The Golden Wood Of The Elves

It’s time to journey into the heart of the Golden Wood, and completely relax in the healing magic of the Elves. This story is for any Sleepy Cat who is also a lover of fantasy worlds and escapism. There are detailed sound effects and music to create a truly immersive experience. I hope you enjoy this "movie for the mind" as you drift off in peace.

Music by Liborio Conti and Enlightened Audio ('Angels Lament')

Transcript

A warm welcome to this very special sleep story,

Where you will take an enchanted journey deep into the forest of the elves and meet the golden lady of the wood.

There,

She will heal and comfort you as you relax and fall into a peaceful slumber under the stars of middle earth.

Begin by making yourself nice and comfortable where you are and give yourself permission to let go of everything tonight.

This is your story and your adventure.

And when you are ready,

Just allow the eyelids to feel heavier and heavier until they gently close.

Before we begin,

We will do a short guided breathing pattern called 3-4-5.

This will allow you to slow down and relax,

Preparing your body and your mind for a wonderful peaceful rest.

When you are ready,

Breathe in through the nose for three,

Hold for four,

And breathe out for five,

Let all of it go,

Good,

Again that's in for three,

Hold for four,

And release,

Blowing away the thoughts of yesterday,

Today and tomorrow,

Again in for three,

Hold,

And let it go.

Allow you to breathe in this way in your own time and with each breath out,

Allow your body to sink just that bit deeper into your mattress.

And now,

Allow the breath to fall back to a natural rhythm and enjoy this new relaxation flowing through your body.

Feel your imagination starting to unlock and your mind becoming free as we take an enchanted adventure to the golden wood of the elves.

You wake up from a short nap to the sound of lapping water,

A soft breeze,

And a gentle bird song in the distance.

With your eyes closed,

You smell the cool waters of the river,

The damp wood from your little boat,

The hint of spring flowers,

And,

Unusually,

The faint whiff of tobacco.

And then,

A homely comfort fills your heart as you hear the low humming voice of your wizard,

Your oldest and dearest friend.

You open your eyes to meet the gaze of your gentle old wizard.

He greets you with the twitch of a smile and a subtle wink as he puffs tight-lipped on his long wooden pipe.

He paddles your boat down a beautiful river,

And as your eyes adjust,

You take in every piece of this enchanted land.

The water is marbled with turquoise and sapphire and peppered with a silver starlight.

Scattered along the shore is a collection of colorful pebbles,

Creating a beautiful mosaic on the pure white sand.

The great river carves through the landscape in front of you,

And a thick green woodland protects you on both sides.

There is a strange but curious radiance from the trees,

And it's as if these wonders of nature are calling out to you.

The sky is clear but for the odd wisps of cloud floating across the endless blue above.

Far off in the distance are the faint silhouettes of snow-capped mountains tracing the horizon.

And as you sit here opposite your old companion,

Surrounded by the picture-perfect scenery,

You begin to remember how you arrived here.

It was yesterday morning when the old wizard rapped on the door of your little house under the hill,

Waking you from a peaceful shire slumber.

He came bearing good news.

You have been invited as a special guest to the land of the elves,

Deep within the golden wood.

The wizard,

Being your trusty guardian,

Felt obliged to accompany you on this adventure.

And after a long journey through the rolling hills of home,

You came across an idle boat,

Carved from a silver oak tree,

And perfectly smooth to the touch.

The last memory you have is simply drifting along calm waters,

Wrapped in a soft blanket and guarded by the ancient moon.

And here you are,

Another day and another adventure with your wonderful wizard,

Ready to journey into a new world entirely.

In the next moment,

You feel yourself banking to the right as the wizard steers you away from the great river.

Your boat threads down a small stream,

Heading towards a tunnel of trees.

The light of the sun fades,

The birdsong is no more,

And you are met with a gentle stardust drifting through the air.

The leaves of the forest are a soft blue now,

Pulsing with a silver glow.

The water below is covered by a thin layer of white mist.

You trace your hand through the haze,

And a cool vibration trickles through your fingers.

Bit by bit,

You feel a deep and powerful magic envelop the woodland.

The atmosphere is rich and thick,

And a new heaviness begins to fill your body.

You breathe in this healing air,

Slow and deep.

You find yourself letting go of all thoughts and all worries.

You are entering a world of peace,

And you know that these thoughts no longer serve you here,

And with this realization comes the beautiful feeling of total release.

You can let everything go now,

As you drift through this blue and silver haven.

A deep sense of peace and comfort runs through your body,

Softening your heart and your mind.

You wonder what kind of magic can evoke such beautiful sensations.

