A warm welcome to this fantasy sleep saga where you are the main character.
Throughout this bedtime story series you will be guided on an epic adventure,
All the while accompanied by soft soothing music helping you to sink into an effortless sleep.
Here there is magic,
Wonder and mystery waiting round every corner.
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 3,
Hold for 4 and breathe out for 5.
Let all of it go now.
Again,
That's in for 3,
Hold for 4 and release,
Blowing away the thoughts of yesterday,
Today and tomorrow.
Again,
In for 3 and let it go.
Continue to breathe in this way in your own time and with each breath out allow your body to sink just that bit deeper,
And gradually allow your breath to fall back into a natural rhythm.
Enjoy this new peace flowing through your body.
And now,
Let us continue your fantasy sleep saga and enjoy episode 8,
The Sanctuary of the Golden Lady.
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.
Together,
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 were created,
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 was blooming with new life.
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 laugh at your innocence,
Agreeing with your prediction.
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,
She is a guardian of you.
You feel so lucky to be here,
Side by side with this enchanting elf,
And surrounded by a golden haven of tranquility.
Here,
In this wonderful place,
Nothing else matters.
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 of the moon.
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,
And 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 any time,
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 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.
The Lady of the Wood is by your side,
And you are safe and secure.
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 to come.
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.
