“Witching Hour”, A Pillow For Sale

Witching Hour
“Witching Hour”

I used to wake up almost every night at 3am in a panic.  My mind would race looking for something that was wrong.  Something bad I had done and forgotten about until just that moment.  It was an awful feeling, scary, and my mind would spin and spin.  Getting back to sleep was almost impossible.  I started calling that time my witching hour.

Then Jon had an idea.  He suggested we leave a light on in the room when we slept.  I’m not sure why it worked, but it did.  I’d still wake up around 3am, but I wouldn’t have that old scary feeling.  If I still couldn’t sleep after waking up, I’d read for an hour or so then fall back to sleep.    Eventually I found I didn’t need the light any more and actually enjoyed waking up and reading every night.  Then we got Fate.

So now, when I wake up, I take Fate out to pee.  And I’ve found I really love being outside at 3am, when most people are sleeping and lots of wildlife is awake.  Once I heard the Ta Dum Ta Dum of Chloe’s hooves as she ran to the gate to see me.   Sometimes it’s the squeaky half brays of Fanny and Lulu, or the baaing of the sheep. I often hear an owl.

Last Friday, when the moon was full, I put Fate back in her crate and sat on the front porch in the moon light. I watched Flo, who was just a shadow, make her way up the driveway to the road.  I had never seen her so close to Route 22 which is busy in the daytime.  But she stopped at the edge of the driveway, turned back and came up on the porch.  She jumped up next to me on the bench and we sat quietly watching the stillness.  At first it sounded like a distant dog bark, but quickly the echoes of the coyotes surrounded us.   Flo seemed unfazed as their yips and howls grew louder and louder.  Such a primal sound, I love to hear it as much as it gives me the creeps.  When the coyotes were quiet again and the moon covered by clouds, I went back to bed and read till I feel asleep.

Now I look forward to my Witching Hour.  It’s not a scary time anymore, but a time to be one with the night and do some good reading.  And I find that, more often than not,  I dream after falling back to sleep.  Mysterious and insightful dreams nourished and informed by my witching hour.

My pillow Witching Hour is for sale.  Sold.   It’s $100 + $10 shipping.  If you’re interested in it, you can email me here at [email protected].

8 thoughts on ““Witching Hour”, A Pillow For Sale

  1. Historians say this “segmented” sleep (sometimes called “first sleep” and “second sleep”) was the common and natural sleep pattern before the Industrial Revolution (and artificial light). David Randall wrote a book called Dreamland: Adventures in the Strange Science of Sleep, and he discusses this at some length. So you’re just reverting to your ancient/medieval roots.

  2. Yup! You have described this time of night perfectly! You have a lot of company thinking such thoughts at 3am!

  3. Beautiful and healing restoration. My wise acupuncturist and our equine acupuncturist call that time of the morning, “the time of wind” according to Eastern medicine. Yes, the body (liver) is cleansing the body; but the moon and the animals help cleanse the soul. Thank you for sharing.

  4. “Less fraught” is good, I always say. And the older I get, the less fraught I become. Although that downed tree would have gotten to me, at least as it was happening. Had to be incredibly scary.

    1. Our neighbors have had bears in their yards, but we’ve never seen them here. Too small a space and difficult for them to get in and our of. And the only thing the bears bother around here are the bird feeders.

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