Becoming The Magician's Apprentice: Bedtime Tale

This is a bedtime story about you walking through a meadow with your terrier dog. You see that a storm is approaching, so you find shelter in the cabin of an old magician. You learn more about this magician before heading to bed. The next day, they send you on your way with a package of food and drink.

Later in the day, when you settle down by a river to eat some of the food, you discover a small magic book in the package. You start reading that book and cast a spell that allows you to see the magical layer of reality. Once home, you settle down comfortably and drift asleep to Slumberland.

Transcript

So just take a moment to allow your eyes to close and allow yourself to begin to relax and as you begin to comfortably fall asleep.

I don't know whether you'll drift asleep faster to the sound of my voice or whether it'll be to the spaces between my words.

And as you comfortably drift asleep I'm just going to tell this bedtime story in the background and you find yourself walking through an unusual landscape.

There are storks rising from the grass with marshmallow heads waving gently in a breeze.

The grass is rustling around the base of those storks.

Colorful yellow plants weaved between the grasses.

Silvery moonlight tickling the top of the grass,

Shimmering like diamonds.

And the gentle dew hanging from the tips of the grass and illuminating the clouds in the sky.

Like white wispy filaments hugging around the landscape.

And while walking through this landscape,

The rustling sound of each footstep.

You walk along with a small terrier puppy beside you,

Trying to keep its nose up off the grass.

Almost trying to tiptoe over that grass to stop it tickling its belly.

And occasionally jumping and leaping at some flowers as you just walk along.

Enjoying the very slight coolness of the air,

That ever so slight breeze.

And while the moon continues across the sky and begins its descent.

You can notice the way that it seems to almost be bobbing on the waves of the top of the clouds of a distant storm.

Those undulating clouds moving across the distant landscape.

Your only knowledge of them being that they're taking a slight chunk out of the base of the moon.

Making it look almost like that moon is a ball gently rolling through the waves on a seashore.

And then hearing the occasional very deep growl of a distant thunderstorm.

And seeing the base of those clouds gently illuminating from time to time.

And feeling that comfort of being all the way over here while that distant storm plays out over there.

And you continue on through this meadow.

And you see somewhere in the distance the gentle glow at the windows of a small cabin.

And so you and the little terrier work your way towards that cabin.

Hoping that you'll arrive at the cabin before the storm does.

And as you get closer and closer to the cabin.

So you start to feel the occasional large raindrop explode on an arm or a cheek.

And you can notice the rumbling of the storm getting closer.

And the light illuminating the underside of those clouds stretching further across the sky.

Revealing the patterns within the clouds.

The movement of those clouds.

And you arrive at the door.

The dog tucked gently up around your legs.

As the rain gradually increases.

With the dog trying to keep dry.

And you softly knock on that crusty red wooden door.

You hear the latch open on the other side and the door pull open with a gentle squeak.

And as the door opens.

So you see this friendly elderly gentleman with a long white beard.

Wearing a nightgown that's bright yellow with pink polka dots.

And a nightcap of the same material.

And a yellow fluffy ball hanging off the tip of that cap.

And the warmest smile with gently sleepy eyes.

And they ask if they can help you.

And you explain your situation.

You've been caught out in this forming storm.

You'd just like somewhere dry to go while the storm passes over.

And so with a spindly old arm.

And fingers like the narrow branches of a tree.

They gesture inviting you in.

And you step in and wipe your feet.

And they direct you over towards the fire.

And the dog circles round a few times near the fire.

Before resting down while keeping its eyes looking up at you.

The white of its eyes visible at the bottom of its eyes as it gazes up in your direction.

As if just checking that you're okay with its decision.

And when it sees you sit.

In an incredibly comfortable armchair.

Sitting so deeply into that armchair.

That not only do you sink into it as a body.

But you actually feel your mind sinking deeper.

And deeper into the experience.

And your shoulders gently slumping and relaxing.

And the muscles around your eyes and your face calming and softening.

Like something about sitting here.

You felt a deep instant sense of trust and safety to such a great extent.

That your whole mind and body just relax.

And with that the dog takes it as its cue to close its eyes and fall asleep.

And it begins to sleep so soundly.

