8 Hours Continuous Voiced Sleep Meditations & Talk-Downs

This eight‑hour audio experience is created to stay with you through the whole night. Rick’s voice continues gently from start to finish, guiding you through a sequence of sleep visualisations and bedtime stories crafted to help you unwind, drift off, and remain peacefully asleep.

It’s designed to support anyone who struggles with rest, including those who find sleep especially elusive.

This long‑form guided journey is suitable for most listeners, particularly those living with insomnia or disrupted sleep patterns. A guided sleep meditation or story offers an easy, calming way to settle the mind, ease tension, and move toward deep, restorative rest.

Transcript

Welcome to this relaxing guided sleep talkdown,

Specifically designed to accompany you throughout the entire night.

A spoken voice will continue for the entire duration of the recording,

Which is 8 hours long.

During this time,

An entire series of guided visualisations and stories will be narrated,

Each designed to help you relax,

Fall asleep and stay asleep.

Before you begin this recording,

Make sure you are ready for sleep,

Is there anything you need to do before you go to bed?

If so,

Pause this recording and come back to it when you are ready.

So,

If you are ready,

Lets begin.

Ensure that you are comfortable,

Neither too hot nor too cold,

Close your eyes,

Breathe in deeply through your nose and feel your abdomen expand.

Now breathe out slowly through your mouth and feel your abdomen contract.

Do this a few times and then allow yourself to fall naturally into a relaxed and comfortable breathing pattern.

Feel your muscles relax and any tension drain away as your breathing slowly moves you into a calm and relaxed place.

You are sitting on a comfortable chair on an area of grassland.

You can smell its warm baked hay scent as if it has soaked up a day of summer sunlight.

It cradles your bare feet softly.

The air is still warm as it brushes against you and in the distance,

You can hear leaves rustling in the breeze.

The last colours of the sunset are fading from a clear sky,

Leaving a glowing strip of light on the rim of the world.

The light fades slowly until the sky is a deep dark blue and the first stars begin to gleam.

First you can see the brightest stars,

The visible planets.

Some sparkle with a reddish tint,

Others are blue or frosty white.

They pulse like hearts in the dark,

Opening up the sky.

As the night deepens,

The stars begin to shine with their full glory,

Weaving a net of jewels across the sky from horizon to horizon.

You see constellations gliding in their eternal dance,

The bright gleaming path of the milky way as it makes its stately way across the arc of the night.

It is brilliant,

Breathtakingly beautiful.

In the great silence that comes over the earth,

You imagine you can hear the stars singing,

High clear in human voices,

Like the chime of crystals in some far off place.

As you watch,

A shooting star burns its way across the night,

Vanishing in a bright flash.

Then comes another,

And yet another,

Enough to grant a thousand wishes.

They plunge like divers to be consumed by the earths atmosphere,

Creating beauty even as they burn out.

You feel as the stars turn the night into a white blaze,

That you are truly a part of this vastness,

That the earth,

The planets,

The sun,

Are all bound to the immensity of the galaxy and the universe beyond.

You are filled with awe,

But also a sense of connection that is comforting.

You feel as if you are expanding,

Your consciousness unfurling across the star field,

Yet you are also embraced by the earth,

Safe and secure.

The light pours into you,

White and mysterious,

And you feel it soaking into your body,

Refreshing summer rain,

Yet so calming.

The night marches on,

With its pageant of turning stars,

Endlessly beautiful,

As you drift deeper into the night,

And feel the clean fresh air entering your lungs,

Exhale hot,

Tense air.

Allow your whole body to relax as you feel the cool,

Refreshing air entering your lungs.

Take another deep,

Refreshing breath of cool,

Clean air,

And exhale slowly,

Allowing any tension to leave your body through your breath.

Give your mind the opportunity to slow down.

During this calming process,

It is completely normal to experience thoughts and internal mental chatter.

You don't need to interact with your thoughts,

You can just watch them come,

And watch them go.

