Spiced Sleep Milk
Like sweet dreams in a cup, this milky wonder grounds and pacifies the nervous system, yet is easy to digest and full of ojas-building properties. Ojas is the vital energy, sometimes referred to as a bio-celestial substance, that rules immunity, vigor and vitality. When we have lots of ojas, we look and feel radiant, clear, calm and energised. When ojas is low, we’re prone to being unwell, depleted and generally very blah. This milky tonic is also excellent for anyone struggling with sleep issues - milk contains peptides that lower cortisol and promote feelings of relaxation.
A word on cow’s milk
Cow’s milk often gets a bad rap these days thanks to a terrible industry as well as how we tend to prepare and consume milk. According to Ayurveda, when drunk cold and with other foods, milk is very hard to digest, and this is what often leads to stomach upsets and other problems. Warmed and blended with spices, milk becomes light, easy to digest and very nourishing to the system. As well as learning how to consume milk properly, it’s also crucial to source milk of very high quality, as this not only has a negative impact on the cow and the environment but also on your system - poor quality milk lacks prana or life force. Avoid long-life milk, milk powder and homogenised milk wherever you can. Nowadays in Australia, you can buy raw milk legally for drinking (Made By Cow is a great brand). It’s typically cold-pressed so it’s 100% safe to consume, and is of the highest quality and therefore the highest benefit.
You’ll need
½ cup milk (try to find organic, non-homogenised, and raw/cold-pressed) or good quality plant milk
½ cup filtered water (can also double milk ratio for a richer taste)
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cardamom
Pinch of turmeric
Tiny pinch of pepper
2 saffron threads, optional
1 teaspoon ghee
1 pitted date, chopped
How to
Add the milk, water, saffron and date to a small saucepan and bring to a boil - almost to the point of boiling over. Remove from the stove and stand for a minute. Repeat this process a total of 3 times if you have the time to make it even more pure and easy to digest (note, this is only required for cow’s milk. If using plant milk, warm until hot but not boiling then proceed to step 2).
Add the spices and ghee and mix well to combine. If preferred, you can strain the milk to remove the date pieces, though by this point they’re usually very soft and enjoyable.
Pour into a pre-warmed cup (fill with a little hot water then discard) and enjoy mindfully before bed.