Sleep easy tonight with this guided meditation and bedtime story for adults that will take you on a nostalgic camping trip,
Uniting you with a parade of characters chosen by your own desires and whims.
Settle in,
Get cozy,
And find a place to fall asleep while listening to the camping trip.
I would like to welcome you to Michelle's Sanctuary.
I am Michelle,
And you may listen to my voice knowing that I am here as your guide to unlocking kind memories and pleasant thoughts that you may use to explore the unlimited potential of your imagination.
As you are ending another day in this life that is completely your story,
You are the hero of this adventure.
And if you have not heard this today,
Take a moment to accept that you are loved.
You matter.
You deserve to relax and to dream and to have this time that is just for you.
And this precious self-care begins with you.
Anything becomes possible once you begin to believe that it is so.
And at any point,
You may tune out my voice and let your mind lead you to the welcome embrace of sleep that exists on the other side of this bridge,
Connecting your waking and sleeping life.
As you get cozy,
Nestling into your bedding,
Letting your head fall upon your pillows like a heavy block,
You may sink deeper and deeper down.
Taking in the deepest of breaths,
You feel lighter suddenly,
As if you could float away into the night.
And then as you exhale,
You are weighted down,
Sinking into your bed,
Letting out every last breath.
Then sip in another breath and allow yourself to feel as if you are floating.
You visualize yourself floating along the edge of a silvery grey lake that is like a mirror for the late day sky.
And as you exhale,
Your feet become heavy and you land upon a walking path that runs beneath pine trees,
Reaching towards the summer sky with their evergreen triangular tops.
Like exaggerated verdant fingertips,
The branches sway and flow in a cool breeze that cuts through the humidity and forecasts the chilled night's air that is on the way.
It is the perfect weather for camping and you find yourself traveling light.
Your hiking sneakers crunch upon pine needles and mulch as you take in the fragrance of the needles and wet earth and the minerality of clean,
Fresh water from the lake.
And while you walk in solitude,
You notice the sounds of birds in the trees and the rustling of the leaves.
It is so still you can hear every twig that snaps beneath your feet.
Your mind rifts to thoughts of summer camps and the freedom you had as a child to relish the season without a care in the world.
And how everything eventually turned out just fine.
As a child,
You didn't need to have a plan.
You went with the flow.
And such a freedom of being in the moment and living for the summer became a sensation you may find yourself chasing after as an adult.
Along the shadowy path beneath the coniferous trees,
You take a moment and just imagine what it would be like if you had the same approach to life.
How much more would you allow yourself to be open to if you let go of the expectations and the requirements that have been put upon you from ideas that come from society or even guidelines you've given yourself.
Maybe right now you can start to let them go.
The sun begins to dip towards the horizon like a ball of amber honey dripping down upon the silhouette of amethyst mountain peaks.
You inhale and then exhale,
Feeling as if your exhalation has become one with a soft breeze.
As if you too can gently shift the environment around you,
One breath at a time.
Charles Lindberg once said,
Real freedom lies in wildness,
Not in civilization.
Walking towards the camp,
You realize this.
You feel the door to freedom opening before you and it reveals itself in a physical manifestation.
As your shoulders drop and your jaw relaxes and each step feels lighter and inconsequential.
Even in the wild,
There is order that flows with the same ease of the summer's breeze off the lake that allows your clothing to billow and hair to move ever so slightly.
You hear a fish splash atop the surface of the lake before it plunges into deeper waters and you imagine what it must feel like to be in the soothing depths of the cool fresh water.
And while you enjoy solitude,
There is a longing deep within to be reunited with those you have loved most in this life.
The souls that have touched you and have taught you how to love and how to laugh,
How to heal and how to prosper.
Perhaps those who have known you the longest and have watched you grow.
This camping trip is your homecoming.
And as you go deeper into the dark path between the trees,
You come upon a clearing.
In the distance you see tents in a myriad of colors.
From royal blues and forest greens to burgundy reds,
Set up in anticipation of your welcoming and arrival.
You hear the sounds of laughter and joyous conversation carry over the field of grass and pine needles.