As if hearing your thoughts,

The wizard turns to you with a smile.

It is the lady of the wood,

He whispers,

She cannot be far away.

And then,

Right on cue,

The leaves around you begin to transform,

Turning from a rich blue to a soft,

Shimmering gold.

A new light glows through the trees now,

As if radiating from the earth itself.

It is a light of hope,

Of love,

And of deep magic.

And then,

Emerging through the golden trees,

Are tall,

Angelic figures with long,

Flowing hair and backed by a soft light.

You cannot believe it,

The elves.

They stand tall and proud among the trees,

Shrouded in long cloaks of grey and blue.

They watch over you with kind eyes,

And an earthly enchantment radiates from them.

This land is singing now with the deep magic of the old earth,

And the magic of the elves.

Your guardians have all the features of youth and innocence,

But these wonderful folk are blessed with immortality,

And many of them are almost as old as the earth itself.

As this woodland symphony continues,

You feel your boat begin to float above the ground,

And the waters slowly disappear as you glide through the trees.

The magic of the elves runs through your body,

And a weightlessness washes over you as you let go of any holding on to night.

As you venture deeper into the forest,

The trees grow taller,

The trunks grow thicker,

And the leaves are a sea of shimmering gold,

Like a collection of magical fireflies flickering above you and peppering the land with a beautiful,

Soft glow.

Wrapped around the trees are spiraling staircases of hand-carved wood.

They tower up into the depths of the treetops.

Many elves line the twisting stairs,

Gazing down on you with a smile as they sing as one with this enchanted forest.

You are drifting through the borders of the golden wood,

Home to the Lady of Light.

It is unlike anything you have ever seen,

And you feel privileged to witness this magic unfold.

You cannot help but feel as though you have been here before.

A familiar,

Homely comfort washes over you,

And you allow this new magic to lift you just that bit higher,

As you let go just that bit more.

The wizard admits it is rare for the elves to put on such a display,

And even he does not usually receive such a welcome.

You truly are a guest of honor.

And then,

Bit by bit,

You feel yourself coming back down.

Your little boat has disappeared now,

And instead,

Your feet land on the huge golden leaves of the forest floor.

The soft,

Silk-like texture of the ground envelops your feet,

Filling your toes with a beautiful warmth.

All around you now is a woodland kingdom,

Singing with an elvish symphony,

And filled with a golden starlight.

You have arrived.

The old wizard places a hand on your shoulder,

And you look up at him with a beaming smile.

Somehow,

The lines on his face have softened,

And a youthful radiance lives in his eyes again.

And you can feel it,

Too.

Any stiffness is melting away,

And a childlike wonder fills your heart as you gaze around this majestic land.

Enormous trees tower above you,

Each with their own spiral staircase.

Among the different levels,

You can see hand-carved houses built within the trees.

The treetops are pulsing with a golden glow,

And a soft stardust mingles through the air.

To your left,

A waterfall cascades out of the woodland into a small silver lake.

A white haze swirls above the water,

And there,

Through the mist,

You see two elves tying up your boat.

As you turn back around,

You are met by the soft face of a tall,

Proud elf.

He dons a gray cloak and hood,

With thin,

Delicate armor covering his chest,

Shoulders,

And forearms.

A huge wooden bow rests on his back,

With a satchel of arrows at his side.

Here is the captain and commander of the wood,

Second only to the lord and lady.

As the elf captain removes his hood,

His golden hair frames his face with a soft glow,

And he greets you with a half-bow,

Welcoming you to the kingdom of the woodland elves.

You return the bow and admit your surprise but deep honor to receive such an invitation.

The captain reassures you that any friend of the wizard is a friend of the elves,

And they have been looking forward to your arrival.

This elf will be your guide tonight,

Taking you high up into the treetops and to the palace of the lord and lady.

But first you must eat,

He adds,

And gather your strength.

From under his cloak,

The elf reveals a parcel wrapped in dark green leaves tied with string.

This is the bread of our kin,

He tells you.

One small bite is enough to fill the stomach of a grown man.

It is made deep within the enchanted wood,

Where no mortal has ever stepped foot,

And the magic within this bread will cleanse your mind and fill you with a renewed strength.

You unwrap the parcel and remove a thick white bread with a lovely golden crust.

It is freshly baked and still warm to the touch.

You break it open and take your first bite.

The bread is soft and fluffy with a beautiful buttery flavor.

There is a deep satisfaction in the pit of your stomach,

Like a mini fire bubbling away,

Filling you with a comforting warmth.

You feel this warmth rise into your chest and pulse with a beautiful radiance.

