Foggy Night In The Redwoods: A Sleep Story & Meditation

Serenity awaits when you relax with this sleep meditation, guided visualization, and talk down in the foggy Redwood Forest of California. Accompanied by a companion of your choice, you venture along a coastal highway and enter the forest of sequoia trees. The sequoia tree can live to 3000 years, and you take to one, finding stillness. You find a lean-to and set up a campfire so you may camp out for the night beneath the canopy of redwoods. It's time to dream away.

Transcript

Tonight's calm sleep story will bring you to the foggy redwoods of California where you may walk through the mystical forest before camping out by a fire with a companion of your choice.

Some have said there is no place on earth that is more serene than the redwoods and it is time for you to find such serenity.

So find a place to get cozy and relax and let go of anything that does not serve you right now.

It's time to dream away.

I'd like to welcome you to Michelle's Sanctuary.

I am Michelle and as you are listening you may think of my voice as that of a guide and dear friend who wants the best for you.

I am here to help you connect with the magical power of your imagination and mind so you may self soothe and relax.

This sleep adventure is yours to explore however feels right.

Triggering any positive sensation and sense memory that makes you feel best.

You deserve to feel good and you have earned this time for healing and restorative sleep.

So take in a deep breath and sigh it all out.

Just let it all hang out.

Let your body sigh and sink into your bed.

Releasing tension in any part of your body that needs to.

Releasing tightness.

Do a gentle scan from head to toe and if any place feels sticky or tense,

Send it a message that it's okay to let go.

Inhaling again and letting your breath become a deep yawn.

Because now is the time for all the judgment free yawning you want to do.

And when you exhale,

You purse your lips together as if blowing through a straw.

Visualizing your breath traveling to another place in time.

You find yourself walking upon the emerald green grassy shoulder of a silvery gray ribbon of highway that weaves around a forest of redwood trees in Northern California.

You feel your feet as they press upon the soft damp grass that is dewy and aromatic.

As you inhale,

You take in the smells of evergreen and rich wet earth.

The air so crisp and clean,

It feels mentholated as it enters your airway.

And you think of this motto,

When I breathe,

I hope.

With each new breath comes a sense of hope.

You are accompanied on this nature's walk with a companion of your choice.

Perhaps it is a friend or dear loved one from the past or present.

Perhaps it is a pet.

Perhaps it is a spirit animal.

You choose who to bring along on this spiritual trek tonight.

A falcon soars overhead,

Brave and regal against the lavender gray sky.

A mist is in the air like floating gossamer in the breeze as it wafts around the trunks of sequoia trees.

The softness of salinity travels on this fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean and you taste it on the droplets that form upon your lips.

You enter an unmarked trail that is lined with mulch that gives beneath your shoes.

You meet the eye of your companion,

Feeling a deep connection and sense of adventure to be united in this escape.

For you have traveled far for this moment in time,

Seeking to relish every sensation.

The stillness in the air that is cool and makes you grateful for your warm pullover and soft worn jeans.

And on your shoulders you wear a hiking backpack that contains necessary items for this journey and feel snug against your body.

You feel your own strength and endurance as you trek onward and recognize all the working parts of your body that function even when you do not pay mind to them.

Loose branches snap beneath your feet as you see a red fox burrowed in a den off the path with two baby foxes.

They peer at you in curiosity and you feel just as curious as you catch their dark beady eyes.

Feeling connected with the very nature of living in the present moment,

Not stuck in the past or worried about the future.

You take in a deep inhalation and sigh out any thoughts that challenge you and you let go of anything that was in the way before and cause you to seek out the sanctuary and refuge.

The redwood forest is comprised of trees known as the Sequoia tree,

A coniferous tree that can live as long as 3,

000 years.

The largest Sequoia is taller than a 26 story skyscraper and as you find yourself deeper in the forest,

The sky begins to disappear behind the lush branches as you look up to these trees.

As if reaching towards the twilight sky,

These trees are so tall and proud that you find yourself standing taller and with confidence as you walk among them.

Sequoias may grow to be so wide,

It takes six people stretched from head to toe to fit within their diameters.

And you stand still for a moment as you find yourself surrounded by so many Sequoia trees,

You cannot see where the forest begins or ends.

You are in the heart of the redwoods and begin forest bathing,

A term used by the Japanese where you slow down and awaken your senses and take in your relationship with yourself and the landscape around you.

You feel your heart beat slow.

You feel the goosebumps that form upon your arms and legs,

Your neck and spine as your hair raises and you recognize in the moment that you are alive.

That you are life.

And as there was never a voice that told a Sequoia not to stand tall and to grow and expand,

You may silence any voices,

Your own or those of others that echo in your mind when they come up and hold you back from your own potential.

