Hello little one.
Before we begin our story.
We are just going to be here.
In your bed.
In your room.
Right now.
You don't have to imagine anything yet.
Just feel your blanket.
Your duvet or your cover.
Is it warm?
Is its song.
Let your hands move over it.
Slowly and gently.
Now press your back into the mattress.
Just a tiny press.
Press.
Press.
And let go.
Feel the bed underneath you.
Your bed is holding your head.
Holding your shoulders.
Holding your back.
Holding your legs and your feet.
You do not have to hold yourself up.
The bed is doing that for you.
Now let your body become still.
Even if your mind is still busy.
Busy minds are clever minds.
They notice things.
They remember things.
They think of wonderful ideas.
And clever busy minds can learn to rest.
Your thoughts do not have to disappear.
They can simply begin to move a little more slowly.
Before story time.
We take a gentle breath.
Breathe in through your nose like you are smelling warm cookies like this.
Slowly and breathe out through your mouth like you are gently blowing on hot chocolate like this.
Not too hard.
Just enough to cool it.
Slowly breathe in,
Smell the cookies.
Long breath out,
Blow on the hot chocolate.
And again.
Smell the warm cookies.
And gently blow on the hot choc crack.
One more time,
All by yourself.
Slowly in.
Smell the warm cookies.
And softly out.
Blow on the hot chocolate.
There is no need to make your breathing perfect again.
Just let it happen.
Your body already knows how to breathe.
Your body can begin resting now.
If you would like to,
You can gently close your eyes.
Or you can keep them open for a little while longer.
Either way is okay Let's meet Bear now.
Deep inside the quiet forest lives a sleepy bear.
Bear has had another busy day.
He has followed winding paths.
Stepped over twisty roots.
Listened to birds calling from the treetops.
Watched the little clouds move across the sky.
He has sniffed flowers.
Load in soft grass.
And found three shiny stones beside the stream.
Bear has enjoyed his day.
But now the moon is rising.
The sky is growing darker.
The birds are quiet.
The butterflies have folded their wings.
And Bear's body feels tired.
Even though his mind is still remembering everything.
The stones,
The stream,
The birds,
The clouds.
So Bear walks slowly through the moonlit forest,
Looking for somewhere cosy to rest.
After a while,
Bear sees the oldest tree in the whole forest.
Its trunk is wide and strong.
Its roots reach deep into the ground.
Its branches stretch high towards the moon.
The animals call it the sleep tree.
The sleep tree has sheltered many tired forest creatures.
Little rabbits rest beneath its leaves.
Owls nap safely between its branches.
Squirrels curl up inside its warm hollows.
And high above the ground is a tiny wooden tree house built right into the tree.
A golden light glows inside his little window.
A small ladder rests against the tree.
Better than that.
The treehouse feels warm,
Quiet and safe.
The sleep tree rustles its leaves and whispers,
Come up sleepy bear.
There is a soft place waiting for you.
Bear climbs the little ladder.
One paw,
Then the other paw.
Slowly and carefully until he reaches the cosy treehouse.
Inside is a small bed made from moss and soft leaves.
There is a pillow as round as the moon.
A tiny lantern gives a warm golden glow.
The treehouse smells like wood.
Leaves and the cool night air.
The bear lies down on the soft mossy bed.
The sleep tree holds the little house steady.
Its strong branches sway only a little bit,
Back and forth.
And form.
And forth.
Like a slow cradle in the forest.
Bear does not need to hold himself up.
The mossy bed holds them.
The treehouse shelters him.
And the steep tree keeps him safe.
Outside the little window,
One soft leaf floats down from the sleep tree.
It drifts towards Bear's white paw.
Slowly.
And gently.
Until it rests beside him.
Bears write poor,
Gross songs.
Another leaf flows down beside his left paw.
His left paw grows soft too.
Both paws are now sleepy and resting.
Nothing to hold.
Nothing to carry.
Two little leaves drift towards Bear's arms.
