The Horses In Autumn: A Sleep Story And Guided Meditation

Feel calm as you relax in this sleep meditation and bedtime story for grown-ups set in the rolling hills and peak fall foliage of Vermont. At a horse sanctuary, you ride a horse you have rescued, leading a herd of horses through the woods to a stream. The woods open into an apple orchard and you arrive as the sun sets. After tending to your horse, you fall asleep to the sound of fire crackling in the loft of a converted red barn. It's time to dream away.

Transcript

Fall into a deep sleep in tonight's story and guided sleep meditation set at a horse sanctuary in the pristine landscape of Vermont.

You will ride a horse through rolling hills of the valley surrounded by trees in peak autumnal colors and mountains before you are joined by other horses running free in the crisp evening air.

Immersed in nature,

You are carefree and happy as you come to an apple orchard.

The night rolls in and you find comfort in a converted barn full of cozy nooks and windows that look out on a small glassy pond covered in vibrant leaves.

It's time to dream away.

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

I am Michelle and I am here as your guide and ally to help you open the healing powers of your imagination as you self-soothe before sleep.

You are free to let go of my voice at any time you like.

You have earned this moment and are fully in control of where you allow yourself to be taken on this mental vacation.

So get cozy,

Cuddle up and find a safe place to fall asleep.

As you are settling in your bed,

Take in a deep breath and stretch if you like as you let that breath turn into a big yawn and then sigh it all out.

Take in another breath,

Perhaps the deepest inhale of the day and then blow it out through pursed lips.

Visualize that you are floating in the golden sky of fall,

Blowing your exhalation onto a landscape of rolling hills and changing leaves.

Your exhale creates a wind that rustles the jewel-toned leaves that are a wash in sunlight that appears like a coating of maple syrup.

You feel light as you join this scene and drift on this breeze floating through the air.

You see purple mountains in the distance that jut against the sky,

Offering protection to the valley.

You feel yourself drifting down into this landscape.

As easily and softly on the breeze as the plum and ruby red and topaz yellow leaves alongside you land on the wet earth.

Your feet gracefully land on a mulch path and you feel the soft decaying leaves beneath your boots.

You are wearing a trench coat that billows out like an open umbrella and you inhale the most majestic perfume of fall.

The air smells sweet from the breakdown of sugar in the decaying leaves and a soft mist lends a mineral fragrance.

You feel the mist on your lips and it trails through the landscape like a sheer curtain wafting on the crisp air.

You smell the faint yet comforting aroma of burning wood coming from one of the homes in the valley.

You walk along the tree-lined path,

Hearing a soft crunch beneath your boots as the colorful leaves continue to fall gently all around you.

Rays of sunlight cut through the spaces between the leaves and trees like golden spotlights on a stage.

You walk towards a white wooden fence that surrounds the horse sanctuary and hills that cascade like emerald waves.

The sanctuary property spans for acres,

Giving free range for the horses to roll through the hills and forests to a nearby stream and an apple orchard.

As soon as you approach the fence,

You feel her eyes on you.

She sensed your arrival before you landed and gallops towards the gate and stops before you.

Your eyes meet.

This is your horse.

The one you have nurtured and loved,

Remaining patient and kind until you earned her trust.

It took so much time,

But you stayed focused every day,

Uninching close to the bond that you now have.

And now you are hers.

She nays and you reach out and place your hands upon her muzzle as she moves in closer.

Her foreheads come together as you stroke her neck and smile.

The smile warms your face.

This warmth tingling and traveling all over your body in what is the purest exchange of love and mutual respect.

You have named her and her lustrous coat shines in the color that you have always imagined the horse of your dreams would have.

Your eyes lock for a moment and you admire her lush black lashes around her bulging dark eyes,

Already suited in her bridle and saddle by a farm hand.

She has been waiting for you to go for a ride.

She makes a soft,

Content snort as you hop over the fence,

Balancing on the grassy knoll.

You put your foot in a stirrup as you pull yourself up and mount her and find balance before your other foot slips into the stirrup.