With the most gentle snoring.

Snuggle down.

Into that thick rug.

Feeling the warmth.

Beating off of the fireplace.

As you feel that warmth.

Rubbing your cheeks.

And the sound of the crackling and popping.

The dancing of the flickering flames.

The patterns of the shadows around the walls.

Ornaments coming to life.

With each flicker.

And then that sound of heavy raindrops.

Just a few individual raindrops at first.

Striking the window panes.

Light flashing in from outside.

The low rumble of thunder.

Rolling overhead.

Almost seeming to envelop you.

The rumble so low.

That it seems to reverberate.

Down the chimney.

Through the building.

Reverberating at a frequency that's as if it's reverberating.

Every cell in your body.

Perhaps the water in every cell in your body.

Like the rippling water.

Of a cup.

As a large animal walks past.

And shakes the earth.

And this elderly man sits down in the chair opposite.

And they ask if you'd like to have a drink.

They hold up a cup they've got between two hands.

With steam softly rising from the top.

And the sweetest chocolatey scent.

Wafting from that cup.

They say they've just made this for themselves.

Before they relax ready to go to bed.

They find it really helps them to drift off.

Fall deeply asleep.

And sleep so soundly all night long.

So it'd be no trouble to make you a cup of this drink too.

And so you accept a drink.

And they head over to the kitchen area.

Placing the cup down on a table.

You hear them pouring the water into a cup.

Mixing up your drink.

And as they make that drink.

They do so with all their attention on the drink.

Not talking.

Not seeming to be distracted.

Just entirely focused on the task they're doing in that moment.

You look around the room.

You see the books on the bookshelves.

You see the different ornaments.

Around the room.

A couple of pictures,

Some painted.

Some photographs.

And some items catch your attention.

And fill you with a deep sense of curiosity.

And they come back with your drink.

And that drink to you.

Feel the weight of the cup as you take it from them.

The warmth of that drink as it radiates out from the cup.

With a hand resting on the cup.

You can feel that warmth.

Gently infusing with the hand.

Warming the hand.

And that warmth spreading through you with a deep sense of comfort.

And the steam softly rising from the top.

And as you bring that up to your mouth.

Feeling the warmth.

Against your cheek.

As your nose lets out some air into the cup.

And feeling that slight dampness on your cheeks.

And your forehead.

As the steam settles.

And taking a gentle sip of that drink.

Feeling the warmth of that liquid pass into your mouth.

The deep sweet scent dancing on your tongue.

The texture of the liquid against the roof of your mouth.

And in the back of your mouth and your throat.

And that comfortable warmth as the liquid seeps down your throat.

And that warmth begins to spread around your body.

And no sooner have you taken.

A sip of that liquid.

And you find yourself.

Feeling more relaxed.

Wanting to sit back into the chair.

Sinking yourself down so deeply and comfortably.

And for a short while you just sit and drink that drink.

They're not talking,

You're not talking.

You're just both in the moment.

Drinking your drinks.

Being comfortable with the silence.

And when the drink is about half drunk.

You place the cup down beside you.

Onto a coffee table.

And you ask this person who they are.

And they tell you that.

They're a magician of sorts.

They belong to a secret society.

And even though you want to continue to sit back.

Sinking your shoulders deep.

To the back of this armchair.

Inside.

You perk up with a little curiosity.

And they say that.

They're not like the magicians you see.

At shows.

Those magicians use conjuring.

They fake what it is that they're doing.

They explain that.

They actually do what you see them doing.

If you see them walk through one door.

And instantly appear walking out of a door on the other side of a stage.

There's not a twin or a trap door.

Or a secret passage.

Or some kind of optical trickery.

Maybe with mirrors.

They've just genuinely created a portal in the doorway.

So they can walk straight through that portal.

And straight out the other side of the portal in an instant.

If you see them.

Chained up.

Tied up.

Placed in a bag.

The bag chained up.

Tied up.

Placed in a box.

The box chained up.

Tied up.

Placed in a massive vat of water.

That vat chained up.

Tied up.

And then moments later you see them standing on the top.

It's not trickery.

They haven't picked all those locks.

Or used secret techniques.