If you have something on your mind,

Or are experiencing persistent thoughts,

That's ok too,

Just allow yourself to set those thoughts to one side for now,

Noting that you can deal with them another time.

Think of this whole process as a gift,

A gift to yourself,

And a gift to your mind.

This is a gift that will bring you a higher state of calmness and clarity of thought in your day to day life.

Take another deep,

Relaxing breath,

Inhaling cool,

Refreshing air.

Now,

Just breathe normally,

With a calmness of mind,

Body and spirit,

And an intention of deep,

Deep relaxation.

As you drift deeper and deeper into this calming state,

Notice how your entire body is becoming more and more relaxed.

Feel the wonderful sense of deep relaxation.

You are standing within an arrangement of ancient stones,

A column of brilliant energy rises up to the vast,

Glowing seep of the milky way.

An orb of energy blooms before your eyes,

Growing stronger as if gathering power from these monoliths.

In this place of ancient power,

You may ask of the universe any questions in your mind.

Send your thoughts toward the orb,

And allow the light to bathe your mind.

The orb gradually starts to ascend towards the star field overhead,

Carrying your questions with it.

Stillness falls upon the stones,

Fireflies gleam among them,

As if mirroring the stars overhead.

It seems to be waiting,

Anticipating,

Like an indrawn breath.

As if in answer to the waiting,

Shining figures take shape,

Some higher form of wisdom perhaps,

Allowing you to see it.

You may feel a sense of recognition,

As if they are friends you have not seen in a long time.

The questions you have sent out into the universe are now being answered.

You may interpret the answers in dreams,

In something you read,

See or hear,

But be assured the answers will come to you.

You are connected to this vast,

Eternal wisdom that has come to you in this ancient,

Powerful place.

Absorb the energy,

The knowledge,

The promise of answers that will aid you in your life,

Guide you on your path.

All around you,

Power radiates in the luminous night air.

You are at one with the stones,

The brilliant stars,

The cool night air and the ground beneath you.

You stand radiant and strong,

Wise and light filled as the figures leave,

Having accomplished what they came here to do.

The galaxy shines and the fireflies glimmer,

And you rest in your enlightenment,

Knowing all will be well.

There is no feeling of time passing,

Just the beauty of the moment,

And you become that moment.

And slowly,

Sink into absolute peace,

Into sleep.

Imagine yourself sitting or lying in a beautiful garden,

You are wearing light summery clothing that is extremely comfortable.

The weather is perfect,

A cloudless sky sits above you with just a very slight haze.

You can feel the wonderful sensation of the sun's heat soaking into you like a warm blanket.

Notice how relaxed and at ease it makes you feel,

The tiniest movement of air dances against your bare skin.

It barely qualifies as a breeze,

But it's just enough to keep you at the perfect temperature.

The only sound you can hear is the pipe of birdsong all around you,

And the trickle of water from the natural stream nearby.

It is so peaceful,

So relaxing to just be,

To allow yourself the opportunity to just sit or lay there,

With no agenda,

Nowhere else to be,

Nothing else to do.

It's just you enjoying a wonderful moment with nature,

All nature to look after you.

Feel it's wonderful warmth embracing your whole being,

Smell the sweet delicate scent of the flowers all around you,

Uplifting your mood,

Raising your vibration,

Feel the rich oxygen from all the green plants and trees filling your lungs,

Cleansing and renewing you from the inside.

Take a deep breath of this elixir of life,

And notice how wonderful it makes you feel.

Take a moment to appreciate how the sun kissing your bare skin is allowing your amazing body to produce all the vitamin D it needs,

Keeping you healthy and safe,

Allow yourself to just bask in a feeling of wellbeing and complete relaxation.

It is so peaceful,

So relaxing to just be,

To allow yourself the opportunity to just sit or lay there,

With no agenda,

Nothing else to do.

