In tonight's sleep story for grown-ups,
Fall asleep fast in an ethereal realm.
You're listening to The Magical Fairy Forest.
Stevie Nicks once said,
There is always magic to be summoned at any point.
It's only those of us who choose to accept it that really understand it.
In this enchanted escape,
You visit with the four fairies of air,
Earth,
Water,
And fire.
They lead you to a cabin castle in the heart of the woods where you fall into a deep sleep.
So cuddle up and prepare for a sleepy adventure.
As the night summons all the magic your mind can conjure,
It's time to dream away.
Welcome to Michelle's Sanctuary.
I am Michelle and as you listen,
Think of me as a mystical guide who will connect you with a childlike innocence and creativity that exists deep within you.
Imagine my voice as the key that will unlock a treasure chest of discoveries and bliss before you fall asleep.
Relax in the sanctuary of your room and mind as I count us down.
5.
Take a slow,
Deep breath in through your nose.
The air becomes cooler,
Tinged with a scent of wild mint and damp moss.
Now exhale with a long,
Heavy sigh,
Making a sound if that feels nice.
6.
Feel your jaw and face soften,
Finding space.
4.
Inhale slowly as the silver mist of the forest slips into your room,
Carrying the ancient peace of the trees.
5.
As you let out a sigh,
Feel your shoulders drop and the tension leave your neck,
Dissolving into the mystical air.
3.
Breathe in the essence of the enchanted forest,
The smell of crushed pine needles and old cedar.
Exhale in a long sigh,
Letting relaxation flow like slow-moving sap down your arms and into your hands.
2.
Take in the stillness of the night as you inhale.
And as you sigh,
Feel your heavy legs sink,
As if comforted by a bed of plush moss.
1.
Ease your breath back to normal.
As you enter the world of make-believe,
It's time for the story to begin.
The peculiar thing about people who consider the make-believe to be silly is that they seem to have forgotten nearly everything in our mundane routines was made up by somebody.
Society has long been accepting of made-up endeavors that center around work and rules.
But what about the make-believe that inspires fun and lightheartedness?
What about the make-believe that simply feels good?
Deep in the heart of an ancient fairy tale world are secret woodlands that embrace the make-believe that brings peace,
Harmony,
And enchantment.
Long ago,
The forest fairies roamed the rocky coast,
Close with humans who befriended them.
But as the belief in magic began to wane,
The fairies retreated to a hidden forest,
Invisible to all those who did not believe.
They found pleasure in the mist,
Among their cherished trees,
The mossy forest floor,
And the diverse fauna that honored their presence.
Their wisdom was meant to be shared.
They remind us that humans belong to the earth,
Rather than the other way around.
Now,
Of course,
Many mortal dreamers would find their way here,
And some came to create a cabin castle deep in the woodlands.
A haven from the modern world and all its mechanics and cynicism.
The fairies took care of the beautiful cabin castle,
And with the blessing of their new human friends,
It became a refuge for dreamers,
A sanctuary for you tonight.
You get to the sanctuary in the easiest of ways,
The way a small child would imagine getting there.
A portal simply appears in your room and begins to glow.
You sleepily rise out of bed and drift across the floor,
Entering the sparkling portal to join the fairies in the woodlands.
As you step within,
You find yourself floating through a starry sky,
Over a glistening sea.
The celestial expanse is a velvety purple-black,
Sparkling with stars of hope.
As gravity pulls you down toward the sacred woodlands,
Aura,
The Fairy of Air,
Appears beside you out of nowhere.
She takes your hand before your feet brush the needled branches,
Helping you stay afloat in the air.
It soon becomes clear she wishes for you to learn how to fly on your own.
Aura lets go and you find yourself falling toward the forest once more.
She pantomimes for you to take in a deep breath during this moment of uncertainty.
You connect with the element of air and take the biggest breath you have taken in years.
When you exhale,
You feel so free that you begin to laugh.
This levity causes you to soar.