One beside his right arm.
One beside his left arm.
The right arm is now soft.
And left arm is now soft.
Both arms are resting.
A wide green leaf floats towards Bear's shoulders.
It settles gently across them like a soft little blanket.
Bear's shoulders top down.
No need to lift them.
No need to hold them tight.
They are just resting.
Another tiny leaf drifts beside Bear's neck.
His face feels comfortable.
His head is held by the round,
Blue pillar.
The sleep tree whispers.
You do not have to hold your head up now.
The bear lets his head rest a little more deeply.
Now,
Two long leaves float towards Bear's legs.
One rests beside his right leg.
Right leg becomes heavy and stiff.
Another rest beside his left leg.
Left leg becomes heavy and still.
Both legs are now resting.
A small leaf touches Bear's right foot.
His right foot grows quiet with all his taste.
Another touches his left foot.
His left foot grows quiet and so do all his toes.
Both feet are resting now.
No more walking tonight.
No more climbing.
Nowhere else to go.
The stape tree sends one soft golden leaf towards Bear's tummy.
Bear notices his tummy moving gently.
Rising and falling.
Rising and falling.
His belly going up and down.
Nothing to change.
Nothing to make happen.
Just breathing.
His belly and his chest going up and down.
Coming and going.
A warm leaf settles beside Bear's back.
His back is supported by the mossy bay.
The moss holds every part of it.
Back and let himself feel heavy.
Safe and heavy.
Held by the tree.
Helmed by the Bay.
Helmed by the quiet night.
One tiny leaf brushes Bear's cheek.
His cheek becomes smooth.
Another on his other cheek,
And that feels soft and smooth too.
Another leaf floats beside his jaw.
His jaw becomes loose.
His little teeth do not need to touch.
His tongue rests quietly inside his mouth.
The sleep tree rustles its leaves very softly.
Bear's forehead becomes smooth.
The space around his eyes becomes soft.
His eyelids feel a little heavier.
His eyes can stay open if they wish.
Or they can gently close The bear decides to close his eyes.
His whole body is resting now.
Light pole.
Left paw,
Both arms,
Both shoulders,
His back.
His tummy.
His chest.
Both legs.
Both feet.
His face.
His eyes.
All held safely inside the sleep chamber.
Best body is still.
But one or two thoughts are still moving through his head.
He remembers the shiny stones.
He remembers the birds.
He remembers the stream.
He wonders what he might do tomorrow.
The sleep tree understands.
It has listened to many busy little minds before.
Its leaves whisper.
You do not have to finish today's thoughts tonight.
They will still be there tomorrow bear listen.
The thoughts do not disappear.
They simply begin to slow you down.
One thought drifts away like a leaf on the breeze.
Then another,
Not God.
Just resting.
The sleep tree whispers again,
Busy minds are clever minds and clever minds can rest too.
The bear smiles a tiny sleepy smile.
Nothing to do.
Nowhere to go.
Nothing to remember until the morning.
Just resting.
The moon shines through the little treehouse window.
Soft stars twinkle between the branches.
The lantern closed gently.
The sleep tree sways just a little back and forth.
Back and forth.
The bear sinks deeper into the mossy bed.
And just like that.
You can make your body sink a little deeper too.
Your bed is holding you in.
Your blanket,
Duvet or cover is keeping you warm.
Your pyjamas or nightie are soft against your skin.
Your body commenced.
Your thoughts commenced.
Your busy brain can become quieter now.
The sleep tree rustles one last time.
The night is here.
The forest is rest.
And there is nothing else you need to do.
Goodnight sleepy bear Goodnight Sleepy Tree House.
Good night,
Cozy mossy bed.
Good night,
Gentle leaves.
Goodnight,
Strong sleep tree.
Good night,
Quiet forest.
Goodnight then.
Goodnight stars.
Good night,
Broom.
Get my bag.
Good night,
Little one.
You are safe.
And use our love.