It's just you enjoying a wonderful moment with nature,

Allow nature to look after you,

Feel it's wonderful warmth embracing your whole being,

It is so peaceful,

Smell the sweet delicate scent of the flowers all around you,

Uplifting your mood,

Raising your vibration,

Feel the rich oxygen from all the green plants and trees filling your lungs,

Cleansing and renewing you from the inside,

Take a deep breath of this elixir of life,

And notice how wonderful it makes you feel.

You are walking down a narrow road,

It is just wide enough for one vehicle,

But there are no cars on it,

This is the road that leads to your house,

The verges are thick with grass and dotted with flowers,

It is evening and a few rabbits have come out to nibble at the grass in the quiet,

They hop a little away seeing you,

But they do not run and soon settle down again,

To your left,

Gentle hills pour along the skyline like gentle waves,

To your right,

The land slopes down toward a peaceful sea,

Bright with sunset,

You can see a few other houses dotted about,

A cluster of roofs from the village a little way away,

You pass a gate into a field,

A path bordered with wildflowers wanders across the field to a nearby wood where you often walk,

The road rises to cross a stream,

And you stop for a moment to look down into the water,

Blooming in glassy sheaths over tumbled boulders,

Ferns lush and cool looking nod their green fronds over the bank,

Trees patch the road with shadow,

Then those patches of light melt away as cloud spills across the sky,

The wind rises a little,

Streaming through the branches,

There will be no storm,

Just a night of mild gusty winds and perhaps a little rain,

You quicken your pace,

Just along the road is your house,

It is set back from the road amid quite peaceful gardens,

You let yourself in the front door and take a moment to appreciate your perfect home,

The decor,

The walls,

The floor,

The colours,

The fabrics and scents that make this place your own personal haven,

You walk into your sanctuary room,

With everything within that creates such a peaceful atmosphere,

A small fire already crackles cosily behind its fire guard,

As the light grows dimmer,

It becomes brighter,

A warm centre point of the room,

Although it is not cold,

There is a great comfort in the dancing flames,

You sit down on the recliner and make yourself comfortable,

Pulling a soft throw over yourself,

You stretch and then let yourself relax,

Outside you can hear the wind in the trees a little stronger now,

A mist of rain dots on the glass of the window,

You listen to the rustle of the leaves and under that sound the deeper sway of the branches,

The two sounds meld to create a soothing music,

As the light begins to fade,

You let your limbs grow heavier,

More relaxed,

As if the wind is brushing all tension away,

Here in this place you might be a million miles away from the rest of the world,

Perfectly sheltered,

Quite safe,

The small beach of pale sand,

The sea beyond,

All seem to embrace and protect your house and yourself,

When you are here,

You are calm,

Quiet,

Connected to the stillness within your soul,

Your sleep is always deep and rejuvenating and you wake feeling restored,

Like a leaf drifting toward the ground,

You feel sleep spreading through you,

Your mind is relaxing along with your body,

From the tips of your toes all the way up to the crown of your head,

It feels as if you are melting into tranquility,

You feel warm,

Utterly comfortable,

The wind blows its lullaby around the house,

Through your mind,

Listen to these quiet words amidst the wind as you begin to fall asleep,

Everything is going to be alright,

You are perfectly safe,

You will come through this time,

You will be fine,

You will do what you wish to do in life,

You will be well,

Make plans for the rest of your life,

You will enjoy all the days to come,

Everything is going to be alright,

You are perfectly safe,

You will come through this time,

You will be fine,

You will do what you wish to do in life,

You will be well,

You will enjoy all the days to come,

Everything is going to be alright,

All will be well,

You will probably still have thoughts or mental chatter going on in your mind,

But that's perfectly ok,

It's completely normal and absolutely fine,

Just think those are thoughts,

They just come and go,

In time,

As you continue to listen to my voice,

They will eventually fade into the background,

Where you won't notice them so much,

If a thought does come,

Observe it as if you are outside of it,

This immediately puts you into the present and gives you control,

Then as if you are giving it a push,

Send it away,

It is very possible you may fall asleep during this talkdown,

Or you may just experience a profoundly deep state of relaxation,

It really doesn't matter which,

What's important is to understand that every moment you are engaged with this recording you are experiencing rest that will benefit your body and your mind,

Giving them a time of intentional focused relaxation.

