Winter At the Witches' Cottage | Sleep Story For Grown Ups

Escape the modern world and reconnect with nature on a winter's walk through the woodlands in this fantasy sleep story. In this time for hibernation, you are nurtured by three witches who accept you for who you are and encourage you to manifest the life you desire. Each night, you sleep in a cozy alcove and bask in the light of the snow moon. When the full moon rises, you and the witches ride horses in a snowy clearing. It's time to dream away.

Transcript

An enchanted night of healing sleep and dreams await in this bedtime story and sleep meditation for grownups.

You are listening to Winter at the Witch's Cottage.

Winter conjures a yearning to hibernate and move slowly as you embrace the quietude in nature and hunker down.

In this magical time,

You return to the Witch's Woodland Cottage to set your intentions during the lunar cycle of the snow moon.

Enchanted souls are like a velvety night sky that serves as a dark backdrop for the stars to shine.

The Witch's offer a safe place to heal so you may confidently shine your light and be free of discouraging voices,

Including your own.

In the cozy alcove of the Witch's Cottage,

Restore yourself and grow stronger.

Beneath the full snow moon,

You ride horses on a snowy clearing and manifest your dreams.

So get cozy,

Cuddle up,

And prepare for this timeless adventure.

It's time to dream away.

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

I am Michelle and as you settle into this magical landscape,

You may think of my voice as that of a trusted friend on a journey through time and space.

As you listen,

You may find solace and serenity before crossing the bridge into your sleeping and dreaming life.

When you settle and feel safe in the sanctuary of your body,

Your mind opens to creative visions and insightful dreams.

You are the only priority right now.

Everything else may fade away.

Visualize unnecessary ideas turning into stardust and floating against the backdrop of a purple black sky.

Many thoughts are needless and not worthy of your attention.

So cast them away without care so you may focus on this healing journey.

Your dreamscape is a sacred place where anything is possible.

Your dreams offer a place of hope and deep inspiration so that you awaken in the morning feeling renewed and connected with your highest self.

Customize this experience in a way that resonates with your needs,

Whims,

And fancy.

There is no right or wrong way to do this.

There is simply the way that works for you.

Skip past the breathing exercises if you prefer,

Or use them to connect with your life force and body.

Breathwork makes you more open to receiving the messages of this tale.

If you fall asleep before the story ends,

That is okay.

Your subconscious mind may still tune in and you are always welcome to return and listen again.

Close your eyes if they are not closed already.

Your heavy eyelids are like lush velvet drapes drawn across your bedroom windows.

The world outside separates from the sanctuary of your room.

Just the same when you close your eyes,

You may go into your inner sanctuary,

Wiggle and get comfortable,

And then feel your body sink into your bed.

As you come to stillness,

Focus on the tingling sensation of being alive in this moment.

Feel the life force that regulates your body.

Open your mouth and sigh as if saying to the world,

I surrender,

I let go,

My peace is my birthright.

Inhale fresh air through your nose and let it fill the deep cavernous space of your belly.

Open your mouth and yawn.

In this sanctuary,

Yawning is a simple pleasure.

Yawn away without judgement.

The air cascades out in a sigh,

Surrendering to feeling good.

Take in your second sip of air and see if you may welcome more oxygen than your previous breath.

When you're ready,

Yawn,

Sigh,

And let go.

One more deep conscious breath.

Fill your ribs,

Your belly,

And expand.

You feel open when you yawn one last time.

This time,

Exhale the air through pursed lips as if blowing through a straw.

Travel as freely as your breath as the story begins.

Those who don't believe in magic will never find it,

But those who do are so used to discovering enchantment that they find it in the mundane.

A window covered in lacy winter frost that melts in the morning sun.

In oversized flurries and sparkling mica embedded in a sidewalk.

In rays of sunlight shining on butterfly wings.

In conversations between squirrels hoarding acorns in winter.

In the sweet smell of wood smoke trails across the frosty winter air at twilight.

In subtle changes in the body throughout a day or week or even the changes that come over a lifetime.

Magic is as present as you make it.

So itchers always knew this,

They knew all that one needed to heal could be found within.

The questions of a curious soul are answered in the darkness of night.

Of course it is easy in the modern world to get lost and go against one's inner voice to conform and meet the conditioning of the times.

This is not something the witches would ever endorse.

