Sweet Dreams: A Ritual for Banishing Nightmares

We all know how important a good night's sleep is for our overall well-being. However, sometimes we experience nightmares that leave us feeling restless and anxious. Nightmares can cause disrupted sleep patterns, grogginess the next day, and can even lead to anxiety disorders. This is why I want to share with you a magickal ritual that can help banish nightmares and bring you sweet dreams. This is a very detailed, step by step guide, complete with instructions on how to make your own sweet dreams sachet. By using simple, yet powerful techniques, you can create a peaceful environment that encourages positivity and relaxation. This ritual will help you to let go of the negative energy from the day and drift off into a peaceful slumber. Join me as we explore the power of this magickal ritual and discover how it can help you achieve a restful night's sleep.

1. Items you will need for the ritual

Light blue or lavender candle-A blue or purple candle is very calming and soothing. This color sets the stage for a peaceful night's sleep. If you do not have a candle in  either of these shades, then you can easily substitute a white candle.

Sachet bag-This small sachet will contain the herbs, essential oils and/or small crystals to place under your pillow or on your nightstand after the completion of your ritual. I love the see-through quality and convenience of the small organza bags, but many witches opt for more natural material such as cotton or muslin fabric. Additionally, you may choose to sew your own sachet which adds another layer of energy and powerful intent. Do what resonates with you and your practice. 

Calming/protective incense-I prefer the scent of lavender as it is very soothing and promotes restful sleep. You may also choose scents such as sage or palo santo which are both widely known to clear all forms of negativity. Ultimately, the scent you choose should be something that is pleasing to you personally and has protective and or calming qualities. Some great alternatives include chamomile, rose, valerian and juniper.

Herbs-There is a wide range of herbs that have protective, calming and healing properties. The following are herbs that I have used with great success for my nightmare banishing ritual:

• Lavender-protection, peace, tranquility, harmony

• Chamomile-soothing, calming, restfulness

• Valerian-protection from all evil and harm, eases insomnia

• Juniper-protection, repels negativity and eases fear

• Rose-protection, love, beauty (for beautiful dreams)

Keep in mind that you can use any combination of these herbs or you can add herbs that resonate with you and your own magickal practice. 

Essential oil-This essential oil will be used for anointing your candle as well as for the dream sachet that will be placed under your pillow or on your nightstand, so choose oils that promote calming, peaceful sleep such as lavender, chamomile and rose. You may also choose to make a sleep blend by adding a few drops of these oils to a small amount of carrier oil such as sweet almond or jojoba oil. You can even add a pinch of lavender, chamomile or rose buds to the oil as well. Store it in a dark, glass vial with a dropper and label it with the contents and the date you made it for future use. 

Crystals-Use small crystals such as amethyst known for its calming, healing properties, clear quartz to amplify the effects of your ritual, selenite to promote peace, and black crystals such as black tourmaline or black obsidian  for protection, banishing, and to dispel all forms of negativity. You can use one or all of these crystals in your ritual, or you can find different crystals that resonate with you personally. I find that using small crystals work best for this ritual, as some of them you will want to place in your dream sachet to amplify the energy and fortify your intention.

Mortar and pestle-This will be used to lightly grind your herbs in order to release their aromatic properties as well as to dress your candle after anointing it.

Spell plate-I generally use a small, clear spell plate for this ritual, but white, black, blue or purple will work very well and will align perfectly with your intention. 

Needle or nail-This will be used to carve words of intention into your candle such as “banish nightmares” or “sweet dreams.”  This act programs your candle for its intended purpose. It adds another layer of powerful energy and infuses this energy into all aspects of your ritual. As the candle burns, it is sending the intention you carved into it out into the universe. Don’t ever leave this step out of your candle magick. It is very simple to perform, but also adds a huge component of energy to your workings.

Matches or lighter-Matches or a lighter will be necessary for lighting your incense as well as your candle.

2. Other Aspects to Consider

Now that you have gathered all of the necessary components for your work, you are ready to perform the ritual. However, before you do, take into consideration the phase of the moon. Lunar energy can add another layer of power to your ritual. The moon phase that works best with this ritual is a waning moon. Waning moons are great for releasing that which does not serve you as well as for banishing negative energies. 

Another moon phase that works very well with this ritual is the dark or new moon. The dark or new moon is all about death, rebirth and renewal. It is about laying to rest and ridding yourself of all forms of negativity, and then filling that void with good, positive energy, and things that are inherently good, and good for you.

Another aspect to consider is the day of the week that you perform this ritual. The ideal and best day, in my opinion,  to perform this ritual is on a Saturday. Saturday is the last day of the week bringing with it a sense of finality. Saturday is ruled by the planet Saturn and it is known to be the perfect day for banishing and protection rituals.

If Saturday is not a viable option for you, then you can also consider Tuesday. Tuesday is Mars day as it is ruled by the planet Mars. This is a perfect time to perform rituals that call for strength, courage and power. Mars is the god of war, and in this ritual you are battling and banishing nightmares, making Tuesday another great option to perform this powerful ritual.