And in this shared moment with your companion,

You surrender to the feeling of trust that you feel right now.

That you are enough as you are.

That you have the unlimited potential to grow and to learn and to expand.

And these ancient trees around you stand as testimony to that.

They have grown exponentially from a tiny seed that was nurtured for hundreds or thousands of years.

And the foggy mist is but a blanket that surrounds their roots and the earth,

That surrounds their chunks with bark as thick as the length of your arm.

And you walk to a tree,

The Sequoia that feels most comforting and welcoming to you and press your palm delicately upon the bark.

You crane your neck to see the top of the tree as the weight of your backpack enables you to bend backwards with ease.

Feeling your eyelashes land below your brows as you look up to the majestic tree.

And you hear a whisper upon the wind that encourages you to always stand strong.

To always stand proud.

To reach for the light.

Victor Hugo once wrote,

Love is like a tree.

It grows of its own accord.

It puts down deep roots into our whole being.

To love is to nurture.

To nurture is to allow growth.

And you look to the roots that go deep into the damp red-brown earth where water may flow to the tops of the trees.

And you take a moment to think of the veins within you,

Allowing blood to flow,

Allowing you to have a life force within you.

You feel so small among the redwoods as if you have been made miniature like a fairy or gnome.

Now journeying through this enchanted forest.

The mist swirls around you and your hands cut through the fog,

Playing with it as you breathe and watch as your breath condenses as well.

The mystique is intriguing as you walk along with your companion who makes you feel safe and that you are not alone.

Because the best of adventures are enjoyed when shared.

You feel very fortunate to have this experience.

And along the path you come to a fallen sequoia over the trail that has become like a bridge with a hollowed center through which you may pass.

In the darkness of its tunnel you look to the smooth insides of the tree.

You see the delicate lines of the hundreds of rings that have formed within the aging tree before it fell to the earth and transitioned into a new purpose.

This history written inside the wood of the tree,

Like your own personal history has been etched inside the treasure chest of your own mind.

On the other side of the sequoia bridge you make out the outline of a lean-to made of wood.

And this is where you plan to camp out for the night.

The fog dances around the area making the setting appear like an impressionist watercolor painting.

Leery and misty in tones of soft greys and whites.

And you walk along the shadows of the redwoods coming to this special camp just as darkness begins to settle in.

You hear the footsteps of another life and look up to see a fawn through the misty air.

The white polka dots on her tawny brown coat are visible through the fog.

And you meet her big eyes for a moment and feel connected and reverent to share this beautiful forest with its natural inhabitants.

Your companion is with you as you come to the lean-to and remove your bag,

Setting it beneath the dwelling.

Logs are placed like pillars buried deep into the earth as natural moss and branches form a protective roof.

There's a stone fire pit just before the lean-to and you gather twigs and pieces of wood from around the forest.

As you forage you enjoy this experience as it reminds you of earlier times in your life when you collected twigs to roast marshmallows before gathering around a fire.

When you have a small stack you place them in the fire pit and grab a lighter from your pocket.

The twigs are slightly damp and you take dry needles from the forest floor,

Put them upon them to help fuel the fire.

The smell hits your nose immediately,

Comforting and relaxing you as you add larger pieces of wood and the fire grows.

It warms you and your companion.

As you go to your hiking pack and remove a can of soup and a metal pot,

You pull the tap off the top of the soup can and pour the ingredients into the pot,

Which you then hold over the fire as it warms the contents.

Once heated,

You grab two mugs from your bag and take a seat upon the earth.

You pour the soup into the mugs,

Offering one to your companion as you sip from your own mug.

When the savory liquid hits your palate,

It warms your throat as you feel it cascade into your belly.

You are warmed from the inside out,

Feeling content and at peace in this ritual of gathering by the fire.

You focus on the marmalade flames until your mind begins to drift and images appear upon the campfire.

A gentle whistle of wind accompanies the night sounds of the forest as you see a face appear within the fire.

It's like a flash of a memory projected on a movie screen as this person reminds you that you are loved and wishes you joy and wellness on this retreat.

That you should remember to take care of your own needs and that this self-care is vital for you to thrive.

And you feel the sense of pride in the moment for taking this time for self-care.

The sequoia trees around you are illuminated in a soft amber glow from the campfire as their height looms towards the night sky.

The fog begins to thicken even as you look overhead and the trees disappear within it.

And the fog is like a soporific spell that makes you feel so tired as you yawn and your companion does as well.

You feel so tired and heavy it almost seems impossible to stand but you slowly rise and go to your bag and remove your sleeping bag placing it under the lean-to.

Your companion follows you as you get cozy beneath the basic protection of the dwelling.

