Snowy Wonderland At The Witches' Cottage

Travel through time and space to a witches' cottage, your home away from home tucked deep within an enchanted forest. These fun-loving maternal healers offer a respite from the modern world as you skate across a secret pond where you connect with your younger selves in a winter wonderland. You return to the warm cottage to cuddle with a beloved cat in a cozy alcove and fall into a deep sleep. It's time to dream away.

Transcript

Fall asleep fast with this wintry sleep story for grown-ups.

You are listening to Snowy Wonderland at the Witch's Cottage.

In tonight's relaxing sleep story,

Travel through time and space to a witch's cottage,

Your home away from home,

Tucked deep within an enchanted forest.

These fun,

Loving,

Maternal healers offer a respite from the modern world as you skate across a secret frozen pond where you all connect with your younger selves.

You return to the warm cottage to cuddle with a beloved cat in a cozy alcove and fall into a deep sleep.

It's time to dream away.

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

I am Michelle and as you listen,

Think of me as an encouraging friend and guide.

I am here to support you before you fall asleep.

With this story,

You may reconnect with the most imaginative parts of yourself and heal past versions of yourself.

Your younger self deserved as much loving and nurturing then as you do right now.

In these tender moments before sleep,

Feel empowered to set the tone for the night and influence the dreams that meet you in a sleepy terrain.

You may let go of my voice at any point and drift across the magical bridge to your sleeping life.

There are no rules to this experience other than honoring how you feel and what you need to rest and find peace.

Every time you listen to this story will be different and crafted to your needs in that moment,

So get as comfy as you can as we take this time to tune into your breath and unwind.

With one breath and one hopeful thought,

You may completely change your experience in the present moment.

Open your mouth and let out a sigh and imagine that every molecule of air to escape your lips removes tension,

Negativity,

Concerns,

Worries,

Or discomfort.

Let all of them go and fly out into the dark expanse of a night sky.

They do not belong in this moment or in the sanctuary of your room and mind.

Sighing is a way to completely surrender as you acknowledge your need for rest.

So sigh again and let everything go.

Collapse your belly,

Your rib cage,

Your collarbones,

And your shoulders.

When you are ready,

Sip in a deep breath through your nose.

Imagine taking in the wintry night air of a forest nestled within snow-capped mountains.

You may even feel the smallest of snow crystals melting in your nose.

The air purifies you and creates space within your body.

After your inhale,

Open your mouth and let out a big yawn.

Luxuriate in this yawn and sigh all you want without judgment.

Fake a yawn until it becomes real.

Let it be playful and fun.

Each yawn signals your body to relax.

Now try this pattern on your own two more times.

As you inhale,

Yawn,

And sigh,

The air is rich and intoxicating with the fragrant notes of balsam fir and clean snow that conjure images of quiet winter nights beneath the stars.

The snow dampens all of the noise of the nocturnal world.

Your nose warms the air before it travels down your throat and arrives in your lungs.

Your yawn makes you sleepy.

Your sigh condenses in dreamy clouds as it continues to clear out places of tension and remnants of stressors from the day.

One more time,

Inhale,

Yawn,

And sigh.

When you are done,

Return your breath to normal and in this delicious state of peace and openness,

It's time for the story to begin.

The Three Witches,

Carla,

Ava,

And Cora had been through so much in their lifetime,

And while not completely sure of their ages,

Or all that much about their history,

Your experiences with them always seemed timeless.

Through their strength and compassion,

It's quite obvious they are resilient souls and have evolved through many eras of change.

Over this great span of time,

They learned to become self-reliant and understand it was best to only offer their wisdom and mystical talents to visitors who came with open hearts and minds,

Willing to explore the bigger picture.

The guests most welcome at their cottage front door chose life to be a journey of deeper discovery.

There was a time when visiting their hallowed forest and cozy cottage required an invitation or planning.

You weren't always quite sure how to get there and would spend nights wishing you could return with ease.

But as the witches began to learn more about you,

The barriers to their realm seemed to vanish,

And whenever you liked,

Through a reverie or a wish,

A portal would appear in the sanctuary of your room.