It trickles through your body,

Down into your legs and feet,

Along your arms,

And up into your head.

For a moment you have forgotten where you are,

Your eyes are closed and you are feeling every single beautiful sensation running through you.

You take a deep breath and smile at this wonderful moment.

As your senses come back to the golden wood,

The elf captain cannot help but chuckle at your reaction.

You can see the flashes of an old memory in his eyes and he tells you that he can remember taking his first bite of this wonderful bread as a small elf child over a thousand years ago.

A thousand years!

You suddenly find yourself marveling at the smoothness of his skin and the glow of his young eyes bubbling with energy.

The magic of the elves really is remarkable.

With another bow,

The captain bids you follow his lead and with an excited smile to your wizard,

You shadow the elf through the wood,

Your feet treading on the soft floor of the forest.

You walk through a series of white wooden archways,

Delicately carved with elegant patterns and inscribed with old elvish script.

The archways are wrapped in pink and blue flowers and a beautiful smell dances through the wood.

With every breath you take,

You find yourself becoming just that bit more relaxed.

And then,

You arrive at the most majestic tree you have ever seen.

It appears to be wrapped in the most delicate starlight and pulses with a soft radiance.

Its twisted trunk towers above you,

Disappearing above the golden treetops.

Your elf guardian turns to you,

Smiling at your wide-eyed wonder.

This tree,

He tells you,

Was the very first to grow here and it is the center of all life on earth.

It was the elves who brought it to life through an ancient song that lasted over a hundred years and from it,

This enchanted woodland was born.

For a moment,

You are daunted by the seemingly endless journey to the top of the tree.

But the kind elf places a hand on your shoulder and with a subtle smile,

He reassures you that the climb is far easier than it looks.

After a slight hesitation,

You take your first step and as soon as your foot touches the pure white wood,

You feel yourself lifting ever so slightly above the ground,

Until you are no longer walking,

But floating up this twisting stairway.

You are simply a passenger now,

You do not even have to try.

The old magic of the forest is bringing you up to the top of the tree and towards the golden palace.

You drift effortlessly higher and higher and gaze out through the woodland,

Peppered with stardust.

Down below,

You can see the waterfall and the small lake.

There are many elves mingling on the forest floor,

Crafting tools and instruments,

Foraging for fruit of the forest and tending to this ancient land.

It's as if these wonderful folk are completely at one with this golden wood,

Everything works in perfect harmony.

Already you feel that you belong here,

You feel safe and protected and this magical world is already healing your body,

Your mind and your soul.

Before you know it,

You arrive at the top of the tree and find yourself inside a beautiful palace of magic.

But this palace is not like those of the old fairy tales,

It is subtle,

Subdued and elegant and it is all the more beautiful for it.

Delicate white woodwork arches above and around you,

Carved in the most intricate detail.

Thin curtains with a misty blue haze flutter in the gentle breeze and the wooden floor is veiled with a blanket of silver moonlight.

There are two small water fountains flowing in a beautiful spiral.

The water is a pure sapphire peppered with tiny crystals of white.

Up here,

The light has turned from a rich gold into a soft blue and silver.

A canopy of leaves creates an enchanting dome above you and there,

Through the gaps,

You can see the first stars peeping through.

The wizard places a hand on your shoulder and leads you over to two empty thrones backed by a thin white veil.

Your heart flutters as you sense the presence of a deep and powerful magic pulsing through the palace and resonating in your chest.

And then,

The veil parts in the middle,

Revealing a soft white light and a wave of nerves washes over you.

The light slowly fades and you are met by the lord and lady of the golden wood.

Their delicate regality is coupled with an unspeakable kindness and the wisdom of a thousand years.

Your nerves fade to a beautiful comfort.

You are honored to be in the presence of such high and magical beings and you cannot help but smile.

The beauty and grace of this lord and lady is undeniable and your elf captain leads you all into a low bow as you gently drop to one knee.

With your eyes to the floor,

You feel the lady of light approach you.

Her magic is like nothing you have ever felt before.

It ripples through you like a heavenly starlight,

Filling you with absolute peace.

And then,

You feel a smooth hand taking your chin and lifting up your head.

As you stare into the dazzling blue eyes of the golden lady,

You feel a deep,

Healing love filling your heart.

A gentle glow pulses around her and you'd be forgiven for thinking that you had just met your first angel.

She smiles softly and just the simple touch of her hand evokes feelings of safety.

You know that under the watchful eye of this enchanting elf,

You are completely protected.

And then,

Without moving her lips,

The lady of the wood speaks to you as if calling out to your very soul.

You are so welcome here,

My lovely friend of the shire.

