squawk coming from a far corner of the room.

From past visits,

You know that the tall,

Dome-shaped cage,

Presently covered in a sheet,

Is home to Jadis' familiar,

Rex.

A spry,

White raven who is usually quite social,

But is particularly protective of his beauty sleep.

I'll say hello another time,

You think to yourself.

Aurora guides you toward one of the best seats in the house,

A plump,

Oversized easy chair in front of the fireplace,

Where Jadis,

The nature witch,

Is placing a black,

Cast-iron kettle onto a pot hanger,

Perfectly positioned to boil water over the flames.

I could use the electric kettle,

Jadis explains,

Pushing her turquoise blue sleeves up to her elbows,

But connecting with the raw element of fire is a powerful ritual in itself.

She extends her right hand,

Directing it toward the modest fire,

And whispers an incantation that you can't quite make out.

In response,

The fire grows,

Ever so slightly,

Just enough to allow the flames to reach the underside of the kettle.

She smiles at her work,

And settles into the chair next to you,

Brushing a strand of cola-colored hair away from her sparkling hazel eyes.

The witches ask you how you are,

With sincere interest.

You confess that you simply cannot quiet your mind,

Despite your weariness.

Aurora knowingly offers you a soft blanket in your favorite color,

And you drape it over your lap.

It has a bit of weight to it,

And immediately you feel yourself unwinding as you sink deeper into the plush,

Supportive cushion.

Aurora returns to her herbal display near the shop window,

And pulls three canisters from the shelf,

Reciting the names of their contents to no one in particular.

Lavandula angustifolia,

Matricaria camomilla,

Pasiflora incarnata.

She measures the ingredients,

And places them into a mortar,

Using a pestle to gently grind the flowers into a custom blend,

Which she spoons into a paper satchel,

And drops into a clean,

Empty cup.

Then,

She pauses,

Her green eyes scanning the surface of her work area,

When she doesn't find what she's looking for.

Aurora crosses the floor of the shop's front room,

And reaches behind the polished wood counter to retrieve an antique bronze skeleton key,

With an oversized,

Ornately designed head.

She then pulls a small,

Amber-colored vial from the drawer,

And gingerly squeezes exactly three drops of an unknown liquid into the bottom of the cup.

Finally,

Aurora places her hands a few inches over the teacup,

And closes her eyes,

Setting a private intention to infuse magical properties into the brew.

Once satisfied,

She carries the prepared potion over to the fire,

And sets it on a table close to your chair.

In perfect timing,

The kettle begins to whistle.

Jadis removes it from the fire,

And pours the steaming hot water into the vessel her sister has prepared for you.

When you reach for your tea,

You notice the face of the white ceramic cup displays your first initial,

Etched in gold.

Curious,

The floral and sweet aroma of the tea begins to calm your body and mind before the potion even touches your lips.

As you inhale its magical bouquet,

Your head begins to swim,

Ever so slightly,

In the most pleasurable way.

Just then,

A fat,

Black cat who you recognize as Aurora's familiar,

Layla,

Struts toward the fire from an unknown place,

And greets you with a gentle brush against your legs.

She settles herself directly in front of the fireplace,

Sprawling out unapologetically,

Belly up,

With front paws suspended lazily in the air,

And it almost appears that she's wearing a faint smile on her small,

Angular face.

The cat's vulnerable and relaxed position is a clear sign that she trusts you completely,

And it reminds you that this is a safe,

Accepting,

Judgment-free space where you can fully let go,

And simply be.

You take your first sip of tea,

And it is delicious.

You mentally track the hot liquid as it makes its way down your throat and into your belly,

Disarming your nervous system.

And extinguishing all mental chatter,

Sweet relief washes over you as you continue to sip the enchanted brew,

And allow yourself to become mesmerized by the dancing flames in the fireplace that send you waves of warmth,

Healing.

Jadis pours out chamomile honey tea for herself and her sister Aurora.

The two always seem to be in communication,

Even without speaking.

Together,

The three of you sip,

Savor,

And enjoy the warmth of the hearth,

While Jadis explains how connecting with the fire element raises your vibration,

Instills confidence,

And helps you to trust your instincts,

Just as you trusted your instincts to guide you here tonight,

You think.

How interesting.

Jadis goes on to say that fire can be deeply cleansing too,

And she encourages you to mentally toss any worry,

Fear,

Or beliefs that don't serve you into the flames for transformation.

Just as the fire signs of the Zodiac,

Ares,

Leo,

And Sagittarius embody confidence and ambition,

You can tap into the power of the fire element whenever you need a reminder of how capable and deserving you are.

Fire brings healing to your solar plexus chakra,

Your center for self-esteem,

Healthy boundaries,

And worthiness.

As you take in this message,

You feel yourself being fortified with personal power.

Several minutes pass,

And what feels like all too soon,

You've emptied your cup.

By now,

You can barely keep your eyes open.

You search your pocket for payment,

But the sweet witches refuse.

You thank them once more for their generosity,

And stand up,

Limbs heavy and heart light.

Jadis and Aurora usher you to the door,

Assuring you this magical cocoon of sleepiness and comfort will last for as long as you need it to.

You wrap yourself up in your warm jacket,

Thank the witches again,

And step back out into the quiet street.

It's colder now,

But the sleeping tea seems to have created an invisible,

Insulating bubble around you,

Protecting your delicate senses from the weather.

By the time you reach home,

You can barely remember how you got there.

You strip off your jacket and shoes,

Lock up for the night,

And change into your favorite,

Most comfortable pajamas.

Before slipping back into bed,

You melt into your sleep surface.

As the magic tea continues its work,

What a beautiful little adventure,

You think.

The whole thing almost feels like a dream.

Did you ever really leave your bed?

You can't imagine getting up now,

Even if you tried.

Before you can form another thought,

Sleep comes for you,

Like a familiar friend,

Ushering in healing,

Restoration,

And deep,

Quiet peace.

Good night.

Reviews

I love your stories, creative and special. Happy 2025!

A lovely soothing story. I didn't hear the end - will listen again later. 🙏

This was exactly what I needed after my dog woke me up because she wasn't feeling well at 4:00 this morning

Lovely story.
I really enjoy the humor and wisdom from the sisters.
Thank you so much. 💐🙏
Blessed Be;
Morgaine🌸

Thank you🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻Very relaxing and indeed enchanting🙏🏻🌟💫🌟✨🌟🙏🏻

Thank you for sharing your wonderful story! Blessings