We'll begin a short breathing exercise known as 4-7-8,

Which has a naturally calming effect on the nervous system.

Inhale through the nose to a count of 4,

Hold to the count of 7,

And then exhale through the mouth to a count of 8.

If you can't reach these numbers,

Don't be concerned in any way,

Just do what is comfortable.

This time is for you,

And every moment will benefit both your mind and your body.

Continue with this breathing exercise a short while,

That's in through the nose for a count of 4,

Hold for a count of 7,

Exhale through the mouth to a count of 8.

That's in through the nose for a count of 4,

Hold for a count of 7,

Exhale through the mouth to a count of 8.

With your eyes closed,

Feel your body begin to grow heavy and relaxed.

Beginning at your feet,

Imagine any tension draining away,

This sensation slowly moves up to your thigh and lower stomach.

Imagine any stiffness or tension just draining away,

It's as if you have been sitting in a warm spa bath.

Just give yourself a little more time to enjoy that state of gradual calming that has been spinning fast and is now slowing down,

Just drifting.

Focus again on your breathing,

The simple and wonderful act that most of us do without thinking.

Sometimes in relaxation like this,

Thoughts may enter your mind,

Or you may see images.

If this happens,

Without interacting,

Just make a mental note of them and set them aside,

Where you can deal with them another time.

Healing is spreading light throughout your body.

You sit in a peaceful room,

Outside you can hear the sound of wind in the trees.

Just listen to it for a moment,

And then begin to relax,

From your toes,

Upward,

Gently stretching and moving each body part to relieve tension.

Gradually move up to your calves,

Gently stretch them,

Then slowly move on without hurrying to your thighs.

Just imagine warmth flowing into them,

Making them soft and relaxed.

Scan on upward through your whole body,

Relaxing and gently stretching each muscle.

There may be areas with more tension than others,

Such as the jaw or shoulders.

If you can flex any part,

Then gently do it,

If not,

Just envisage warmth and softness flowing into it.

Place your attention on the breath that moves in and out of your nostrils,

If you are breathing through your mouth,

Focus your attention there.

Listen to the sound of the wind,

And the affirmations that will now be spoken,

Allowing them to sink into your mind.

If you want,

You can repeat them silently to yourself,

Or just listen.

Things are getting better every day.

Things are wonderful.

I live in the expectation of great things happening.

I am healing all the time.

Here and now my body is healing.

At this moment,

Health is happening in my body and mind.

I allow myself this time for healing.

Green is a healing colour.

Think of a warm green light bathing you from head to toe.

Sinking into every cell of your body.

Wrapping you in a wonderful healing glow.

It is powerful.

But also gentle.

Like being wrapped in a soft blanket or duvet.

You lay within its healing energy,

Safe and secure as these new affirmations are spoken.

I am rebalancing now.

I am reenergizing now.

There is harmony of mind and body.

I give myself up to peace and healing energy.

I feel wellness in my body and mind.

I rest within peace and comfort.

I give myself up to tranquility and gentleness.

Just enjoy the tranquility of being in this deeply relaxed state.

Let yourself gently rest within the light and warmth.

As you listen to the sound of the wind and slowly,

Softly drift toward a peaceful and healing sleep.

The meditation takes you into a quiet park.

The grass is cut damp with dew.

And there are still a few autumn flowers blooming there last.

Small paths wind through trees.

A creek.

Small ponds.

The leaves glow yellow,

Burned bronze and scarlet.

Red berries glean on bush and shrub.

The air is still,

With a faint mistiness through which the sun glows.

You walk slowly along one of the paths,

Just taking your time.

Further away,

You can see a few other people,

Walking their dogs,

Jogging,

Or just strolling as you are.