They wish that at the end of each person's life they may look back on a life of purpose,

Joy,

Freedom and service.

Through an ethereal landscape on a wintry night,

The witches sense your need to celebrate your individuality and reconnect with the most beloved parts of yourself.

Whenever you are invited to their cottage,

Memories of the sleeping alcove and enchanted forest come flooding back in a welcome stream of serene feelings of safety.

Blurred and dreamlike,

These memories are like those of early childhood.

Like watercolor renderings vibrant in color,

Sparkling and fluid.

You recall the smells of herbal tonics made from flowers and plants the witches foraged in the woodlands.

The cozy alcove in their cottage is a healing pod for deep sleep.

You recall the rustle of their elegant velvet frocks as they brushed softly against your skin when you pulled lavender and sage from the garden in summer.

You return to the witches when a crescent snow moon appears in the sky,

Visible in the late afternoon hours.

You walk on the sparkling packed snow and listen to it crunch beneath your feet.

The blanket of snow takes on the hue of cotton candy pink as a fiery sun sets beyond the mountain peaks that surround the woodlands.

The moon is like a sliver of a fingernail,

Dainty and slight.

The raspberry pink and tangerine clouds swirl around the delicate moon and cast it in pink.

And so the moon appears,

A pastel hue of peachy pink.

When you enter the forest,

You can hear a familiar whisper on the frosty breeze.

You are right where you belong.

It feels good to belong.

Feels good to be on target and feel you are doing well despite missteps and challenges that have been beyond your control.

You may have taken on too much,

But alas that is easy to do in modern times when one cannot easily escape a constant stream of news and information.

In the enchanted woods,

It is easy to be present,

To be undistracted and to reconnect with nature.

There is no judgement or implication of how things ought to be.

Peacoons and squirrels nest in the hollows of their chosen trees,

Not at all concerned with what is thought of their homes.

They gravitate towards what is safe and warm and cherish the protection from the whipping February winds.

A bird sings out its song with no concern of how it sounds,

For it was born to sing.

As you walk through the woods,

You wonder about what you would like to do and experience in this magical life that is uniquely yours.

When in the forest,

You are reminded to live life how you choose.

Your inner voice becomes louder and reminds you of what you like and what matters to you.

You are the only person to ever grasp what it is like to live through the traumas,

The milestones,

The challenges,

The blessings and the experience of being in your body.

And that journey is why you are here after all.

You no longer care to keep up with the speed of the modern world.

You no longer wish to feel that you are falling behind.

Because that's just an idea,

Not a fact.

The witches await your arrival certain that rest is deserved and that healing arrives in the moments of silence.

When the universe aligns with your intentions,

You need not work so hard.

And more is manifested in these times than in the points where you have strived or overworked yourself into misery.

Once led by the light of fairies,

The fairies now hibernate in their secret dwellings covered with a sheath of glittering ice.

You no longer need their guidance,

Having returned with your inner compass to guide you towards the heart of the woods.

Twigs snap beneath your boots,

Delivered to the forest floor on a windy night.

The trees have been stripped to their bones and their branches are covered with ice and snow that glow in pink and lavender hues as they reflect the sunset sky.

The winter reveals the resilience of deciduous trees.

The skinny brown branches reach for the sky like fingers grasping for the last rays of sunlight while the trunks and roots stubbornly grasp at the earth as if to say,

It's okay,

I am home.

Internally you understand the need to be rooted in a sense of safety and home while your heart and mind also long for more.

The sky becomes a deep navy blue and amethyst and the stars twinkle through the silhouette of winding branches.

The evergreen trees surrender to the weight of snow that coats their needles like vanilla frosting and tiny icicles dangle towards the ground.

In the summer months their piney fragrance is lush and overwhelming to the point you can taste it.

But in the snap of the cold,

Your olfactory system picks up subtle peppery and minty notes that marry the metallic smell of snow.

A red fox you have met before appears and this time feels like an old friend.

He always senses your arrival and has led you to the witch's cottage on prior trips.

And while he intuitively knows that you are wise enough to find your way,

He still appears to look after you.

It pleases you to have an unspoken exchange when you look into his copper eyes.

You feel warmed from head to toe by his welcome before he dashes off into the shadows.