To be able to control the rope.

Rope that was tying the different objects up.

They've just used magic to teleport themselves.

From inside the bag.

To standing on the top of the vat of water.

And a part of you finds this hard to believe.

And yet they're telling you this with sincerity.

But as you're their guest.

You don't want to pry.

Or say or do anything that might hint at your disbelief of their claims.

And as the night goes on.

So the storm passes overhead.

And while the storm passes overhead.

So the rain thickens outside.

The wind picks up.

And the wind howls across the chimney.

Occasionally sending pulses of air down the chimney.

Stroking at the top of the fire.

Making the flames flicker and dance.

To the tune of the wind.

And all of you inside.

Just find the experience deeply relaxing.

Because you're listening to it from inside.

Rather than being outside in it.

And as the storm passes directly overhead.

So the flashes of light and the rumble of thunder.

Happen almost simultaneously.

But gradually.

As the night continues on.

So does the storm.

Passing off.

In the direction you had traveled from.

And as the storm clears.

And there's just the occasional sound.

Of heavy raindrops.

Striking panes of glass.

And the sight of those drops.

Racing each other down the windows.

And the fire.

Burning down to embers.

This elderly magician.

Tootles off.

Saying they'll set up a room.

For you to be able to spend the night.

And while they're out of the room.

You stand up.

You walk around a little bit.

You walk over to the fireplace.

Warm your hands gently.

With the embers of that fire.

The dog.

Just briefly awoken to gaze up at you.

Aware of your presence near it.

Before snuggling back down.

And closing its eyes again.

And you see a photo.

That looks like that magician.

But much,

Much younger.

You look at some of the other pictures.

The painting above the fireplace.

You look at the candlesticks on the fireplace.

Carefully turning those heavy candlesticks around.

The sound of them scraping slightly.

On the brick shelf above the fireplace.

You head over to the bookshelves.

You read the sides of those books.

Noticing that some of them have intriguing names.

Some sound like they're in ancient languages.

You take one of the books off a shelf.

Feeling the weight of that old book.

Instantly smelling the scent.

The scent of the old pages as you open that book.

The sound of that thick paper as it turns.

The rough texture of each page.

Slightly coarse under the fingertips.

The ink seeming like it was handwritten.

As you softly run your fingers down a page.

And can feel the slight indentation.

Where a pen was used to write that.

And drawings on some of those pages.

And some of those pages looked like they had drawings of ingredients.

Of different plants and herbs that you could perhaps source locally.

To make some kind of potion.

Other pages seemed to have rituals.

And some just had spells or incantations.

But you don't really understand any of the writing.

And as the magician returns.

To let you know that your room is ready.

You place that book back where you found it.

They gesture down a hallway.

You give a delicate whistle.

And the terrier perks up.

Trots over to you.

You gesture into a room.

They trot into that room and jump up onto the bed.

Circling around and settling down.

In the middle of the bed.

And you prepare yourself to settle down for the night.

And as you do.

So the occasional raindrop.

Still strikes and runs down the window.

But you have the curtains open to the window.

And so while lying in bed.

You can see through that window.

Out to the night sky.

And you can catch a glimpse.

Between the clouds.

Of the blanket of stars above.

And from time to time.

Your eyes blink.

For an extended period of time.

An unknown period of time.

That kind of blink where.

When they open.

You don't necessarily remember that they had closed.

And yet you also don't feel like you'd fallen asleep.

Like you're just resting your eyes a moment.

And something about gazing out.

Of that window.

As the clouds pass.

And you can see.

The full spread of stars overhead.

Seems almost hypnotic.

The way they just hang there in the sky.

Those gentle dots.

Almost imperceptibly moving.

As your eyes blink shut again.

And when they open.

It's to the sound.

Of some morning birds.

And the gentle glow.

Of daylight.

Shining in through the window.

And that terrier has moved up.

And snuggled up near your head.

Resting on the pillow beside you.

And you don't know at what point.

During the night it did that.

But you give it a gentle stroke.

As it looks into your eyes.

Before you get out of bed.

Feeling so deeply refreshed.

Like you've just had the greatest night's sleep.

And you can smell.