Consider performing this ritual on a weekly or monthly basis even if your nightmares have abated. Over time, your sweet dream sachet will need to be cleansed and recharged to keep it potent and free of the negativity it may have gathered. Performing this ritual on a scheduled basis will keep your charm cleansed of negativity, and charged with renewed power and positive energy, ensuring sweet dreams free of nightmares.

3. Step-by-step guide to performing the ritual

Step 1: Gather Your Tools

Gather any tools or items you may need for the ritual, this includes all of the above listed items and any additional items that you deem appropriate. This is your ritual, so tailor it to fit your magickal practice. Feel free to add or take away any component so that it is appropriate for you.  Also consider keeping a dream journal to record your thoughts and actions, or a special pillow or blanket to help set the mood for peaceful sleep.

Step 2: Prepare Your Space

Find a quiet and comfortable space where you can perform the ritual without distractions. Create a soothing and peaceful atmosphere by working in an area with low, calm lighting. Light your incense and even some additional candles. I like to use little tea lights. Also consider playing some light music. Music raises the vibrational energy, which is very conducive to your workings. However, some witches find music to be distracting so do what is right for you. 

Step 3: Set Your Intention

Take a moment to clear your mind and focus on your intention to banish nightmares. Visualize a restful night's sleep free from negative dreams.  This step is quite honestly the basis upon which your ritual stands so take your time with it, meditate on it, putting all of your energy and conviction into it. 

Step 4: Begin the Ritual

• Start by taking a few deep breaths to center yourself. 

• Close your eyes and visualize a protective shield of light surrounding you, keeping out any negativity or harmful energies. This is a good time to cast a circle of power and protection if this is your practice.

• Start by lightly grinding the herbs you have chosen in the mortar and pestle. You will need enough herbs for your sweet dreams sachet, to dress the candle, and a few left over to sprinkle around the candle on  your spell plate.

• Add a few drops of the oil you have chosen to the herb mixture. Stir it around so that it is evenly distributed throughout the herbal mixture. Set this aside momentarily.

• Using the nail or needle, carve  words of intention into the candle. This could be anything that holds power and significance to you and the ritual. Consider words such as “banish nightmares” or “sweet dreams.”

• Anoint the candle with the oil or oils of your choice. When you are placing the oil onto the candle start at the bottom of the candle and pull the oil to the top of the candle. This is because you are trying to release something, namely the nightmares that are plaguing you. 

• Dress the candle by sprinkling some of the herbal mixture you just ground together, lightly onto the anointed candle. The oil from the anointing will cause the herbs to stick to the candle. Be sure not to put too many herbs as they may catch aflame.

• Place the candle in the middle of the spell plate by melting the bottom of the candle and letting the wax drip onto the middle of the plate. Before the wax melts, place the candle upright into the melted wax, allowing the wax to harden and thereby adhering the candle to the plate.  

• Sprinkle a few herbs counter clockwise around the candle on the spell plate. This is because you are banishing nightmares. 

• Now is the time to place the crystals you chose onto the spell plate in a way that is aesthetically pleasing and meaningful to you.

• Fill the sachet with the herb mixture and crystals and close it.

• Light the candle and speak aloud your incantation. The following is an example of an incantation you may use or you can make up your own:

Nightmares, I banish thee from my life.

No more fear and no more strife.

Only peace and sweet dreams for me.

Restful, restoring sleep. So mote it be.

• Pass the sweet dream sachet slowly through the incense smoke, and then quickly over the flame of the candle, being certain not to catch it on fire. As you do this, you are in effect infusing the dream sachet with the essence of the energy and intention you have set forth. 

• While holding the sachet in your hands, watch as the candle burns down. Focus and meditate on your intention with all of your energy, putting all of your strength and will into the ritual. You can even chant your incantation over and over as the candle burns down. 

• Take a moment to acknowledge any fears or anxieties that may be contributing to your nightmares. Release these emotions by visualizing them leaving your body and dissipating into the air.

• When the ritual is over, keep your sweet dream sachet under your pillow or beside your bed where you sleep. As you drift off to slumber the aromatic herbs and oils will infuse your dreams with protection free of nightmares. Over time your sachet may lose its potency and may become heavy with the negative energy it has been warding away from you. At this time you will need to repeat the ritual, thereby cleansing and recharging your sweet dream sachet.

Step 5: Rest Easy

After completing the ritual, climb into bed with a sense of peace and relaxation. Allow yourself to drift off to sleep knowing that you have taken positive steps to banish nightmares and invite sweet dreams into your night.

As we come to the end of this blog post on banishing nightmares with a sweet dreams ritual and sachet, I hope you feel empowered and equipped to create a peaceful and restful sleep environment. Nightmares can be unsettling and disruptive, but with the sweet dream ritual and sachet outlined in this post, you can take control of your dreams and invite in sweet and serene nights. Remember, the power to create a calming bedtime routine lies within you, and may your dreams be filled with nothing but tranquility and joy. Good night, sleep tight, and sweet dreams to you!

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