The path curves past a small pond.

There is a tree beside the pond,

Its leaves burning with autumn colour.

And underneath it is a wooden bench.

You sit down on the bench,

Take a few breaths of the air,

Rich with the scent of fall,

The gentle fading of the year before you.

And enjoy its winter sleep.

From somewhere,

A garden or elsewhere in the park,

Comes the faint smell of wood smoke from a bonfire.

On the pond,

Two ducks paddle and dip.

Fallen leaves pattern the water like brocade.

There is barely any wind today,

But still they are letting go.

Drifting down.

Nature knows when its time to let go,

Before rest and rebirth in the spring.

Landing on the seat beside you.

You pick it up,

And consider those things that you,

Too,

Wish to let go of.

When another leaf drifts down,

You imagine it carrying one of those things that you want to release.

Take a moment to consider,

And from a calm distance,

The things you don't emotionally need,

The feelings that will make you feel lighter when you let go of them.

You need not think of them too deeply,

Or become entangled with them.

Try to see them as the leaves.

They have grown out of you and your life experience,

But they can also be detached if you are kind and patient with yourself.

Your eyes follow the fall of another leaf.

Imagine setting one thought or emotion within it and letting it fall away,

Easily to the ground.

There it will decay,

Go into the earth and trouble you no more.

You listen to the gentle patter as the leaves fall,

Some patterning the water,

Others the grass.

Let your unwanted emotions fall like these leaves.

Without stress or effort,

Begin to let them go,

Give them up,

There is a great sense of release in it.

Sit for a moment in the calm peace,

Just breathing.

Just as the trees can now begin to sink into winter slumber,

You can also rest,

Waiting for the spring.

For new and more positive experiences to grow out of your life.

You get up from the bench and slowly walk out of the park.

Along the small street,

Houses are lit as dusk begins to set in,

Although the sky to the west still burns brightly.

You reach your own house,

Welcoming,

Cosy,

Beautiful,

Your own haven of peace and quiet.

You take off your coat and make yourself a drink,

Taking it to sit in your favourite room.

You light some candles and their warm glow adds to the comfort.

The crockpot will be ready and you can eat,

But for now,

You drink and relax,

Sitting back.

Leaves are falling past the window as the light outside fades into a misty dusk and you close your eyes and drift,

Warm and comfortable,

Toward sleep.

You are standing on a narrow lane,

Winding towards a village tucked among trees and hills.

The trees flame with autumn gold,

Scarlet and bronze,

And red berries gleam on branches of yellowing leaves.

There is no wind and a very faint mistiness to the air seems to make the colours glow more vividly.

You walk along the lane,

Breathing in the sense of autumn,

The gentle,

Sweet decay that heralds the fall of the year.

You smell wood smoke from cottage fires and chimneys that rises straight into the windless air.

A small pond appears on your right,

Brilliant leaves scattered upon its dark surface.

As you watch,

A few others drift silently down.

You sit for a while on a wooden bench,

Watching the soft ripple of the water,

The floating leaves,

Bright as brocade.

You can hear the soft lowing of cattle and,

Further away on the hills,

The bleating of distant sheep.

From somewhere comes the rhythmic sound of someone chopping firewood.

You let yourself relax,

Listening to the quiet day to day sounds of the village and the countryside around it.

The day is darkening as you get up again,

And the lights of the cottages glow warm through their windows.

On one windowsill,

A kitten sleeps,

Curled up and content.

The door of a small shop is open and a welcoming light streams out.

Some of the cottage porches are decorated for autumn with garlands,

Lights,

Carved pumpkins.

Your feet brush through the crispness of fallen leaves.

All around you,

The gentle hills cup the village like a protective embrace,

Their woods ablaze with colour.

The last song of the birds is sweet and poignant as the dusk draws in around you.

You come to a gate and push it open,

Following the path up to your own house.

It welcomes you with lamps lit beside the door and set in lanterns on the porch.