The most incredible breakfast.

And the magician's already up.

Has already prepared you some food.

And so the two of you.

Enjoy the hearty breakfast.

Before you're given.

Some food to take with you.

And some drink to take with you.

And you set off.

With that little package with the food and drink.

That's been prepared for you.

You thank the magician.

For their kindness,

Their hospitality.

You leave their cabin.

Heading back out into the meadow.

Smelling the fresh air.

With that scent of rain.

The rain from the evening before.

The smell of rain on grass.

On trees.

Just hanging in the air.

Dancing around your nostrils.

And the grass now.

It's much softer than it was the day before.

No longer rustling in the breeze.

Weighed down slightly by the dampness.

And so you head away from that cabin.

Continuing your journey.

Not going anywhere specific.

Just out for a walk in nature.

A journey that probably would have involved camping the night.

If the storm hadn't struck.

And so you continue on through this meadow.

And while walking through the meadow.

Occasionally brushing your hands past those.

What look like stalks with marshmallows on top.

Your hand striking them.

And some of them exploding in what looks like a cloud of feathers.

Often throwing a gentle haze.

Of water.

From the motion.

And the little terrier jumping up.

And trying to bite at those.

Newly exploded flowers.

And the sun following you along the sky.

As if joining you on this quest.

The slight mist.

Of the water being evaporated.

As the day goes on.

And a distant sound of a stream.

And you continue on walking.

Through this meadow.

Until eventually you find that stream.

And the afternoon sets in.

And so you stop by the stream.

You open that package to eat some of that food.

And have some of that drink.

And you find.

Within the package.

A small old book.

A note in the book.

Stating that this is from the magician.

As a gift.

To start.

Your intrigue.

To start you off down a new rabbit hole.

One that you won't know where it leads.

Until you arrive at the destination.

And so while you eat a sandwich.

And the dog eats some food.

You sit on the edge of the riverbank.

Shaded by.

A rustling weeping willow tree.

Part of the tree dangling.

So low it's tickling the surface of the water.

Catching in that water.

Causing ripples through the water.

And you're just in the shade of that tree.

And while you read.

You find that you understand more of this book.

Than you expect to understand given.

It's apparent age.

It's written in very old handwriting.

But like reading Shakespeare.

You can just about understand and follow it.

And you find that.

This handwriting.

Has a gentle poetic nature.

To the choice of words.

And the way things are said.

And how some things.

Are said where one or two words.

Could have said the same thing.

An entire paragraph would be used.

And there was something hypnotic.

About the way this was written.

That made it so that.

With half a sandwich still in one hand.

Most of the afternoon.

Vanished.

Without you being aware of that at all.

The first you notice.

Is when you gaze up from the book.

Seeing the gentle orange colour in the sky.

The slight orange tint to the surface.

Of the water.

As it flows past.

The slight cool nip in the air.

And so you decide that.

You'll set up camp here.

So that you can continue to read.

You can always carry on the journey in the morning.

And so sitting back in a tent.

The dog wrapped up beside you sleeping.

You continue to read that book.

Uncovering.

Some of the beginners secrets.

To being a genuine reader.

A genuine magician.

Secret ways to communicate.

To say things.

In a way that create changes around you.

And within you.

Ways of interacting with animals.

Ways of interacting with plants.

Communicating.

On a deeper level.

A level you'd never understood or known before.

And you read one of the paragraphs out loud.

As you sit.

In your tent.

The front of the tent open.

And you can see the water flowing past.

Under the moonlight.

And you can hear that flow.

And you start to notice as you read.

Dancing lights.

Pulsing gently.

As they move over the water.

Sometimes the lights.

Whizzing close to the water.

Almost touching that water.

Leaving a gentle trail behind.

As those soft small ripples.

Spread out across the surface.

And you start to notice.

A bit like running a finger through the surface of the water.

Small almost imperceptible ripples.

Having that wake.

Spread softly to the shore.

And your attention drifts from the book.

To those lights.

Hovering over the water.

And you watch them dance.

You see that they seem to be organized.

Not just particles floating in the air.

And you place that book down in the tent.

And slowly walk to the water's edge.

To take a closer look.

