A warm welcome to this beautiful bedtime story.
This one has been written by Anne S.
Milne,
One of my lovely patrons.
Tonight you will embark on your very own adventure,
Using the power of your imagination to become your favorite animal,
Before embarking on a magical journey with the sleepy cat himself.
Find a comfortable place where you will not be disturbed.
Gradually adjust your body until it can find full rest.
Move the hair that may be tickling your ear.
Scratch your nose and just wiggle as much as you need to until you can lay still.
Feel your mind begin to quieten and release any pressure that you might be putting on yourself to fall asleep.
It doesn't matter if you do or you don't.
Your brain might need to adjust and wiggle just like your body before it can find full rest.
It tends to do this by bombarding you with thoughts about the past and the future,
And often about things that did not or will not happen.
Minds can be silly that way.
Just allow it to wiggle a little and then guide your focus to your breath.
Breathe in through your nose,
Holding it at the top for a few seconds,
And then release through your mouth slowly.
Just go at your own pace tonight.
The aim is to make your out-breath longer than your in-breath.
If it helps to quiet your mind you can gently count to yourself.
Continue to breathe like this in your own time and allow yourself to sink deeper,
Deeper and deeper.
Give yourself permission to release any tension that you have been holding on to throughout your day.
During this meditation and story you will transform into a cat or any animal of your choosing.
Have a little think now,
What animal are you?
What color is your fur?
How about your eyes?
Do you have any unique markings?
Take a moment to just envisage your form and have a think about how you might befriend a sleepy cat.
You lie in a familiar house,
Resting in your favorite spot.
There are distant footsteps in the hallway as someone leaves the front door.
The clock in the living room gives a gentle tick-tock that resonates through the floorboards.
You are in that wonderful space where you have nothing to do and you do not feel restless.
You have the whole day at your command.
And then it is just as you are ruminating on what to do next when a gentle cold nose boops your nose.
Your eyes open to reveal a soft black and white cat looking at you.
A flare of mischief and magic lights up in its eyes.
Your eyes mirror it with added excitement.
It is time that sleepy cat takes you out on an adventure.
You do a large stretch and give a big yawn.
The black and white cat waits patiently,
Cleaning a bit of debris from his paw.
He nods to you as if to ask,
Are you ready?
And you nod back.
Off he trots to the front door.
With a swish of his tail,
It opens and the two of you emerge into a quiet residential street.
A smell of fresh rain on dry dirt fills your nose.
The rain was short-lived and it looks like the sun is quickly drying the droplets on the grass.
It is mid-afternoon and most of the houses lay empty while all the humans are at work.
It is the perfect time for you and your sleepy cat to have an adventure.
You follow behind as he leads you down the walkway to the road.
There is a park with a beautiful wooded area at the end of the street.
You both strut down the road as if you own the place and part of you wonders if the black and white cat does own this place.
Squirrels scamper by and chatter from the trees.
Soft chirps of songbirds emerge as the sun shines down gently on the pink and green canopy adorning each side of the street.
The sun is high in the sky and it warms your back as you walk.
The trees that line the road are all a vibrant pink and smell of apple blossom.
Their bright crowns sway gently in the breeze,
Making them look as if they are dancing to the birds' songs and the squirrels' chatters.
The soft,
Cool breeze is welcome and rustles in your cheeks.
Fuchsia petals swirl in the wind like magical spells being cast all around you.
As you watch the tumbling pink eddies,
You catch sight of the black and white cat further ahead of you.
You quicken your pace to catch up with your feline friend.
The pavement is warm on your feet now that the sun has dried up the rain.
It releases a moorish,
Earthy scent which makes you want to inhale even deeper.
Reaching the crossroad,
The sleepy cat stops to stare at the wood.
Across the vacant road,
Behind the empty playground,
The trees sway in the forest.
After a little glance left and right,
The sleepy cat crosses the road.
There is a small curb lined with a soft grass verge.
The grass has been allowed to grow a little longer,
Creating a feathery emerald bed to walk on,
Before at last reaching the tan patch of the playground sand.
You relish the cool sod,
Knowing that the sand might be a little hotter.
The last steps on the emerald blades lead you to the edge of the playground sand.
The wildlife calls to you from the forest beyond.
Your front paw touches the sand of the playground,
And it is not hot.
Instead,
It is like a warm blanket beckoning you.
To lie down and take a nap.
The cozy sensation rolls through your whole body,
Sending a calming wave through you with each step on the warm sand.
You saunter through the toasty tan blanket with your friend beside you.
Eventually,
You come to the edge where the playground meets the forest.
A strip of wildflowers and grass lay between you and the treeline.
Tall,
Viridescent strands balance blossoms on their sun-reaching tips.
The flower heads look like beach balls being bounced around a large crowd.
A strong breeze blows now,
And the wildflowers bow their crowns of blue,
Yellow,
And red.
It's as if they are bowing to you and your friend.
Right now,
You have never felt more calm and connected to the world around you.
Passing through the towering foliage,
You come upon a small,
Trodden path,
Just wide enough for both of you.