Warm air encloses you as you step inside.

A fireplace crackles cheerfully.

You make yourself a hot drink and take it out to sit on the porch,

Wrapping your hands around the cup,

Breathing in the scent before sipping.

There is a silence in the misty twilight that is profound.

The world held poised for a while,

Between day and night.

With a sound like a sigh,

A few leaves skitter across your porch.

The weather is changing and the trees respond to the first touch of the rising wind.

Near and far their coloured leaves rustle,

Tugging at the branches as the breeze rises.

It touches your face,

Sweeps across the village and the valley,

Stirring the light mist,

Brushing it away like a broom.

As you watch,

You see the clouds begin to flow and then the candle glow of the rising moon shows through,

Full and huge.

The wind strengthens,

Breaking the clouds into mottled shoals,

Shivering the trees.

A hunter's moon that blinks down at you through the clouds' ragged edges.

It rides the storm like a galleon.

After a time,

You finish your drink and step inside,

Listening to the storm outside as you sit before the fire.

The flames weave and dance,

Comforting,

Warming you as you close your eyes and drift gently into sleep.

You are standing under an archway looking into the lingering twilight of a tranquil garden.

In the dusk,

The flowers seem to glow with an internal light and their scent drifts into the air like the distillation of a summer evening.

Water falls somewhere,

A cool,

Gentle sound.

The grass is short,

Soft under your feet like a bed of velvet.

You pass under an arch of white roses.

Ornamental paths lead in different directions,

Each of them inviting exploration.

You pause for a moment and choose one at random.

The air does not seem to grow darker as you walk,

Rather it takes on a luminous,

Liminal quality as little drifts of mist form over the grass.

You walk through them,

Watching the vapour swirl and part,

Silky and nebulous.

Ahead of you is an arch cut into the wall,

A fountain and stone seat in the opening.

No water flows from the fountain and beyond you can see the dim line of a forest,

The treetops black against the stars.

You sit down on the stone bench.

From the forest comes the note of a nightingale,

A bird of deep woods.

The sound is resonant and seems to add to the quiet magic all around you.

There is a glimmer of light from the fountain.

You think for a moment that the water is beginning to flow,

But what rises from the stone is glittering light.

It rises and falls back,

The motion like that of a fountain but made out of tiny globes of glittering radiance.

As you watch,

A great peace and calm comes over you.

Slowly,

You stretch out one hand into the light.

It feels warm,

Almost like little bubbles bursting against your skin,

Gentle but with a sense of power,

Of electricity.

There is an immense strength to it,

Yet a gentleness too,

Like being wrapped in warmth and protection.

Your mind feels as if it is gaining a deeper awareness,

Like a locked door beginning to open.

The light that dances on your hand feels like an intelligent force.

Every grass blade,

Every flower petal,

Every open leaf is lined with a soft aura.

Blue the mist lifts and whirls into shapes,

Like graceful dancers trailing long hair.

The energy moves up your arm,

To your shoulder,

Spreading slowly through your chest.

It seems to sweep away all weariness.

You feel as if you slept,

But are now awake.

It feels familiar,

You think,

With sudden insight,

Because the energy within you recognises it,

And the two seem to link,

To meld.

You raise your hands to look at them,

And your skin seems radiant,

Bright.

You consider the truth behind this,

That what you thought was other,

An energy outside you,

Is in fact the same as the energy within you,

That you take for granted,

Or perhaps never think of at all.

You just sit for a moment,

As this energy blends with your own,

Feeling it as warmth,

As light,

As a thousand possibilities of healing and enlightenment.

You slowly rise to your feet,

And walk across the grass,

To where the mist swirls.

It seems to form the shape of dancers,

Robes and hair shimmering.

You step among them,

Feeling the energy of them,

Not human,

Something ancient and wild,

Like fire,

Or the sea.

And yet,

It is part of the same energy that runs in you,

Simply manifesting itself in a different way.

Now that you understand that,

You see the garden in a different light.