You climb into your sleeping bag,

Zipping it tightly and pulling it beneath your chin.

It feels so special to be cozy and protected and yet still so open and connected with the nature that surrounds you.

The fire continues to burn and warms your feet and sleeping bag.

And you feel at peace and calm,

Safe beneath the ancient trees.

You tap into the serenity that you have been told about as the fog continues to roll in and create a cool healing tonic in the air that you inhale through your exposed nose.

Breathing in and out as whispers from the sequoias come to you.

They lull you to sleep as you hear the words,

Be brave,

Stand tall,

Nurture yourself.

For the wisdom within the trees is timeless and you too feel the part of you that is timeless.

The part of you that you may connect with on the bridge that brings you to your sleeping life.

And you feel the warmth of your companion listening to the sounds of sleep that have found your loved one.

And you find yourself sighing,

Feeling grounded so close to the earth.

The firmness of the dirt beneath you supports your back and limbs as you are contained in the safe pod of your sleeping bag.

The fire now soft glowing embers that still radiate just enough heat.

Letting go as you go deeper and deeper down.

Speaking of the layers of embrace,

How the fog embraces the trees and the lean-to and the trees surround and embrace your spot in this mystical and sacred forest.

This is the perfect sanctuary for sleep.

Cozy as you now are,

You may have the most magical of dreams because nights like tonight are full of possibilities.

The fog whispering around you,

Inspiring loving thoughts and a clean purifying air that you inhale and exhale.

Your feet so tired and warm,

Close to the fire,

As cool air meets your face,

Your body feels in a perfect temperature balance for sleep.

You find yourself drifting in and out of consciousness.

The happy in between and gateway guiding you from an accomplished day to a healing escape towards sleep.

Knowing whatever sleep you receive will be of the utmost restorative quality and allow you to wake up refreshed and eager to start a new day.

Drifting,

Breathing out tension,

Breathing in gratitude,

Noticing how your mind has slowed and you are letting this time exist just for you in this very special place.

Deeper and deeper as your body is more and more relaxed,

Enjoying every element of this experience,

The wonderful calm feeling of peace and stillness.

Going deeper and deeper into your own thoughts before sleep,

Like a lucid dream to the sacred place where only you may go,

Floating as if being carried by the fog as it weaves around the redwood trees.

And as you drift,

Drift into the discovery of the deepest parts of yourself where dreams await,

I am going to begin to count.

And with each count,

You will find yourself falling deeper and deeper into a relaxing and rejuvenating sleep.

Ten,

Nine,

Eight,

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Ready to let go,

To fall asleep.

It's time to dream away.

Good night.

Reviews

Amazing incredible detailed soothing anxiety relieving

I haven't listened "bad" story from Michelle's Sanctuary. They all are so lovely. For this one I was so anxious and I had really trouble settling down to sleep, and this one helped. Didn't hear the end, as usually, as I fall a sleep, but I'm sure I hear them subconsciously.

Redwoods State Park, near Santa Cruz, is a beautiful place like the one in your story. That was very nice & I fell asleep somewhere in the middle of it-which is great because my insomnia was defeated for once 🙌 thank you! 🙏

Your stories are just so magically peaceful. Thank you so much for sharing your talent with this community 🙏 🕊️

Excellent bedtime story! Thank you kindly!🤗🤗🤗🤗🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏👍👍👍👍

Dear Michelle, since I discovered your records, I fell completely in love with your work... couldn’t leave a review before, because of obviously sweetly falling asleep during listening😸 Everything about these meditations just suites me so well, I haven’t met anything similar yet, after years of trying and practicing different kinds of meditations... Your voice is just enveloping with peaceful sweetness and care... And your care if felt in every word, so delicately chosen... Thank you so much for what you are doing, it’s a big beautiful service to us, humans 😌🙏🏼 Many blessings to you, may your path be bright and peaceful, thank you for your care and your truth ❤️

Lovely. Didn’t make it to the end. Thank you!

I love this story but fell asleep before the end. The forest has always been my peaceful place and your soothing voice made me even more relaxed. Thank you.

Really relaxing. I’m home sick today. This was very comforting and good for my nervous system and immune system. Love the sound of crackling fire and crickets.
Thank you 🙏🏼.

I love this story, especially the fire burning afterwards. Fall asleep every time. Thanks 🙏

Lovely and works wonderfully well. Thank you.

I have fallen asleep listening to this twice. I enjoy your voice and what I have heard so far. I like the night time forest sounds. Thank you

Thank you, Michelle🙏🏻😴🙏🏻😴🙏🏻😴🙏🏻

It was wonderful and it worked. I fell asleep. Thanks!!