The sparkling,

Prismatic door would pop up in a wall,

And the closer you got to it,

The lighter you felt,

As if all worldly concerns were left behind when you floated through the portal,

Traveling somewhere in time.

The magical women had been on your mind lately,

And it felt long overdue for you to escape the chaotic noise and frenetic pace of modern day living to get back in touch with nature.

With every visit to the forest,

You experience a sense of wonder.

Your senses awakened,

And your mind still.

Carla,

The sagest witch of the three,

Would counsel you when you came to her with your concern,

Often wondering what their purpose meant.

Her eyes would maternally pour into yours,

Glittering and kind,

Yet firm and confident,

All at once.

My dear,

What does anything really mean?

It means everything and nothing,

All at once.

You choose the lens through which you see the world and your life,

But in the end,

The smallest and grandest of moments can mean both everything and nothing.

Her words could wrap around you like a spiraling hug of illuminated letters that made you feel warm and safe.

So many times you would glide through the portal and fly across a starry sky to arrive at the forest and drapes beneath a canopy of trees to find your way back.

But to your surprise,

The journey this time is fast,

And you are suddenly inside the rustic cottage.

Your feet land on the wide,

Weathered wooden planks of the main room in the witch's cottage.

The witches are not home,

Yet you can hear the sing-song voice of Cora in your mind as she delivers a telepathic message.

Make yourself comfortable,

We will join you soon,

Smile forms on your face.

The winter wind howls outside the frosted multi-paint windows,

Delivering feathery snowflakes to the forest floor.

A fire crackles and pops in the stone fireplace where a cauldron of stew simmers.

Candelabras placed in the bow windowsills illuminate the room with flickering amber.

The healing essential oils cultivated by the witches throughout the year softly aromatize the air.

These familiar scents marry the smells of burning wood,

Old books,

Old books,

Juniper logs,

And the savory stew containing rosemary and thyme.

You hear a quiet meow,

And then the fast patter of paws on the hardwood floors.

The sweet tortoiseshell kitten that Cora's cat imagination gave life to in spring excitedly comes to greet you.

You are given the privilege of naming her.

She is full grown,

And her coat is silky and thick.

Her sleepy eyes blink,

And she places her front paws on your thigh to get in a good stretch.

Her loud purrs and kittenish meow indicate how much she has missed you.

You squat down to pet her,

And she wraps her arms around your shoulder with a hug.

She rubs her velvety jaw against your cheek,

And her white whiskers tickle your nose.

She sniffs you curiously,

Comforted by the fact it is really you.

Her purrs louden,

And her body vibrates against yours.

You feel so honored to be loved in this way by an animal you met quite some time ago.

For animals do not fake affection,

And her genuine love causes your entire body to radiate with warm electric pulses.

Your heart feels open,

And your breath becomes relaxed.

Your heart rate slows,

And you feel a lightness in your chest that gives way for you to realize how much tension you have been holding.

Sometimes we carry heavy sensations for so long that we forget what it was like to be relieved of the burden.

Carla reminds you of this often,

And in this simple moment of lightness,

You realize it has been too much for anyone to carry,

And you deserve to feel free.

You hear the sound of boots stomping up the snowy steps to the cottage,

Followed by the happy,

Mellifluous voices of the witches.

Their familiar and comforting sounds travel deep into the parts of you that long to be seen.

Nurtured and mothered,

Cora the witch,

Responsible for healing all things,

Opens the door abruptly to be followed by Carla and Ava.

A new,

Velvet,

Emerald green cape with a pillowy collar made of silk wraps around her frame.

Carla and Ava wear luxurious capes of a similar design.

Carla,

The oldest of the three,

Looks radiant in her ruby satin and amethyst velvet cape,

While Ava is soothing to the eyes in her sapphire cloak.

Their cheeks are rosy from the cold of the night,

And they shake snowflakes off their attire and hair.

The snow sparkles like specks of silver glitter,

Illuminated by the firelight,

Dancing in the warm air of the cottage before vanishing.

Imagination comes out of hiding to rub against Cora's legs.

The cat spends much of the year outside in the bar,

But on snowy nights like this,

She seeks refuge in the cottage.

Carla comes over to hug you and welcome you back.

Every time you find yourself in her embrace,

You feel as if everything will be okay.