Every flower,

Grass or stone,

Every dewdrop,

Holds within it the same connecting power and energy.

The life forces are different,

But part of the same whole.

You stand for a while,

Allowing the energy to settle within you,

To become truly a part of you.

You may see visions,

Flashes of thought about your life that come and go.

Just accept them,

And know that they will return when you need them.

You have been connected back into ancient energy and power.

It was never lost to you,

But forgotten by the busyness and white noise of your life.

You'll carry it with you when you leave,

And you can come back here to renew it whenever you want.

Returning to the stone seat,

You close your eyes,

Simply existing with the energy.

The nightingale calls again from the woods,

And even that seems to hold a deeper meaning.

You drift into complete relaxation,

Feeling at one with the night,

The garden.

The energy that now seems to be completely part of you.

Gentle,

Soothing,

Lulling you to a deep and relaxing sleep.

You are standing in a lush green meadow,

Soft with summer.

Flowers are scattered in the soft grass and the air smells rich and calm.

Stand for a moment,

Breathing in all the scents around you.

Feel the springing growth of grass under your feet.

The energy of the land under the sun,

Its warmth,

Its nurturing touch.

Its calming energy flows upward through your feet and legs,

Into your whole body.

The sky is a deep serene blue,

Flowing to the horizon where hills rise,

Rolling like far away waves.

Trees flow down their slopes,

Dark,

With the cool promise of shade.

A few clouds lie on the calm sky,

Like great white feathers.

Beyond them,

The blue is dreamy and infinitely deep.

The sun,

The peace,

The scent of warm grass all fill you with a sense of comfort and profound peace.

The land basks under the eye of the sun and the gentle heat soaks into you so that you feel radiant.

You stroll slowly,

Without haste,

Feet bare,

Feeling the soft,

Warm grass under you.

You feel a great connection to the earth and know that you are a part of it.

The earth feels vibrant,

Wonderfully alive.

You feel it nurturing a deep sense of connection with you.

You feel part of it,

An extension of this great heartbeat of life.

The sound of running water comes to your ears,

The playful rustle of leaves in the benign breeze and the pipe of birdsong.

The air is soft on your skin.

This is a place that knows nothing but tranquility.

A place out of time.

A dream of summer nights.

You turn toward the sound of water.

Willow trees curtsy to a bright,

Shallow stream,

Its banks garlanded with sweet-scented flowers.

Tall grasses whisper to one another as the breeze sleepily combs them.

Coming to a comfortable place,

You sit down and watch the glint and flash of sunlight on the clear waters.

The sound of the stream,

The brush of the wind,

The sleepy call of birds lull you as you lay back,

The grass comfortable as a bed.

The sky is a great bowl of blue above you.

The clouds drifting slowly across it.

There is no feeling of time passing,

Just the beauty of the moment,

And you become that moment.

Part of this timeless world where all is rich,

Beautiful and serene.

Air,

The earth beneath you,

All impart to you this great sense of quiet,

Of complete peace and tranquility.

And so you listen to the changeful waters,

The lilt of the wind and the birds hidden among the willow trees.

And slowly,

Slowly sink into absolute peace,

Into sleep.

You are walking through woodland blanketed by snow.

The sun,

Dipping towards the west,

Floods the trees so that the snow glitters in myriad points of white light.

You are warmly wrapped up against the winter and your boots crunch crisply into the snow.

A chill wind whispers among the branches and your breath mists in the air.

You know that ahead of you lies a cosy cottage,

But for the moment you are enjoying your walk through this winter wonderland.

Not far away,

Dark against the whiteness,

A little stream runs,

Chuckling to itself in the cold.

You see the prints of animals,

The tracks of birds,

Gone now to find shelter.

The tree branches begin to sway in a stronger wind,

A dark net of lines against a sky that is beginning to colour pink and ember red.

The colours are warm,

But the rising wind is a herald of more snow to come.

There is no sound but the wind and your own footsteps.