Aura inspires a lightness of being and freedom from heavy tasks.
The more joyful you become,
The lighter you feel in what becomes a delightfully soothing experience.
When you're ready,
You land on the blue-green mossy carpet of the forest floor.
As Hyacinth,
The Earth Fairy,
Prances toward you.
She leads you to the widest,
Oldest tree in the woodlands.
In her presence,
You appreciate everything that grows and thrives in the forest.
Your bare feet press into the mossy floor as you move in slow motion.
The feeling of gravity is soothingly exaggerated.
It reminds you that the Earth is your home.
You embrace the ancient tree and feel her story in subtle vibrations.
You feel rooted and grounded while also recognizing a sense of adaptability and flexibility.
Hyacinth whispers,
Love each tree,
Each plant,
Each animal,
And you will feel love.
Nurture what nurtures you,
My friend,
And the cycle will last a lifetime.
As you follow her down a winding forest path,
You feel a sweet heaviness in your legs.
Your steps landing softly on the peat.
You walk on the silver-black crags of the earth and feel their support.
They remind you of all that is solid within your body.
Your resilience,
Your bones,
Your inner fortitude.
Strong and enduring.
Hyacinth leads you to a cave that opens into a lagoon covered in opal mist.
In the center of the turquoise water,
You find Azure,
The Fairy of Water.
You glide across the glassy lagoon with her,
Learning to go with the flow.
Azure knows better than any fairy how to mimic the fluidity of water.
Being near her opens you to your emotions in a place that is safe to feel them all and ride the waves of the human experience.
Once more,
You are reminded that you are a sentient being.
She brings you beneath the lukewarm waters of a waterfall and you let the cascade wash over you.
It massages your body,
Starting with the crown of your head,
Down your shoulders and back.
She invites you to float along with her.
So you submerge yourself in the pool of water and float on your back.
Your fingers gently gracing the smooth stones of the shoreline as you drift,
Counting each one.
You feel even lighter in this healing lagoon than you felt taking flight.
Everything about this experience is soft,
Gentle,
And fluid.
You lose track of time as you float until you soon arrive at a narrowing of the lagoon,
Where a stream forms.
You float along as the water becomes cooler and the moonlight kisses your face.
It brings you to a field of lavender where Emberly,
The fire fairy,
Meets you on the shore.
She holds a small torch and guides you to a stone fire pit where a bonfire rages.
You stand close to the marmalade flames and notice how fast you begin to dry.
The water droplets evaporate from your skin and you savor the hot,
Dry feeling that replaces them.
Emberly invokes a sense of passion within you.
You feel warm on the inside and on the out.
The sacred fire brings hope to the dark,
Reminding you of the invisible sun within you.
She asks you to make a wish and blow out the torch.
You do,
Feeling completely passionate and alive as you make your wish.
You open your eyes to see all four of the fairies in a circle around you.
They guide you deeper into the forest,
To the cabin castle.
The castle blends the rustic simplicity of a treehouse with the grandeur of a medieval castle.
The interior within offers rustic chandeliers and A-frame ceilings.
The open air dwelling brings the aromas of the forest to your nose and the air coolly circulates through the night.
You are led to the east tower and a luxurious master suite.
White birch trunks form the four posts of the bed.
And out on a Juliet balcony,
A steamy bath awaits.
You step outside beneath the starry sky and cleanse yourself.
In the steamy water that smells of eucalyptus,
Your body becomes even more tired and relaxed.
And so you rise and towel off and return to the bedroom.
You change into cotton pajamas that still shimmer with fairy dust,
Recently cleaned in the stream and dried in the sun by the fairies.
You peel back the covers and pull yourself atop the plush mattress.
Your head sinks into pillows filled with cedar shavings.
And then the fairies appear in the skylights above you,
Wishing you the sweetest of dreams.
The magic of the night dances in your mind as you surrender to slumber.
Finding bliss.
Finding enchantment.
Finding sleep.
It's all part of you.
