Dreaming with Neptune: A Mocktail for the Mystic
Some nights require more than sleep - they require descent.
A purposeful slipping beneath the veil, where your subconscious speaks in symbols and your dreams become portals. This is a mocktail for those nights.
Dreaming with Neptune is refined, complex, and will relax the f*ck out of you. It's an invitation to soften your grip on waking reality and let the liminal world in. Each ingredient was chosen to support dream work, intuitive opening, and deep nervous system rest.
This isn't a casual sipper, this is a ritual beverage for oracle work, dream journaling, and intentional communion with the unseen.
The Dreamwork Layers
California Poppy calms the nervous system and eases you into rest without sedation. Butterfly Pea Flower opens the third eye and turns your drink a mystical blue. Mugwort is the dream herb—ancient, powerful, and deeply connected to lunar consciousness. Lavender soothes and protects your energetic field as you travel inward. Together with the Crave Tincture from the Untamed Apothecary, this blend doesn't just help you sleep, it helps you see.
This recipe comes from the Botancial Bar Craft book by Cassandra Elizabeth Sears. Thank you, Cassandra.
Dreaming with Neptune Recipe
This recipe has three components that build into one transcendent experience. Set aside time to prepare this mindfully—the making is part of the magic. First make the tea and simple syrup, let them cool overnight or for several hours if possible. Otherwise, add extra ice.
Cinnamon-Vanilla Honey Syrup Ingredients:
2 cups water 3 cinnamon sticks 1 cup unfiltered honey Pinch of sea salt 2 vanilla beans, scraped (opt for vanilla extra if needed)
Instructions:
Heat water in a small pot and add cinnamon sticks. Simmer for 30 minutes, adding more water as needed to maintain liquid. You should have about 1 cup of concentrated cinnamon tea remaining. Strain into a measuring glass. Add the honey and stir until fully dissolved. Add a pinch of sea salt and the scraped vanilla bean seeds. Let cool, then refrigerate.
Dreamer's Tea Ingredients:
Dried California poppy Dried butterfly pea flower Dried mugwort Dried lavender 16 oz hot water
Instructions:
Add your dried herbs to a tea press (use equal parts of each, or adjust based on your intuition). Cover with 16 oz of freshly boiled water. Stir gently and place the lid on the press. Let steep for 10 minutes—this is your moment to set an intention for your dreamwork. Strain and set aside to cool slightly.
The Mocktail
Ingredients:
Ice, 2 oz club soda, 6 oz Dreamer's Tea (cooled,) 1 dropperful Crave Tincture*, ½ oz fresh lemon juice, ½ oz cinnamon-vanilla honey syrup, ¼ tsp orange flower water, ¼ tsp almond extract, ½ oz heavy cream, 1 egg white, Poppy seeds for garnish
Instructions:
Fill a collins glass with ice and add 2 oz club soda. Set aside. In a cocktail shaker, combine the Dreamer's Tea, Crave Tincture, lemon juice, cinnamon-vanilla syrup, orange flower water, almond extract, heavy cream, and egg white. First shake: Shake vigorously without ice for 1-2 minutes (this is called a dry shake—it creates that silky foam). Add ice to the shaker. Second shake: Shake hard for another 2 minutes (yes, really—this is a fizz, and it requires commitment). Strain the foamy, ethereal mixture into your prepared glass. Watch as it cascades over the club soda. Top with a sprinkle of poppy seeds.
The Ritual
Make this mocktail as the sun sets. Drink it slowly, perhaps while journaling your intention for the night's dreams or pulling oracle cards. Let the foam settle on your lips. Feel the herbs begin their work in your body.
Before sleep, place your dream journal beside your bed. Speak aloud what you wish to know, to see, to understand.
Then surrender and slip into the theta state. Neptune is waiting.
This mocktail pairs beautifully with oracle card readings, moon rituals, and any practice that requires you to soften the boundary between worlds. Sip, dream, and remember.