Your hands clasp the thin reins and your horse takes off with your guidance down the rolling grassy hills.

You cut through the soft mist and taste the droplets that form on your lips.

You look to the majestic mountains as the orb of a metallic orange gold sun is lowering towards their purple black peaks.

The surroundings are like a jewelry case as the vibrant fall colors twinkle around you in a honey glow and a silver mist floats just above the earth.

And you ride between these waves of silvery fog and golden sunlight at first slow and then at a medium pace.

You trust your horse and she trusts you in an unspoken bond that could only develop over time.

The consistency of your actions and showing up for her every day created this connection and you feel grateful.

This moment would not exist without commitment and time and truly believing in one another.

The other horses have gathered in a herd.

Some are still wild in their ways,

But your horse brings a placid energy that helps soothe them.

As you encourage your horse to take off in a sprint,

The other horses begin to take off as well,

Trailing behind.

You feel part of a wild parade listening as the hooves of the horses pound against the earth and create vibrations that can be felt throughout the valley.

Your horse leads the way and you admire the white and chestnut and ebony horses that run just behind you.

The crisp breeze sweeps your hair back as your jacket billows.

Once floating on the breeze,

You now feel the power of cutting through it and outpacing it.

You watch the muscles of your horse flex,

Relishing the sensation of this powerful motion propelling forward,

Met with the staccato of hooves on the earth.

The sky is cornflower blue with shimmering lavender-edged white cumulus clouds like puffs of cotton.

You arrive at the woods and travel a wide path that slithers through the kaleidoscope of trees.

You look up and see the gold and fiery orange clusters of bright leaves that fall around you like flurries of colorful snow.

Delicate and graceful,

They land on the path and you hear a babbling brook in the distance.

Your horse slows down,

Her chest still heaving as like you she inhales the perfect fall air.

You take in a deep breath,

Feeling a tingling in your nose from the cool drop in temperature beneath the canopy of the trees.

The other horses have dispersed in the woods,

Some going ahead to their favorite place for a sip of water.

You guide your horse to the gurgling,

Silvery sapphire blue stream so she may take a sip as well.

The water trickles and flows gently over the glassy rocks.

These rocks have been smoothed over time,

The rough edges worn away,

Like time has worn away all the mistrust and resistance once felt by your rescued horse.

So you may now flow together through the beauty of the sanctuary.

You imagine what it feels like to be smoothed over time by a gentle flow of water,

By sensations of kindness,

Love,

Trust,

These gentle feelings that are available for you to experience in your waking life and may allow you to surrender to the beauty of being alive.

And that trust and love begins within,

With a self-care that comes from expeditions like this,

Immersed in nature and enjoying its magnanimity.

Your horse bows down to take a sip of the water and you take in a sip of the cool air.

The freshness of the mist rising from the stream tastes like a cold metal spoon.

The woods are becoming darker as the sun begins to set and the saturated hues of the leaves are now dark silhouettes against a pastel sky of cotton candy pink and orange sherbet streaks.

The other horses have ventured throughout the woods and will seek shelter when they are ready.

You guide your horse through the woods as the trees become more sparse,

As they open out onto the cultivated rows of an apple orchard.

You see a buck in the distance,

His felt-like antlers cast in a rosy pink hue from the sky.

Two does take off down a wide row of the orchard before they stop and begin to feast on the fallen red apples that pepper the lush green grass.

You guide your horse to the orchard before pulling her to a full stop.

You dismount feeling your boots land on the earth.

You remove her bit and bridle,

Carefully wrapping the leather straps over your shoulder.

You reach down for the perfect fallen apple,

Offering it to her in a flat palm.

Her eyes meet before she takes the apple and happily enjoys her favorite treat.

You reach down and grab the second best apple for yourself,

Biting into it and savoring the mouth-watering tang of the Honeycrisp varietal.

The shiny apple is in shades of soft reds and gold and is like a miniature orb depicting the colors of the sky.

Your mouth salivates as your teeth crunch into the apple's skin and ivory flesh.

You wipe the juice that drips down your chin.