She is a beacon of safety,

And you imagine nothing could go wrong in her presence.

And if by the slightest chance,

Something was awry,

Carla would handle it with such grace that most souls would have no idea that anything was amiss.

Ava walks over to an old trunk in the corner of the room and undoes the brass latch.

She opens the ornate trunk that would be fitting to find on a pirate ship,

And the smell of cedar fills the room.

She removes a brand new velvet cape in your favorite color scheme.

It is one of the richest,

Most luxurious garments you have ever touched.

Ava declares,

This is for you,

Try it on,

It will keep you warm on our outing tonight.

Cora and Carla gather four pairs of ice skates strung by their laces around wooden pegs in the juniper walls.

Tonight is about having fun.

The longer we live,

The more important it is to remember to play.

Carla explains,

It surprises you a bit that she would emphasize fun the most,

Since she always tends to be the most dutiful and mature.

She reads your thoughts and explains,

My dear,

You don't get to where I am without taking the time to experience the pleasures of this world.

They often are the very things that save us.

The witches are giddy and giggly in a way you haven't seen before,

As if they are cast under the same spell as a school-aged child who awakens to discover it's a snow day.

You wrap your new cape around your shoulders and catch a reflection in the window panes,

Illuminated by candlelight.

You feel confident and have a sense of belonging so far from home and out of time.

With each visit to this mystical cottage,

You are more in awe of how much life feels the same through time.

There is more sameness than difference.

Carla drapes a pair of skates around your neck and ties them together in a perfect bow.

Cora is the first to lead the group outside,

Followed by Ava and Carla.

The sweet tortoiseshell cat stays close to your heels,

And her green and gold speckled saucer eyes stare up at you longingly.

You promise to return soon and she sits,

Her long,

Striped tail dusting the wooden floor.

You follow the witches down the steps into the snowy clearing that surrounds the cottage.

A thin glaze of ice shines in the light of a waxing gibbous moon.

The snowy meadow takes on an icy blue tint from the lush marine blue sky.

Snow covers the thatched roof of the witches' cottage like frosting on shredded wheat.

The red fox appears,

Another long-time friend and guide,

To accompany the four of you to a secluded skating pond surrounded by snow-coated pine trees.

In all the times you have explored these woods,

This is the first time you've seen this pond.

Ava explains that it's a secret pond,

Not always there,

But when it appears,

The witches make the most of it.

The icy pond glitters as if the stars have fallen from the sky,

Frozen in time beneath the icy surface.

A few snowflakes land on your lips and melt,

And you taste the cool metallic water droplets that remain.

The fox leads you to a row of tree stumps,

Where you sit with the three witches and put on your skates.

In the distance,

You hear a familiar voice echoing through the snowy woods that you cannot quite place.

The voice is young and softly reverberates across the pond.

Carla looks up from her freshly tied laces and smiles.

You'll understand soon enough.

This healing pond can conjure things our minds may have forgotten.

Carla rises from the stump and is the first to take to the ice,

Gliding across it with the ease of a competitive figure skater.

Her ruby and amethyst cape takes flight on the breeze.

Created by her momentum,

The gleaming silver blades cut into the ice,

Leaving thin,

Glowing lines in their wake.

Powdery ice crystals project into the air and then fall around the illuminated lines like stardust.

Ava and Cora join her,

Circling the pond with intention,

And you sit on the stump,

Mesmerized by their motions.

From the sideline,

You can see the bigger picture.

The blades of their skates create portraits of their younger selves.

Every line and curve carved into the ice glows in a soothing shade of periwinkle.

Carla notices you have yet to join the ice and skates over to extend her hand.

Come along,

My dear.

You may discover some hidden talents you didn't know you had.

Your eyes,

And find it easier to walk across the frozen blades of grass and ice-covered twigs than you expected.

One blade lands on the ice at a time.

You steady for a second and then find yourself in motion,

Not entirely in control,

And yet not out of control either.

Cora declares,

Trust your intuition on this one,

Your feet know what to do.

You skate with ease,

Flowing and turning in ways that feel right.

You feel the energy in your heart center and your solar plexus swirling with a welcome warmth and guiding you with a gentle tug.