In the center of the tents is a glorious newly started bonfire that blazes towards the fiery sky,
Cast in broad strokes of raspberry,
Eggplant and cotton candy pink.
Wisps of clouds are like delicate cotton balls that have been stretched and strung high across the sky.
You stealthily approach the camp,
Taking in a moment of being inconspicuous.
Before the warmth of the fire and the love of those who await you are close.
You are a witness feeling like a spy,
Watching your loved ones so dear to you and perhaps never before gathered together in the same place at the same time.
John Irving once wrote how your memory keeps things for you or hides things from you and summons them to your recall with will of its own.
You think you have a memory but it has you.
And now memories come flooding back,
Memories of nights by the fire and holidays and celebrations and beautiful moments like patches on a quilt that is weather worn and feels like home.
Cozy and safe,
You catch the attention of one of the attendees who comes running to you.
It is your dearest friend,
Arms wide open in an embrace to welcome you.
And as you feel the comforts of the hug,
You are reminded of a silly time together you had.
Perhaps a time where you laughed until you were near tears.
And you remember how easy it is in summer to come together beneath the night sky and commemorate and relive the best of memories.
You are guided to the fire where you see the faces of your loved ones light up.
Your own eyes sparkle and you feel the glow of the bonfire as it warms your face and the now cold night air.
The sky is a royal blue-black as a blanket of silver stars span above.
A sliver of a moon so slight it's barely there is nestled between puffy clouds.
The smell of burning wood is like a gentle wave you ride back in time,
Thinking of roasted marshmallows and s'mores.
You embrace your loved ones one at a time as they express how happy they are to see you.
That this is all for you to celebrate your life.
Perhaps there are a few people you have wanted to reunite with,
But due to circumstances beyond your control,
It was not possible until this very moment.
It is as if that popular question of,
Who would you invite to dinner if anyone could come along,
Has now come to life.
And oh that smell is so intoxicating and alluring.
The damp air that houses the fragrance of pine trees and campfire smoke married together.
It cannot help but take the deepest breath and feel as the aroma soars through your nostrils and coats your palette in a summery bliss.
You sit in a canvas camping chair reserved just for you as your most favorite person in this life grabs a plate and brings you all of your favorite picnic foods.
You lock eyes as you take the plate and begin to indulge in your beloved foods.
You feel catered to and cared for.
And it feels good to be loved.
It feels good to be fireside,
Nestled between mountain peaks and the silhouette of evergreen trees that reach towards the glittery sky above,
Much like the trees in Van Gogh's Starry Night.
And as you and your beloveds gather around the fire in a circle of friendship and trust,
They take a time to commemorate on the best memories of you and what they love best about you.
Starting with your longest friend who reveals a memory of when you were brave.
And it is as if the blanket of smoke that arises from the campfire is now a screen upon which these memories play as the voices of your companions narrate them.
First a story is told of a time when you accomplished something that you always wanted to do,
But it is a goal that you see and long to recommit to.
And being around those who love you and know you the most makes you feel that connection again.
Because those dreams are but the ropes that are bound to your inner self and your journey through this life.
Through many ages and many forms and perhaps many places.
But there is a core of you that is always there.
And those who know you best may always see and connect with that.
You watch as sparks fly off the crackling wood that glows in brilliant shades of orange.
You take the paper plate that held your meal and toss it like a frisbee into the fire as well.
Watching it quickly become embers and then ash.
The embers of the log are like a canvas of abstract designs that become hypnotic.
And as you zone out,
Letting your eyes go bleary,
You begin to make out shapes and images within them.
You see a fiery landscape of a setting sun.
You see the outline of a woodlands animal.
You see forms appearing,
The embers continuing to transform.
And your imagination enlivening in a way it did as a child.
When things were more than what they first appeared to be.
The temperatures begin to dip and silence pervades as all the guests are now entranced by the fire.
And only the night sounds of crickets and frogs and the percussion of the crackling and pops of the fire are heard.
The mountain air moves in with a slight chill that makes the fire all the more inviting.
You feel yourself sinking deep within the canvas of the chair.
And you remove your shoes and socks to feel the grass beneath them.
Fireflies dance upon the blades of grass,
Illuminating the clearing in bright yellow flickers.