You look around the orchard as you enjoy each bite.

The branches of the apple trees are gnarled and mystical as twilight sets in.

The sky begins to darken as the silver fog slips in again,

Coating the land in a mystical shimmer.

An owl hoots its nocturnal song from a nearby tree and the crickets chirp all around you.

The cold air of nightfall has a bite to it.

You finish the apple long after your horse has finished hers and you walk towards a stable in the near distance.

She follows close behind in this familiar march home with the loyalty of a puppy.

The other horses are given the same freedom of choice each night.

To roam the woods or hills or to seek refuge in the sheds throughout the many acres of the sanctuary.

Your horse has always enjoyed the stable and so you guide her to a stall in the wooden structure that smells of sweet hay.

You remove her saddle and hang it in the stable near her bridle.

You offer her hay and water,

Feeling again the love that comes from caring for someone that matters to you.

Before you say good night,

You take her muzzle again in your loving hands and your forehead's touch.

You kiss above her cheek and scratch behind her ears before you leave the stable.

You step out into the night and look at the velvety black blanket of stars as the moon begins to rise.

Not quite full,

The moon illuminates the puffy clouds that surround it as it emerges,

Shining pearly light on the craggy branches of the apple trees.

You follow a dirt path from the stable that leads to a multi-story red barn that has been converted into your home.

Between the stable and the barn is a small pond.

A dark green canoe rests on the rocky shore.

The water of the pond is dark beneath the mist of the fog,

Appearing like shiny onyx in a silver ring.

The perimeter of the pond is surrounded by maple and willow trees.

Their leaves are still a rich red in the darkness of the night.

The willows rustle as they sashay on the breeze.

Like miniature rafts,

Loose maple leaves float on the ripples made on the pond by the night air.

For a moment you are entranced by their hypnotic movements.

You begin to feel quite tired.

Your body coming down from the adventures of the day.

You look ahead to see the barn.

Built over a century ago,

It has been restored into the perfect dwelling for relaxing with lofty ceilings and windows that look out on the splendor that surrounds you.

You walk towards the front door and open it to be instantly greeted by a cat.

She is purring and rubs against your boots as you step inside and feel the warm,

Dry air.

You stand on the welcome mat and flip a switch to turn on the golden lights that hang from exposed wooden beams nearly two stories overhead.

The converted barn has retained an openness with high ceilings and triangular windows that look out on the starry night sky on one side of the home and onto trees and the pond at the other end.

The wooden beams of the walls are the color of clover honey,

Warm and inviting.

You remove your boots and hang your jacket on a hook on the wall.

The barn smells of mauled apple cider.

You walk towards the kitchen with its vintage appliances and deep farmhouse sink.

There is a small crock pot that keeps the cider warm.

You grab a ladle hanging from a hook behind the rustic cast iron stove and use it to pour the sweet elixir into an oversized ceramic mug.

A cinnamon stick comes with a caramel brown steaming liquid and you watch it float in the mug like a raft on a lake.

It is as entrancing to your sleepy eyes as the maple leaves floating on the pond that you can see through the kitchen's window.

You take the mug to the living area and sit on a well-worn sofa that is covered in an afghan that was crocheted by someone who loves you dearly.

You nestle into the cushions,

Wrapping the blanket around yourself and inhaling the aroma of the hot cider.

You take a sip,

Once again savoring the intense bouquet of sweet and tangy apple that coats your tongue.

You watch the flames lick the glass door of the wood stove as they flicker and engulf a log.

You listen as the wood pops and crackles as the soft wind whips around the barn.

You rest the mug on a coffee table made of reclaimed wood that sits on a hand-loomed rug.

A photo of you and your horse is in an antique frame that is positioned in the middle of the coffee table.

You pick it up and look at yourself,

Beaming with happiness.

Your eyes are lit up like sparklers.

Your smile is wide and one of your arms is draped around the neck of your horse in a cuddle.

The candid picture captures you at your most joyous and proud.

It captures your horse at her most relaxed.

How lucky you both are to have found one another.