The spicy sweet smell of burning wood and the smell of freshly baked bread overwhelm the muted smells of the frozen forest floor and clean air.

The witch's cottage glows from flickering candlesticks set on window sills and a roaring fire in the common area.

Bundled in your winter attire,

You are warm and comfortable.

Your muscles are tired in the best possible way.

For often they become tense when bracing in the cold.

But despite the heavy winter layers,

You feel light and carefree.

You have shed the invisible weight of your daily life and the conditioning and opinions of anyone but yourself.

A rustic wooden gate wraps around the cottage like licorice twists covered in snow.

Your gloved hand dusts off the snow of the door handle and icicles glow in glimmer like holiday lights.

Your inner voice becomes loud with these words.

This is my life.

I do what I want.

I am free to be whatever I want to be.

I am free.

I am free.

A smile forms on your face and the cold night air tingles your lips.

The witches like the fox sensed your arrival the moment your boots first crunch on the path through the forest.

The cottage door flies open and the three witches come running down the steps to the walkway.

Their long skirts dust the snow in a soothing swoosh.

The rustic gate door swings open and puffs of snow fall like explosive shimmering white clouds as they land on the ground.

The witches welcome you in a group hug and it is different than your earlier visits where everyone was more subdued and reverent.

You are one of the honorary coven members and trust has built over time.

You are no longer simply a visitor.

This is a homecoming.

One by one the witches press their hearts against yours and there is an electric exchange of energy that warms the center of love.

A loving sensation travels throughout your body.

Carla,

The oldest and sagest witch looks at you and says,

The world can be a weary place but we are here to take care of you so that you will leave renewed and revived.

You are led up the stairs into the warm embrace of the cottage.

The three witches help remove your layers and hang them on wooden hooks made from twisting branches.

In the forest nothing is wasted and the witches honor this in their daily lives.

The woodlands are quiet,

The thick snow of the thatched roof forms another layer of insulation.

Sound is absorbed by the snow.

The cottage is like a warm cave.

In the dry heated air the embers of the fire crackle and pop.

The dining table is set for dinner and overflows with a feast in your honor.

Your favorite dishes have been prepared and the fragrant aromas take you back to blissful memories.

The witches believe cooking is a form of sorcery with various concoctions that come together and bring tastes that transport you instantly with ingredients that give life and good health.

The dinner is festive yet languid.

Laughter and joyous conversation fill the cottage as you pick up where you left off on your last visit.

As midnight approaches,

You and the witches gather around the fireplace.

You hold a velvet satchel in your hand that you've used in the past to collect moments when visiting.

This purple satchel was gifted to you by the witches on your first visit.

Now it contains a folded list of your intentions that you scrawled out per the witches instructions on the first night of the new snow moon.

It's not very often,

And certainly not a daily experience,

That someone asks you what do you want?

But this is a question the witches are focused on,

Especially during this trip.

Cora the youngest of the witches is dressed in black and emerald green velvet.

Her red curls flow down her back and glow in the firelight.

She is the first to inquire about your intentions.

You unfold the paper and it is passed around.

You receive support from each witch.

Cora reacts with the exuberant gaze of a best friend who's known you for a long time.

Ava the middle sister sits demurely by the fire and smiles at you like a beloved teacher.

Carla the eldest specializes in spells for future goals and her gaze is maternal and worldly.

You are completely honest in writing down your intentions for your life and what you want because you know the witches would see through you.

They know when you're faking,

They know your authentic spirit.

When Carla lovingly looks at you,

Your confidence rises and you see the strongest version of yourself reflected in her glassy eyes.

The witches guide you to the window and you look out on the quiet night.

The sky glitters with stars and you see the crescent moon nestled between the silhouette of trees.

Each phase of the moon calls for a ritual and you will stay until the moon is full and high.

The waxing crescent moon on your first night gives a time for nurturing yourself and your ideas.

Feeling tired,

Ava leads you to the alcove.

The bed is made with a fluffy comforter illuminated by a silvery aura from the moonlight that pours through a skylight window.

Every night,

Weather permitting,

The moon will glow brighter.

On your first night you sleep soundly in a deep dream filled rest that lasts until noon.

You awaken and breakfast still waits for you as the witches go about their early afternoon chores,

Never scolding you or judging you.

They let you respond to your internal clock as you sleep in long spurts like a hibernating bear.