The path has a dark,
Ruddy brown clay with a reddish-yellow background.
Beautiful shining rocks are laced with bits of quartz.
You stop to admire the sparkling rocks hidden among the dust of the path.
On closer inspection,
You can see deep veins of purple.
The path is strewn with amethyst.
Through the gaps in the branches of the trees,
You catch glimpses of the sunlight illuminating the amethyst path.
The light refracts shades of purple through the whole nestled path,
Making it look like fairies are flitting by or dancing along the dirt path and in the bushes around you.
Brambles covered in raspberries and blackberries line the trail where the amethyst fairies dance.
The berries smell sweet and the colors pop like little gems hidden in a green thicket.
You stop to take in the smell and the beauty of this secret jeweled undergrowth.
Hints of acidic berries and earthy nests of the unripe fruit accent the sweetness of the perfect ripeness.
Your mouth salivates while your eyes feast on the beauty.
The blackberries are in many stages of maturity,
Making the scent range from sharp and tangy to the well-ripened candy deliciousness of the darkest purple.
The raspberries are almost impossibly red and as big as your paw.
The scrumptiously tart and sweet smell fills your palate so much you believe you can taste it.
It is just then you feel the small tap of a paw on your paw.
The sleepy cat reminds you that this is just the beginning of your journey.
You take one last look at the berry bushes and continue through the forested area.
The bramble and ruddy path have been replaced with soft whites and greens of mosses and lichen.
The forest carpet is soft and smells deeply of trees in various states of breaking down.
Your paws sink slightly into the verdant carpet and leave little imprints as you prance along,
With each step sinking into the plushy ground cover,
Wafts of the pungent undergrowth lift to your sharp senses.
The woody,
Earthy scent is a welcome contrast to the sweetness of the berries.
You lift your head to look for your feline friend.
It is then that you see the tall old trees with low branches covered in bluish-green coniferous needles.
Your whiskers twitch with delight as you approach the dark brown trunk.
You find the sleepy cat using the tree to scratch his jawline and ear.
The tree is gnarled and has many knots and low-hanging branches.
The ridges and furrows provide a perfect way to scratch and itch.
As you rub your back,
You gaze up as the soft sun filters through the branches,
Flickering in light green.
The air is cool in the forest,
And the breeze is softened somewhat.
It presents a sanctuary of peace and quiet,
Of calm and contentment.
When you have both had your fill of tree scratches,
The black and white cat leads you to an opening in the trees where the sun hits the forest floor.
A meadow of sweet grass and wildflowers fills your view.
Again,
There is a narrow path with the grass pushed on either side.
With each swish of your tail through the soft grass,
A sweet vanilla-like fragrance is released.
The long grass has soft,
Thin blades and looks so tall that they could reach the cerulean sky.
The sun is still warm and bright,
But it isn't beating directly on your fur.
Being lower down in the grass and amongst the flowers creates the perfect temperature.
The small puffs of cotton-like clouds are few in number,
But take on some interesting shapes.
The endless grass sways gently in the breeze,
Making it look like an ocean of infinite green waves.
Lupins,
Irises,
And delphiniums dance among the sea of sweet grass.
The cool wind lifts vibrant butterflies and buzzing bees to their next floral purchase.
The low buzzing of the bees makes you smile to yourself,
As you notice they have to flap their iridescent wings even harder when their bodies are covered in the sun.
Butterflies flutter around you curiously,
Interested in what kind of flower you might be.
The first butterfly is very large,
And when its wings are open,
It is almost the size of your face.
The deep,
Soft,
Soft wings of the first butterfly are like the wings of a butterfly.
Scarlet and orange papery color is offset by a matte black veining,
Giving the whole butterfly a stained glass appearance.
Many others flit by you.
One is as small as the tip of your tail,
But has the most wonderful red to pink ombre on its wings.
The most magical of all,
However,
Was a deep,
Aubergine-winged butterfly with a soft,
Black,
Fuzzy body.
It landed gently on your nose,
As if to tell you how beautiful it is.
The purple wings had gold flecks like little freckles all over,
And when the sun hit the gold,
The freckles lit up and sparkled.
Gradually,
The butterflies moved on,
Realizing that you were in fact not a flower.
Looking at the soft grass and the wildflowers around you,
You see birds darting from perch to perch,
Gathering soft down and twigs from the glade.
A small robin gathers the soft fluff from milkweed in his tiny beak.
He flies over to join a larger robin.
Their rust-colored bellies and brown back feathers stand out in the sea of green.
The two birds are gathering to make a nest,
Ready to settle down.
The thought of this makes you aware of how much you'd like to lie down for a short break on this adventure.
The sleepy cat finds a padded area to lay in the fragrant greenery.
He shows you the small patch of fresh catnip growing in and amongst the grass.
The fresh,
Minty taste awakens your senses and refreshes your body and your mind.
The cooling sensation makes your whiskers twitch with every breath.
With a new excitement,
You tumble and roll in the mint catnip and the sweet vanilla grass.
The aroma envelops you and feels like it is cleansing your soul.
Your lovely friend joins you as you dance in the sweet-smelling vegetation.