And you notice.

And as you do one of those lights.

Moves over in your direction.

Heads over towards your face.

Hovers before you.

You can feel the fan of its wings.

As they beat so fast.

You can't actually see them.

And this small.

Delicate.

Fairy.

Introduces herself as Newt.

And she says that.

What you have just read.

Was a spell.

For revealing a deeper layer of reality.

There's a mystical layer of reality.

That normally only children.

And those with a specific mindset.

Can see.

A layer of reality of fairies.

Of various other.

Creatures.

That are normally reserved to fairy tales.

And mythology.

That you can find leprechauns.

You can find elves.

You can even see dragons.

But most people.

Go through life.

Unable to see this layer of reality.

And not only do they not see it.

But because they can't perceive it.

It doesn't exist to them.

They can't interact with it.

And it can't interact with them.

But there are some.

Who learn the secrets.

Who then have that ability.

To see the unseen.

To interact with the unknown.

And it can't be caught on camera.

Because it just comes out as a slight haze.

Or fuzzy.

Because a camera.

Although perhaps able to see a slightly wider spectrum.

Than a person.

Can't see to a different layer of reality.

And this fairy.

Shares a little more.

About this additional layer of reality.

And you feel this compulsion.

Almost a deep sense of anticipation.

To want to explore.

You know you should settle down.

It's getting late and you should drift comfortably asleep.

But it's not every day.

That you open your mind.

To a whole new perspective on the world.

And the fairy recommends that.

You explore the reality now you.

Have this new perspective.

But maybe sleep on it.

Start that exploration in the morning.

And then flies back and continues.

Dancing above the water with the other fairies.

The fairies lights.

Just hovering and glowing.

And almost humming with the most delicate energy.

As you head back to the tent.

You read a little more of the book.

Before settling down to sleep.

To the sound of the canvas of the tent.

Pulsing gently in the breeze.

The gentle coolness.

Filling the air outside the sleeping bag.

The warmth of the terrier snuggled up with you.

Their delicate snoring.

Their movements.

Perhaps chasing something in a dream.

As you fall so deeply asleep.

And the next morning.

Awakening to the glow in the tent.

You open the tent.

You take a deep breath of the fresh morning air.

You can see.

That the landscape looks subtly different.

You can't quite put your finger on what is different.

But there's something subtly different here.

In this landscape.

You can see that in the trees.

Beyond the patch of meadow.

Near the side of the water.

A gently glowing orbs dancing.

Within the woodland.

And you wonder.

Whether those gently dancing orbs.

Are the same fairies you saw last night.

And you have something to eat before packing up.

Continuing your walk.

Along the edge of this water.

And as the water widens and deepens.

So you.

Decide to stop for a moment.

You fashion a boat.

Out of a log just lying.

On the edge of the river.

Just a very simple boat.

To travel a little quicker.

And off the side of the log.

You've attached two more logs.

At the front and the back.

Like narrow branches.

To a log along the side for stability.

And you've made what's almost like a net.

Along the side of the log.

You place your backpack.

Into that net.

And with another small log you shape it.

Into an oar.

And you begin to paddle.

Along this wide and deepening river.

The sound of the.

Water being pushed back.

Feeling the weight of the water with each push.

Gently on one side and then the other.

One side and then the other.

A few drops of the cool river water.

Dripping on you as the oar passes across your body.

Rowing on one side and then the other.

And as you continue to row.

Into this widening river.

You see what looks like.

A large log.

Just floating in the river.

But as you get closer.

And closer.

You decide that it resembles a crocodile.

And so you start trying to keep a little distance.

Between you and that potential crocodile.

You see its tail move gracefully.

As it changes direction.

And slowly starts heading towards you.

And a part of you.

Feels a little anxious.

Like there's some kind of a monster swimming towards you.

And so you try and keep calm.

Just paddling.

Try not to draw any attention to yourself.

And then as it nears.

So you notice.

That it's covered in scales.

And those scales.

Seem almost oily.

The way they're reflecting the light.

Incredibly smooth.

And you can't work out.

Whether that's because they're wet.

Or that they just naturally look like that.

And then as it nears you.

So it rises up.