After breakfast you enjoy brisk walks by a frozen stream each afternoon.

The mountain air is so frigid that your eyes tear and the moisture in your nose freezes.

Everything feels crunchy.

You savor these sensations because they keep your attention focused on your physical being and your mind has no room for unnecessary thoughts.

Each walk becomes your daily meditation and somehow the red fox always anticipates your walk and meets you across the stream.

You walk at the same pace with the icy blue stream between you until you reach a frozen pond.

The fox will then dash off to its warm tree hollow and you return to the cottage.

From late day afternoons you lay down in the alcove and watch gold specks of dust shimmer in the sunlight as you drift into a nap.

Sometimes you don't awaken until after sunset.

You help the witches prepare dinner each night,

Gathering potatoes and vegetables and grains from the root cellar.

After dinner,

Always satiated and full,

You gather by the fire.

You all wear wool socks knitted by Ava and rest your feet so close to the flames they become hot.

And with your feet warm,

At midnight the witches lead you to a snowy clearing where you move your body beneath the moonlight.

Snow flurries float in the air and silvery white clouds block the moon.

But you move in a ritual anyway.

Your breath condenses on the wintry air.

The often overlooked clouds that float from your mouth become magic to you again.

Like the first times you ever saw your breath.

You are free to be silly in your movements,

To stretch your limbs and shake your torso in any motion that feels good.

Some nights you stand with your legs frozen in stillness and sway only your shoulders in the direction of the night winds.

It's amazing how much freedom you have in your body when you are in a place that is safe and nurturing.

The moon becomes brighter each night.

When the moon is a quarter,

Carla instructs you to take actions towards your intentions and you do.

You give power to your words and create new patterns in your day consistently.

Sometimes it's as simple as casting away any thoughts of doubt and imagining the life you desire.

Not tied to results.

You are caught up in the wonderful processes of learning and allowing.

One night the sky becomes the color of the dark blue ink that's at the top of the witch's desk in a tiny ceramic jar.

They use it to refill their fountain pens when journaling and writing manifestations.

More than half of the moon is illuminated and you feel it tug at you softly,

Urging you to continue to grow and change.

The moon has a pull on you,

Much like the pull it has on the sea.

You are welcome to invite a new version of yourself that the world has yet to see.

A version that you are excited to become.

One by one the witches file into the cottage and you stand with your feet firmly in the snow.

Clouds roll in fast and it begins to snow.

The white aura of the moon breaks through the translucent clouds.

Celestial snowflakes land on a heavy embroidered cape,

Loaned to you by Carla on the coldest nights.

You hear a wolf cry from the top of the mountain.

Her song echoes through the clearing,

Encouraging you to be brave and strong and to use your own voice.

The red fox appears at the edge of the clearing.

Like a spiritual guide,

He is always there to remind you that he is looking out for you.

As a deep wave of tranquility takes over you,

You are ready to return to the cottage with the understanding that your stay will soon be over.

But every day you grow stronger,

You feel more rested and relaxed.

Your body becomes light and fluid,

While your heart feels strong and your mind feels empowered.

Your heart rate is the lowest it has been in years.

You feel happy every day,

In tune with simple pleasures and free of internal conflict.

You let the past stay in the past.

You feel fulfilled and connected to your intentions.

You know this visit will stay with you for a long time.

And when you return to your normal life,

You will be changed in a way that the little things will no longer trigger you.

You will react calmly and your body will regulate itself with ease.

In preparation for the full moon,

You help the witches make pillar candles.

Between layers of hot liquid wax,

You place slips of paper with your intentions written on them.

You add sprigs of sage and clear quartz gemstones that look like small jagged pieces of ice.

At sunset you place the finished candles in a bow window at the front of the cottage to bask in the moonlight.

The candles burn throughout the night.

After a light meal,

The witches lead you towards a barn that houses four horses.

One chestnut,

One white,

One black,

And one silvery blue.

Their lustrous manes are adorned in long satin ribbons in a rainbow of colors.

You climb upon one of the horses,

While the three witches climb onto the others.

The full snow moon shines into the open barn door,

Beckoning you into the night.

The red fox curiously stands outside the barn and watches as the four of you trot out towards the snowy clearing.

The night is majestic,

And the snowy field reflects the vibrant moon.

Anything feels possible.