Nothing could disrupt your balance because everything is in total alignment.

The night wind,

The ice,

And your skates come together to aid you.

You inhale deeply and silvery white condensation clouds form on the winter air.

When you exhale,

You pass around the western side of the pond,

Coming out of the shadows of the evergreens and into the moonlight.

You skate to the edge,

Where frozen cattails rise out of the thin ice and turn around to face the pond.

The witches have also traveled to the opposite edges,

And in the space where you skated,

You see a portrait of yourself on the ice.

It is a younger version of you that may have most needed a little more love and kindness than you received.

It's normal to experience this at points in your life,

But the innocent expression in your eyes and the tender smile on your lips in this icy rendition make you long to go back to that younger you with unbridled compassion.

With this thought,

The fairies arrive and come from another path through the forest.

They light up the darkness with an array of pastel rainbow hues.

You hear the young voice you heard before,

To realize it is the voice of a younger you.

The fairies lead not only this younger you onto the ice,

But also the younger versions of the three witches.

You are profoundly moved by the realization that even healers need to heal themselves.

It is an honor to be part of this moment for the witches,

And all your other visits,

You were the one tended to.

This time,

The witches feel comfortable enough to reveal their vulnerabilities and share this experience with you.

Carla,

Ava,

And Cora skate around the perimeter of the pond to join you.

Their jewel-toned velvet capes float in the air and glimmer in the moonlight.

They become as still as the frozen cattails as the fairies bring your younger selves to the edge of the pond.

These younger versions are full of awe,

With eyes so wide,

The whites of them resemble full moons.

You hear these sweet souls cry out,

When they see themselves captured in portraits carved in the ice.

Four fairies come along and drape these younger souls in smaller velvet capes that match yours and the witches.

You think back on times when it was so wonderful to feel seen and noticed,

To be reminded how much you matter,

How much you are loved.

The fairies sing and wave their wands above the younger yous,

Transforming snow-covered boots into skates.

The three witches skate over to their younger selves,

Bringing you along.

When you come to the edge of the ice,

Peer into your younger eyes.

Waves of feelings wash over you.

You remember the feeling of innocence and wonder,

And deeply yearn to foster that and protect it.

You ask your younger self if they would like to skate and place your hand in their mittened hand to glide across the ice.

The witches do the same with the younger and smaller versions of themselves.

They were never strangers to being outcasts,

To learning how important it was to continue on their journey of magic and healing,

No matter the scrutiny,

The judgment,

Or the dismissal that came from others.

Carla,

The eldest of the three,

Took on the greatest burden of protecting her younger witch sisters as best she could.

And through this strife,

She emerged as someone capable of overcoming fear.

She knew her destiny and let it guide her.

And so you,

And the three witches,

And your four younger selves,

Soar across the ice,

Right up to the cusp of witching hours.

The fairies sing their joyous songs in perfect harmony.

Every once in a while,

They dare to touch down on the ice,

And then rise to hover the wintry oasis.

You love the chance to engage with the younger Carla,

Ava,

And Cora in their small velvet cape.

You skate and move with a freedom you have not felt in a long time.

The cape makes you feel larger than life,

Carefree,

And ready to take on the splendors of the night.

And in this hypnotic trance,

You find yourself wondering,

Have you ever cared about things beyond your control?

Have you ever invested any time in dealing with judgment that landed on your younger self from the projections of other people's fears?

Being with the witches,

Young and old,

You understand that as alone as you may have felt at times,

You weren't alone in feeling all the things you felt.

Your heart brims with love for everyone here,

And a part of you yearns to protect them.

But all you can do is share your love.

Childlike joy lights up the eyes and faces of every one of you on this magical winter night.

Low-lying,

Lavender-gray clouds roll in over the wood.

Fat flurries begin to fall.

Your younger self begins to laugh instinctively and opens their mouth to catch the lacy snowflakes.

They tell you to try as well.

You feel your younger hand in yours,

Wishing to freeze time as the night draws to a close.

The memory of this experience will stay with you like a distant,

Beloved dream.

You look into the shining eyes of your younger self and know that time is dwindling.

And so you say the word you wish someone had continued to say throughout this trying year of life.