A few curious little birds gather to see what is rustling in the grasses.
The sleepy cat starts to chirp and click at the birds,
As if telling them funny stories.
You join in slowly at first,
But it begins to feel like you are part of a big family.
Slowly at first,
But it begins to feel reminiscent of giggling.
And before you know it,
You are in full chirping laughter with the birds and your friend.
It's just then that the birds take flight and dash across the meadow into the trees.
You and your friend rise up and give in to the chasing game.
The grass and flowers on either side of you blur as you jump and your furry paws barely hit the ground.
It's almost as if you take flight.
Your heart is pounding,
Singing with every deep intake.
Just when you think you are about to take off and fly into the impossibly blue sky,
You burst through the grass and land in a wooded area.
You gallop from root to root and chase the birds with your friend,
Until they cackle a mischievous farewell and fly up into the emerald green canopy.
Your heartbeat settles down and your breathing slows as the forest becomes still and quiet.
The gentle breeze brings back the scent of earth and moss.
Toppled trees are at the beginning stages of breaking down and create the perfect environment for mushrooms to pop up.
Enchanting colorful caps emerge through the forest floor.
Large tangled roots crest the mossy floor and look like whales leaping out of a calm ocean.
As you walk over and closely examine the roots,
You see nestled deep in the crooks a little family of mushrooms.
They look so quaint tucked away in the burrows of the roots.
The short stocky bodies are smooth and pale yellow and each looks like they are wearing a hat with intricate brown lace-like gills over the top.
Their rich earthy smell fills you with peace and you feel your head becoming just a bit heavier.
You flop your furry body down next to the mushrooms and roll your back against the tree roots.
Your soft paw flops on your stomach as you try to get one final back scratch.
You roll back to your feet and give yourself a quick preening while you look around to find your feline friend.
With a nod from the black and white cat,
You know it is time to head back now.
You walk to the meadow and notice that the sun has warmed it comfortably.
Its once teeming life has also moved into the cooler surrounding forest.
You work your way around the meadow,
Staying in the shade of the forest until you reach a grove of dense moss.
You taste the air instinctively,
Letting your animal senses take over.
The delightful freshness of the forest is a whole new experience.
The moss here is softer and thicker than the other side of the meadow.
It has patches of suede textured lichen.
Each branch of the moss is reaching out like silvery gray antlers of a micro-reindeer.
The lime green moss atop the micro-antlers are like soft miniature fur needles.
It represents the whole world,
But on such a small scale that as a human you would never notice.
Your animal eyes pick up the colors and textures with great definition.
And now you follow the mossy jungle and find yourself on the trail leading back to the jeweled brambles.
The sun is hitting lower now,
Showing each berry in its stage of maturation.
And like a heavenly light through a stained glass window,
The bramble illuminates with emerald and lime and an array of purples,
Reds,
And pinks.
Your sleepy cat finds the small trodden path through the gemmed shrubbery and lets out a gentle mew to call you over.
You follow slowly,
But you turn back one last time to catch memories of the meadow before finally leaving the magical wood.
You are greeted again by the wild flowers and the tall grass that separates the forest from the playground.
The breeze is almost non-existent now,
So the blades and stems stand still and tall,
Stretching up towards the sun.
You look across the path and see that the playground is still empty.
You slink through the grass,
Back into the sand,
And it warms you up after the cooler atmosphere in the dense canopy of the forest.
It sparkles with every step and shift of sight,
Like a mini desert filled with glitter.
You step over small treasures left by the children when playing.
To your right,
A couple of glass beads in pink and turquoise.
Further along,
To your left,
Is a small key intended for a toy box or diary.
By the time you reach the edge where the manicured lawn begins,
Your paws are grateful for the touch of cool grass.
Your sleepy cat is just ahead and waits patiently for you at the edge of the road.
They know that you would like to embrace all that lies ahead of you.
They know that you would like to embrace all the sensations of being in this animal form.
You take a slow,
Deep breath,
Still enraptured by the adventure,
And then you join your feline companion as you cross the road together back into your street.
The wind has stopped completely now.
The majestic swirls of pink petals have ceased,
But walking down your street is still just as magical as before.
Pink blossoms coat the road,
The sidewalk,
And many of the lawns.
The familiar apple scent lifts into the air with each step you take,
A radiant trail guiding you home.
The thought of home sets your heart alight.
There is nothing quite like coming home after a big adventure.
Your body is excited to relax in comfort,
And you let out a big,
Uncontrollable yawn.
As you reach your house,
Your companion's tail twitches once again,
Opening the door and letting you both inside.
And there,
In the main sitting room on the dark mahogany floor,
Is a beam of sun.
The bright patch among the dark wood beckons to you like the sweet grass meadow in the forest.
It has the warmth of the sand in the playground,
It has the warmth of the sand in the playground,
And the ever-soothing smell of home.
You sit and clean your paws before flopping down into a comfortable mound.
Your eyelids become heavy,
And your sleepy cat leaves you to rest.
This is the perfect end to a perfect adventure,
As you curl up on a sunbeam and sink into a deep sleep.