The wind blows against your face,

And the borrowed cape sails on the breeze.

Sixteen hooves pound into the soft snow,

And leave their prints as evidence that you were here.

You lap around the field in circles,

Laughing and smiling.

Flurries fall and melt on your lips and cheeks.

You feel your heartbeat and a delicious feeling in your lungs.

The feeling that comes after a fit of giggles and a night spent dancing without a care in the world.

The sky is your canvas,

Where you visualize all you want to manifest,

Now ready to receive all you have longed for.

You trust in the power of the full moon.

This night fills you with readiness and acceptance that you deserve to experience life to its fullest.

You deserve joy.

You deserve to see the dreams that were planted deep in your soul begin to sprout and grow.

Scott Stabeel said,

Don't worry if you're making waves just by being yourself.

The moon does it all the time.

You pause in the field,

Sitting proudly atop your horse,

And look at the full snow moon for one last time.

You bask in its light,

And the witches gather around you on their horses.

The night is quiet and calm,

And the loving eyes of the witches turn to you with deep wisdom and pride that you have come to a place of peace and acceptance.

And you are ready to return home.

The horses make their way back towards the barn,

Leading you instead of you leading them.

They rest in their stables atop a bed of fresh dry hay.

Back at the cottage,

The candles have burned down,

And your crystals remain,

Basking in the moonlight and charging.

The moonlight clears them of old energy,

And they are renewed.

The witches hug you fiercely one last time,

And encourage you to come back whenever you need to.

You know that they mean it,

And they have become a chosen family.

You climb up the wooden stairs for the last night that you will spend in the alcove.

You nestle into the bed,

Cloaked in the light of the full snow moon,

And you drift towards sleep.

This night feels different than the others,

And you imagine you are floating on a luminous white cloud,

As soft and translucent as gossamer.

You travel around the moon and through the stars,

Drifting deeper and deeper down into sleep and serenity.

Come morning you will awaken in your bed at home,

With the clear quartz crystals resting atop your pillow as proof that this was not just a dream.

But now,

In the comforting embrace of the night,

You surrender to sleep.

The red fox meets you in your dreams,

Guiding you towards visions of a life that you long to experience.

Each time the fox appears,

You realize you are loved,

You are never alone.

And I am going to count you down as you float between worlds and drift to sleep.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Finding peace,

Finding stillness,

Finding sleep.

It's time to dream away.

Good night.

Come morning you will awaken in your dreams,

Guiding you towards visions of a life that you long to experience.

You You You

Reviews

Thank you for this creative story. I slept well🥱

This was my first time ever trying a sleep story and it took a while for my body to relax and release tension but WOW this was incredible !!!! So detailed, so joyful, so magical and sweet. I absolutely loved it and will be returning. Thank you for this gift. My inner child was beaming with the remembrance of magic, imagination, and storytime. ❄️❄️❄️❄️

I love the white witches stories. There is a lot of variety from story to story that is wonderful, too, but I am usually asleep within 30 minutes.

Michelle, could you please point me towards the original story in which you first offer the “right now” suggestion? I listened to it some time ago but would like to refresh myself.

Thank you for providing these stories. I listen every night and they have become a favorite part of the things I do for my well-being. I really love to visit the places you describe.

If I may make a suggestion- please take us to Florence, Italy, Budapest, Hungary, Vienna, Austria, Cornwall, UK, and the wild, beautifull Oregon coast. Oh, and lots more trains, please.

While I’m gushing, I especially enjoy the Seattle houseboat, the Sweater Weather story (unusual and sweet), and all the Cozy Launderettes.

Your stories are a valuable gift and they are the reason I subscribe to this app. Thank you for your delightful work. -Amanda

I love your bedtime story sleep meditations. I never make it all the way through. But sometimes I wake up a little while later.
Thank you

I swear I never hear the end of Michelle’s bedtime stories. Very soothing.

As always, excellent! Thank you for helping me sleep.

Inspiring relaxing one of the best for sleep

LOVED this, thank you Michelle🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻Very empowering. Yesterday early morning, I thought I heard the whole story, yet this early morning, I picked up on the horses, that was a new, surprising element🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

love your sleep stories ..!!..

Love the witches and the moon light horse ride 💕

Love the sleep stories. Fell asleep during this one as usual. 🙏