And when you have bestowed all the love and wisdom you can on your younger self,

Carla brings everyone together in the center of the pond.

She clears her throat,

More emotional than you have ever seen her,

And says,

I know things may feel really hard sometimes,

But great things to come.

Don't think that the unkindness you receive is ever deserved.

You deserve to be happy,

And to be loved,

And to be the person you were born to be.

The fairies indicate that it is time to go,

And so you say goodbye,

Knowing one day you will meet again.

And just as quickly as your younger selves appear,

They disappear into the night as the snow falls harder.

Ready ladies?

Carla asks.

Tiredness takes hold.

Your lungs feel as they would after a long swim or fit of giggles.

Your cheeks and lips have the soft,

Sweet burn that comes from a night of smiling.

You revel in these sensations,

These reminders of all that has transpired.

Once changed into your boots,

The fox reappears to guide you home.

He's not needed for the journey,

But he feels a value by being there consistently as moral support.

And you feel valued that he always checks in with a kind of guidance that everyone wants deep down sometimes,

But may not be able to admit.

You stay back and wait for Carla.

She comes and wraps her arm around your shoulders,

Her ruby and amethyst cloak covering yours.

Thank you for being part of this night.

I long ago thought a spell could be cast to take away the past and all its wounds,

But then I realized in loving who we are and where all the things take us that every step mattered.

We have our whole lives to tend to those parts of ourselves and to not let these lessons get in the way of a little magic and fun.

Soon the four of you are tucked inside the juniper log walls of the cottage as the fire burns into embers.

Your capes are hung on wooden pegs and dry near the fireplace.

You satiate your hunger and warm your insides with the hearty stew crafted by Ava.

Imagination,

The black cat,

Curls at Cora's feet while her furry offspring cuddle amongst the rest of you.

Ava rises to grab a tincture for sleep and healing dreams.

She goes around the room and drops the minty,

Soporific oil onto everyone's temples and massages it in with a swirling motion made by her index fingers.

You offer to anoint her with the sleepy oil and she happily agrees.

You are the first to retire to the sleeping alcove and your tortoise shell friend follows you up the spiral stairs.

A creak beneath your feet,

The soft murmurs of the witches remind you of times as a child you fell asleep to the sounds of murmurs of adult voices.

Freshly laundered pajamas are folded neatly at the end of the bed in smell of lavender and clean linen.

You change into them as the cat hops onto the quilt and curls up in a ball.

You draw back the cool,

Heavy cotton patchwork quilt and top sheet to discover a small piece of parchment paper rolled into a scroll.

You untie the scarlet ribbon around it and open the note to reveal a message from the three witches written in calligraphy.

It reads,

Always remember that you are loved and welcome at our cottage anytime.

You smile to yourself and climb into the bed as moonlight filters into the room through the falling snow and gauzy clouds.

The snow comes down steadily,

Landing and pattering on the thatched roof.

You are safe,

Warm and dry,

Tucked in the alcove,

Overflowing with appreciation for another adventure and the hope for many more to come.

You drift between worlds,

Feeling the same lightness you felt traveling through the portal through time.

You glide across the snow-covered bridge,

Levitating and floating to your sleeping life,

Finding bliss,

Finding enchantment,

Finding peace,

Finding sleep.

It's time to dream away.

Reviews

Thankyou for another wonderful story. I often listen to stories and meditations at night to help me to sleep and to help me to wake up feeling calm and well rested. Especially for tomorrow. I have a mental health appointment. So feeling calm and ready for that helps me alot.

I finally was able to hear this wonderful story to the end by listening when I woke up this morning. Thank you, Michelle.

This winter sleep story was so relaxing that I fell asleep so quickly that I missed out on the majority of the story. 😴

I enjoyed this very much, will listen again tonight. 🌙⭐️

Wonderful! Fell asleep quickly for 4 hours. Going to repeat! Thank you kindly for this practice! 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻Thank you Michelle. Ah, love, love, love the stories of the Witches’cottage. Have no clue yet what happens in this story though. Who knows how long that will take?🙏🏻🌟✨🌟💫🌟🙏🏻

I love your stories. I act like a child at Christmas when I find new ones. I really enjoy hearing these and the others you create.