From the water.

Rising its head and chest out of the water.

And it's still some distance away.

But you stop rowing.

As you look towards it.

And it begins to talk.

In a low and booming voice.

And as it rises from the water.

So you notice.

That what was below the surface.

Are enormous wings.

And it's actually.

An iridescent dragon.

And in its booming voice.

It shares that.

It welcomes you to this land.

It's the king of the land.

It watches over.

The land from above.

It dives down.

Into the abyss.

Deep in this river.

Where it can see the land from below.

It can pulse out.

Beams of energy.

That can see through the land.

And within a moment.

It's aware of what's above and what's below.

And with a gentle leap.

And a flap of the wings.

And the water falling from those wings.

And a haze of water forming.

As spray.

While it leaps out of the water.

It flies up and hovers.

Before you.

And now you can see.

Its scale.

You can see how large it is.

How it dwarfs your boat and you.

And it shares.

About its time as the king.

And you're aware you're only seeing it.

Because of that spell that you read.

That someone else traveling along here.

Wouldn't see anything at all.

And it tells you that the spell will wear off.

And you'll lose this ability.

To be connected.

Across the realms in this way.

To see the magic of reality.

And that you could either keep having to recite that spell.

Day after day.

Or.

You can seek out.

The magic ring.

And the wearer of the magic ring.

You can permanently see.

The full nature of reality.

And they share.

Where that ring is kept.

And that the way to get to that ring.

Involves casting one more spell.

And so you pull over to the side of the river.

The dragon shares with you.

What that spell is.

And the spell involves.

Lighting a small fire.

Throwing a few heads of those marshmallow plants.

Onto that fire.

Their sweet scent.

Filling your nostrils as they burn.

Releasing a delicate pink cloud of smoke.

As you recite that spell.

And before you.

In that pink cloud of smoke.

A portal begins to form.

And the portal gets larger and wider and taller.

And in the center of that portal.

You can see a different landscape opening up before you.

And you step.

Through the portal into that landscape.

Finding yourself standing.

In what looks almost like a desert.

With the ruins of an ancient church.

In an incredibly quiet landscape.

Just the gentle wisp sound.

Of the finest breeze.

Tickling the surface.

Of the dry dirt.

Just a few grains.

Rolling on the surface.

In that breeze.

The warmth of a sun beating down on you.

And beside that church.

Is a sturdy lemon tree.

And that lemon tree.

Is oozing.

Lemon scented sap.

Down its bark.

Looking almost like bright yellow sticky honey.

And so you head into the ruins of that church.

You see.

What looks like a small flower pot.

In that church.

Next to a door that no longer exists.

You lift the flower pot.

And find.

A tiny key that's been there for generations.

You take that key.

You walk through the door frame.

You head.

To another door beyond that.

And that key fits the door.

And as you softly open that door.

A sound of bells.

Begins to sound around you.

Not coming from anywhere specific.

Almost like it's coming from within you.

In all directions.

The terrier.

Rubbing itself against your leg.

Keeping as close as it can to you as you walk.

As you light a lamp.

And descend.

Some steps.

Down a dark corridor.

Each step.

Echoing down that corridor and back up to your ears.

And then beyond you.

To that door and back again.

Almost sounding like each step.

Is heard three or four times.

Getting fainter each time your ears hear it.

Illuminating the stone work.

Of this corridor.

Seeing signs of.

Damp within this corridor.

A moss growing on the walls.

Heading deeper and deeper.

Under the ruins of this church.

Until it opens out.

Into an almost cavernous space.

Of arches.

Holding everything up above.

Each footstep.

Echoing and reverberating around this space.

While you walk through this space.

Until you.

Find a plinth.

And resting on that plinth.

Is a stone tablet.

And you run your fingers.

Over the inscriptions of that stone tablet.

As you walk through this space.

And you look around you.

And you see.

That what is on that stone tablet.

Matches images that are on three.

Rotatable pillars.

And so you head to the first pillar.

You twist that stone pillar round.

Until the symbol.

Facing out from the pillar.

Matches the first symbol on the stone tablet.

You then head.

To the second pillar.

You rotate that pillar.

Until the symbol on the pillar.