Above storm clouds are moving in slowly like puffy purple-gray stamps that cover the silver stars.
The smoke from the fire swirls around the circle of loved ones that camp with you.
You feel a stray pine cone near your feet.
And for a moment you place the sole of each foot,
One at a time,
Upon it.
And feel it massage the pressure points of your tired feet.
You then lift it from the ground,
Admiring its shape and the patches of dried white and green pine sap.
You feel the rough edges with the tips of your fingers before throwing it in the fire and watching how it becomes one with the flames until burning into embers.
And you look up to the circle around the fire and you catch the gazes of everyone at once looking towards you with loving eyes and acceptance.
And you wish to put this feeling in a capsule that you may put on a chain and wear around your heart to carry with you forever.
A few raindrops cold and big begin to fall in audible splats upon you and the grass.
Everyone begins to stand as the rain comes down harder and you say good night to one another before the rain becomes a steady stream.
You stand and feel the wet grass slip between your toes as you grab your shoes and socks.
You are directed to your tent by your longest friend and then squeezed tightly in a loving hug.
You unzip the tent and step into the waterproofed shelter and place your shoes by the entry.
Inside a lantern is a glow,
Illuminating the tent softly.
You hear the rain falling upon the tent and ground as well as the gentle murmurs of voices as everyone settles in for the rainy night.
The smell of pine is intensified by the humidity and you hear the sizzle of the fire being put out by the steady rain.
The tent has been decorated with framed photos that sit upon an upturned wooden crate next to your sleeping bag.
There is a bottle of water and a note that says we love you and are so happy to have known you in this life.
Keep being you.
The small framed photos include images of other adventures from the past,
With you vibrantly smiling in all of them.
You take a moment to reflect again on this feeling of inclusiveness and these bonds that have sustained growth and time.
A pillow and sleeping bag are laid out and upon them is a basket that contains a sleep mask and pajamas that have your initials engraved upon them.
Everything was prepared in advance,
So all you had to do was arrive as this camping trip was meant for you to feel tended to.
You remove your damp clothing and fold each item,
Placing your clothes in the basket as you remove a plush towel and dry your face and hair.
You slip on the warm pajamas,
Feeling cozy and ready to lie down.
The rain continues to pelt upon the tent,
Comforting you and lulling you to sleep with the accompanying sounds of the night orchestra outside.
You imagine how wonderful it will be to awaken to the morning's sun that will come to dry off the tents and the surrounding area.
And while you relish the long summer days,
You also appreciate the night as you turn off the lantern and climb into the sleeping bag and zip yourself in.
Your head falls upon the pillow and you take the sleep mask and put it over your eyes,
Feeling the buttery soft silk mask against your tired and heavy eyelids.
You take in a deep breath and then sigh it out.
You feel like you are in a safe pod,
Tucked in tightly,
Smelling the clean laundered fragrance of your pajamas and the fleece lining of your sleeping bag.
You feel all pressure points of your body as they connect with the solidity of the earth.
And you feel safe knowing how solid the ground is.
You feel a permanence,
The permanence of the planet and the permanence of the thread within you that links together all the connections and memories and experiences that have been celebrated by this perfect evening.
You allow yourself to drift,
Letting the sound of the rain transport you across the bridge to your sleeping life.
Floating along like the streams of rain that glide down the tent and into the earth,
You are letting go.
You are feeling a lightness in your chest as your breath becomes like that of a sleeping child.
With gentle sighs and deeper breaths in and out,
You are letting go,
Surrendering to sleep,
Surrendering to all that awaits you in your dreams,
That may give you deeper insights into what you need and what you desire.
And I am going to count you down,
So safe in the cocoon of a tent,
In the nature that surrounds you and helps you feel more alive and more connected.
The deepest of sleep awaits.
The evergreen fragrance on the damp air and smell of the clean rain cause you to breathe even deeper.
And I am going to count you down to sleep,
Drifting,
Letting go,
Going down,
Down,
Down,
10,
9,
8,
7,
6,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9,
10,
11,
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
17,
18,
19,
20,
21.
Finding peace,
Finding contentment,
Finding sleep,
It's time to dream away.
Good night.