You set the photo back down and sink into the couch.

The cat hops on the afghan that wraps around you.

He begins to knead your leg,

Purring contently,

Careful to withdraw his nails as he massages your thigh.

You admire his ability to self-soothe,

Noting how he soothes you as well.

You feel your eyes becoming tired and look to the lofts overhead.

There are many sleeping nooks in the barn,

Cut out of the unique angles and design,

And you have a choice of places to sleep.

You decide on the loft overhead,

Where you can hear the leaves fall on the skylights above a king sized bed.

You rise and walk towards the wooden steps that lead to the loft.

You turn off the lights so the barn is illuminated by the moonbeams that shine through the numerous windows and the soft orange glow of the wood stove.

You feel as if you are floating up the stairs and a cat runs ahead of you,

Sprinting up each step.

You listen to her patter.

You lazily glide one step at a time,

Rising higher and higher.

You reach the landing and walk back into the sleep nook,

Feeling like a bird atop the trees,

Ready to nest for the night.

You see an antique white bed frame that has been part of this farm for as long as the barn has been here.

It was made new again,

Restored and made larger to accommodate a king sized mattress that awaits you.

You remove your clothes and take a pair of folded pajamas from an antique wooden dresser.

They are stored beneath a sachet of dried lavender grown on the sanctuary's land.

The sleep inducing smell relaxes you as you change into the soft cotton pajamas.

You walk to the bed and pull back the covers,

Climbing beneath the weight of a quilt.

The sheets feel cool,

But warm quickly as you tuck yourself in and the cat nestles within a crook in your legs.

You appreciate his warmth and the vibrations of his soft purring as he falls asleep.

Your head sinks into the pillows that form perfectly around your neck.

You look up through the skylights and see the remnants of the harvest moon and stars twinkling behind a veil of wispy grey clouds.

You take in a deep breath and exhale as all the sweet memories of the sanctuary come to you.

You find refuge in this joyous rewind.

You feel grateful for this bed and for being alive.

You feel thankful for the love and bond you have formed with animals that simply requires showing up and connecting.

It was worth every bit of effort and every moment you invested to give you such splendor and trust.

And as you are ready to float away towards the slumber that awaits you,

You may allow visions of autumn's beauty and the freedom of horses running through their own sanctuary to enliven your dreams and warm your heart.

Feeling the warmth in your heart now,

Burning as brightly and consistently as the flames of the wood stove.

And I am going to count you down towards a night of healing sleep that you have so rightfully earned and deserve.

Ten Nine Eight Seven Six Five Four Three Two One Ten Finding bliss.

Finding rest.

Finding healing.

Finding peace.

Finding sleep.

It's time to dream away.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Reviews

A gentle and positive story. Thank you, I slept well..

I loved riding my horse & that feeling of freedom. Thank you for another beautiful & relaxing sleep story.

I love this, it is my go to when I need to fall asleep, I love horses and I am very visual, so this was incredible for me. Thank you so much. 🐎🐴😀😃😄😁😆🥹😅😂🤣🥲☺️😊😍🥰😌😤😘😗😙😚😋😛😝😜🤪🤪

😊 thanks

Millie❤️❤️❤️❤️

Great relaxing story. I had no problems falling asleep. 😴

Thankyou so much for another wonderfully written and beautifully told story. You have become a regular part of my sleep routine, your descriptive abilities and knack of giving feelings of a motherly comfort and soothing is slowly but surely changing my negative dreams to a much more positive place. Thankyou so much, this is a problem I have dealt with for many years and hope to see the end of completely. 😁❤

Love that she let us decide the color of the horse. Beautifully descriptive.

Absolutely beautiful I didn’t even hear the end. Will be a favourite for sure.

I fell right to sleep. I haven’t had that much sleep and this worked like magic.

Thank you, Michelle 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻Beautiful story. Since it is full moon, I heard it completely, and I am still awake, and that’s OK🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Stunning. I have a dream to be able to ride a horse one day, I just have to overcome the fear.

Love this story too. 😊
🙏