Facing forward matches the one on the tablet.

And then do the same with the third pillar.

That grinding sound of rotating.

That stone.

And as the third symbol faces forward.

So you hear.

A gentle click.

And with that click.

You place the tablet back.

On the plinth.

You walk over to a candle holder.

You pull gently.

On that candle holder.

And a stone wall slides to one side.

And you walk into this secret room.

The air in here.

Thick,

Warm and still.

The sound.

Dulled.

By the most incredible.

Mushrooms carpeting the walls.

Glowing.

Pulsating.

Filled with energy.

And in the center of this room.

Is a small little wooden box.

And on the top of that box.

Are some squares you have to move around.

And so you move those squares around.

Forming a pattern on the top of the box.

And once you've finished forming that pattern.

The box clicks.

And with a slight spring the lid rises.

You open that lid.

And inside.

Resting delicately.

On a satin bit of material.

Is a golden ring.

With what looks like.

An almost glowing green stone.

In the heart of the ring.

And you take that ring.

You place it onto your finger.

And as you do.

So you feel a rush of energy.

Pulse through your body.

Followed by a deep release of that energy.

And a powerful sense of relaxation.

And stillness.

Like your consciousness has suddenly.

Gone quiet.

Just listening.

Just being.

With just awareness.

Like everything has suddenly gone still.

As if your experience is that.

There's no reflection of sound.

No movement.

The pulsing.

Of the mushrooms has stopped.

Just stillness.

And in the stillness before you.

You see.

What looks like a small gnome.

Wearing green.

Dressed in corduroy trousers.

And a waistcoat.

And a floppy hat.

And mittens hanging from their sleeves.

And pointy leather shoes.

Walks over to you.

Greets you and tells you.

That you now.

Have taken the first step.

To joining the secret society.

Of magicians.

Because.

You'll gain the directions and access.

To the library of knowledge.

And if you.

Want to take up the task.

And want to.

Go down a rabbit hole.

Of learning more about this secret society.

And uncovering.

The secret magical knowledge.

That has been passed down through generations.

From teacher to student.

You can go and explore.

You can head to that library.

Undertake your study in that library.

And in that library.

Time stands still.

And so you can be there and learn.

And study and read and reread.

And read again every single document in the library.

And you won't age.

You'll just increase.

In how wise you are.

While in that library.

In that timeless place.

In that spaceless time.

And you can practice and master.

All that magic.

You can then head.

To the secret society's.

School for magicians.

Where again it's timeless.

And it's described.

As the carnival.

The place where you're expected to just practice.

With so much excitement and intrigue.

Leaving those spaces.

With that fountain of knowledge.

Deep within you.

Where you can then return.

To travel the land.

And live within the land.

As a magician.

Who knows all the layers of reality.

And the level you take as a magician.

Will depend on your dedication.

But that's something you can explore.

If you decide that's something you'd like to do.

And they click their fingers above their head.

And in a flash of rainbow colors.

That falls to the ground.

Like water.

Dropping from an exploding water balloon.

They disappear.

The pulsing begins again.

Of those mushrooms.

The gentle reverberating sounds.

Fill this space once more.

Reaching over.

And touching that ring on your finger.

You leave this space.

You leave this church.

You head back through that portal.

You talk briefly.

With that dragon about the experience.

About the decision.

You have now to make.

About the crossroads you're at.

And the paths ahead.

And you make your journey back home.

Knowing things are different within you.

And for you.

And a whole new future has opened up before you.

New possibilities.

New adventures.

And a curiosity.

If you take this path of magic.

Of how you'll put that to use.

What kind of magician you'll decide to be.

And whether you can teach your terrier.

Any of that magic.

To share this journey together.

And once home.

After the most pleasing meal.

You settle down.

And drift comfortably asleep.

And with your mind full.

Of the most incredible thoughts.

And a new connection.

To the world around you.

You fall into the most pleasant sleep.

Drifting and floating.

Deeply relaxed asleep.

Into slumberland.

Reviews

Great bedtime story. I don't know how it ended because I fell asleep.👍

Very soothing and relaxing listened to it twice today and didn’t hear all of it either time thank you x