Please,

Lay down your troubles and leave your worries behind.

I see you,

I truly see you,

And here we can wash away any burdens that you carry with you.

I see the warmth of your heart,

The beauty of your soul,

And all the wonderful things you have to offer.

So please,

It is time to be kind to yourself.

You deserve happiness,

And here you will find the comfort that you seek,

For there is a magic within you too.

This is your sanctuary,

And you will leave this land refreshed,

Renewed,

And at peace,

Free to return whenever you need to.

You take a deep breath and allow all these beautiful words to fill your heart.

You enjoy this wonderful moment shared only between you and this ethereal elf.

You can feel the golden lady's healing magic coursing through you.

Your mind becomes clear and uncluttered.

Your breath is free,

Your body is relaxed,

And there is a smile on your face.

You vow from here on in to treat yourself with love,

Empathy,

And respect as you would your very best friend,

For that is what you deserve.

In the next moment,

The lady invites you to visit her enchanted orchard.

It is a journey that will take you deep into the forest as you float over the treetops.

Once there,

You can lie beneath the moon and float among the stars as you dream away the night.

Tomorrow is a day of merriment and adventure,

But for now,

The night is closing in and starlight awaits you.

The wizard kneels down to meet you now and you share a warm embrace.

He tells you that he could not wish for a better companion to share in his adventures and that you deserve this time of peace with the lady of the wood.

Go now and be comforted,

He adds with a warm smile.

Before you leave,

You turn to your elf captain and give a low bow.

You thank him for bringing you here and for welcoming you to his homeland.

You hope to see him again soon.

As the captain returns your bow,

He tells you that tomorrow morning you shall be reunited.

You will journey through the golden wood and he will craft you your very own elven instrument.

With a hand on your shoulder,

He tells you that you are welcome to visit him anytime.

His home is always open to you.

With a renewed excitement,

You follow behind the lady of the wood.

Her flowing golden hair is almost as long as her smooth white dress that trails along the floor and pulses with a soft light.

Suddenly,

A door of golden leaves opens up before you and you step out onto a white wooden walkway as you enter the blue and black night.

Ahead of you now are a series of arched bridges carved from the same white wood and protected by powerful elven enchantments,

Enchantments as old as the earth.

You are completely safe up here,

Guarded by the new starlight above as you glide gently over the forest.

Surrounding you in every direction is a sea of endless treetops peppered with rich gold leaves that pulse under the healing light of the moon.

It gives the effect of moonlight on water,

Twinkling far off on the distant horizon.

The enchanted air is at its purest form up here.

With every breath you take,

You feel its healing energy filling your lungs and running through your body.

As you continue your journey over the treetops,

The Lady of the Wood tells you the story of how the elves came to be.

The stars awoke the elves from an endless slumber,

Calling them to life.

For many years,

Long before the sun and moon,

The elves wandered the earth under the light and music of the stars.

And this is how the elves learned the enchanted symphonies that could bring the first trees to life.

With the trees came the sun and moon,

And from there,

The entire world.

The dust from the very first star lives within all the elves now,

Blessing the Lady and her kin with immortality.

The life of the elves will continue until the very last star ceases to be.

You gaze up at the vast cosmos of glitter,

Peppered with infinite stars.

With a smile,

You reassure her that that time is clearly a long way off,

And the Lady cannot help but smile at you.

She will live on through many more ages of this land,

For she is one of the sacred guardians of the earth.

And now,

She adds with a smile,

That the time has come for her to return to the land where she came to live.

You feel so lucky to be here,

Side by side with this enchanting elf,

And surrounded by a golden haven of tranquility.

Here,

You will be able to experience the beauty of nature and the beauty of the earth.

And just then,

The next bridge descends down into the treetops,

And you begin to enter a new world.

The starlight disappears,

And you are drifting through a tunnel of leaves,

Guiding your way with tiny golden spotlights.

You arrive at a white fence,

Sealed with a wooden gate.

Beyond the gate is a collection of trees,

Only waist-high,

But bursting with colorful fruit like nothing you have ever seen before.

The orchard floor is carpeted with rich green grass,

Shimmering with emerald.

With a wave of her hand,

The golden lady casts a spell,

And the white gate swings open.

You follow behind her delicate footsteps,

And wander through the path of little trees.

The smell that envelops you now is divine,

And the colorful fruit are soft to the touch.

They float in pulsing orbs of purple,

Yellow,

Green,

And red,

And each one looks as equally tantalizing.

The lady turns to you with a smile and a raise of her eyebrows.

She tells you the fruit is almost ready to eat,

And to be patient now.

Tomorrow morning,

It will be the perfect breakfast.

As you round a corner of trees,

The sky opens up once again,

And you arrive at a large grassy clearing,

Illuminated by the silver spotlight.

To your right,

A small waterfall trickles into a stream that runs past your feet.

In the middle of the clearing,

You see a collection of thick,

Elven blankets atop a carved stone bed of pure white.

With a gesture and a smile,

The golden lady encourages you to rest now.

She will watch over you tonight,

And her enchantments will heal your body,

Restore your energy,

And soothe your heart.

And just then,

She reveals a small glass vial in the shape of a small pear and glowing like a tiny moon.

The glass is engraved with ancient markings,

And inside is a pool of silver water.

Within this vial is the very first light of the elves.

It is a precious,

Precious thing,

Given only to those that are truly loved by her people,

And she would like you to have it as a token of your new friendship.

Let it be a light for you,

She adds,

When all other lights go out.

With thanks,

You take the vial from the lady.

It is cool to the touch,

And the glass glows with intensity.

You can feel the magic of the elves in the palm of your hand.

The lady whispers an old elvish prayer,

And the light begins to dim.

All you have to do,

She tells you,

Is speak her name into this vial,

And the light will appear once again.

You slip the vial into your pocket and thank her for her kindness tonight.

One final gift,

She adds,

And for the first time,

There is mischief in her eyes.

The golden lady reveals a tiny wooden box,

No bigger than your palm.

Engraved on the box is old elvish poetry.

You open the lid to reveal a small pile of brown soil,

Peppered with a silver glitter.

This is the soil from her orchard,

The lady explains.

It holds the magic of the first star.

Take this to your garden under the hill.

Sprinkle it over your crops.

All that grows there will thrive for an eternity.

With a grateful heart,

You embrace the golden lady,

And she cradles your head in her hands,

Whispering words of comfort.

She reminds you that you are safe now,

And that you can leave your thoughts and worries behind.

Nothing can find you here,

And she will take good care of you tonight.

You thank her for inviting you to this wonderful place,

And tell her that you couldn't wish for a finer welcome.

She strokes your head gently,

And tells you that you are always welcome in the golden wood,

And in her orchard.

You know the way here now,

And you can come back anytime,

She adds,

With a kiss on your forehead.

And with that,

You feel a magical heaviness begin to wash over you,

And suddenly,

It is difficult to keep your eyes open.

To your surprise,

The golden lady gently lifts you with ease,

And you feel the sensation of floating above the ground.

She carries you over to the enormous bed,

And places you down effortlessly.

You settle in now,

Among the soft,

Fluffy cushions,

And the thick,

Warm blankets.

In the next moment,

The great moon above begins to darken slightly,

As the glitter of starlight trickles down into the orchard.

The golden lady wanders to the waterfall,

And soaks a cloth under the silver water.

She kneels at the side of your bed,

And gently wipes your brow.

Your eyes become soft and heavy.

With every blink,

It is a struggle to keep them open.

At last,

You give yourself over to this beautiful sensation,

And your eyes gently close.

You feel the magic of the elves trickling across your head,

Down your face,

And through your entire body.

The stars begin their symphony once again,

And the moon begins to rise above your head.

The stars begin their symphony once again,

And the golden lady watches over you now,

As you enter a state of complete comfort.

You are letting go of everything.

Your face softens.

Your neck relaxes,

Releasing any tension.

The muscles in your shoulders are letting go now,

Like a soft butter melting.

You feel your arms becoming heavier and heavier,

As you allow yourself to be free and to completely relax.

Your chest and your stomach are open,

And with every breath you take,

You feel yourself sinking just that bit deeper.

Your legs are softening as all of the muscles relax.

Your thighs,

Your calves,

And your knees are heavy now.

Your feet tingle with delight,

And a beautiful sensation envelops your toes.

Your entire body is in a state of complete comfort.

You are weightless and free.

Your mind is clearing now,

As you give yourself permission to let go of any remaining thoughts.

In this starlight sanctuary,

There is no need to think at all.

There is no need to think at all.

The lady of the wood is by your side,

And you are safe now.

You are guarded by old magic of the earth,

The trees,

And the stars.

You allow yourself to be at one with this enchanted land,

As you reminisce on your wonderful adventure today.

You feel so lucky to have such beautiful new memories,

And you cannot help but smile at the thought of many more adventures ahead.

You welcome the deep magic of sleep now,

As its powers begin to wash over you more and more.

This is your haven,

And your sanctuary.

The golden lady of the wood will watch over you tonight,

As you enter a world of dreams and journey across the stars.