Eventually,

You come to the edge of the wood.

Clear of the trees,

You can see an ominous black line of cloud pushing into the sky,

The harbinger of a snowstorm.

High,

Wild winds are driving the cold towards the lowering sun.

After a moment,

They engulf it.

A gloom settles upon the land,

Leaving it stark,

Black and white.

Ahead of you runs the line of a hedge,

White above where the snow has settled,

Dark and evergreen below.

You walk toward it and come to a gate.

You open it,

Stepping into what would be a smooth green lawn in the summer,

But is now an expanse of snow.

At the end of the garden,

Nestled within a cluster of trees,

A cosy-looking cottage glows with warm,

Welcoming lights.

A fir tree outside has been decorated with a string of fairy lights,

And lamps beside the door guide you on.

You mount the steps as the first icy flakes of snow hit your cheeks,

And you open the door.

The wind rattles the last few withered leaves,

Clinging stubbornly to the trees,

And you think there is no colder sound than dead leaves in the winter wind.

Warmth envelops you as you step inside and close the door behind you.

You take off your outer clothes and boots and go into the nearest room.

Here,

A fire burns merrily in the hearth.

Candles are lit,

And lamps shine in warm colours.

Everything here says welcome and relax.

The curtains have not yet been drawn against the oncoming night,

And show squares of darkness,

The snow batting against the glass.

You can still see the fairy lights of the tree,

Sparkling through the night.

You stroll into the kitchen and make yourself a hot drink,

Carrying it back into the other room and sitting down in a wonderfully comfortable chair.

As you sip your drink,

You no longer mind the moan of the wind around the house.

Here,

You are safe and warm.

The house encloses you with its peace.

You smell the familiar scents that you adore,

And look around at the room that you love,

The colours and the ornaments you have chosen.

You watch the flicker of the fire as the storm rises outside,

And your muscles relax in complete contentment.

Later,

There will be a warm bed and a deep sleep,

But for now,

All you need to do is feel the tranquility of the moment.

As you listen to the wind,

See the dance of the flames,

And drift into complete relaxation.

Imagine yourself sitting on a comfortable reclining chair in a tiled spa room.

It is bright,

Clean,

Smells wonderful,

And the air is warm.

Pots of bright flowers lend their colour to the room,

And a central water feature sings quietly to itself.

Along one side are showers,

And beside them,

Shelves with towels and house robes.

Each shower has a coloured tile beside it.

You walk across to the showers and study the colours.

There is red for physical energy,

The circulation,

For ambition and succeeding in your goals.

Yellow for emotions and regeneration of the body,

And for unravelling blockages.

Green for overcoming anger and long seated resentment,

For serenity and the eradication of anxiety.

Blue for communication and healing,

Soothing and calming,

Often used for the relief of many illnesses.

Violet for intuition,

Heightened spirituality,

For ideas and visualisation,

Memory and connecting with your higher self.

And there is white for the life force,

Spiritual protection and release of anxiety.

It is up to you to choose which one you feel you need today.

You remove your clothes and then place them on the shelf.

Then you stand under the shower of your choice.

There is a large button corresponding to the shower's colour on the wall,

And when you press it,

The water begins to flow.

But this is not only water,

It is alive with the colour you have chosen.

It floods warm and comforting over your skin,

And you can feel the power of the colour sinking through into your blood.

Your bones,

Into your cells.

It is powerful and beautiful.

Allow your emotions to rise to the surface.

There is no need to hold them back.

Let the water cleanse you of anything you don't need.

It is alright to feel emotional as you do this.

We spend so much of our lives locking our emotions away,

That to release them is healing in and of itself.

Depending on which colour you use,

You may feel awakened,

Energised,

Relieved,

Have greater clarity of thought,

Any or all and more.

This is perfectly normal,

Just let the water and the colour flow over you.

The flow stops.

For a moment you can almost see your skin sparkling with the colour.

Like powdered jewels,

Before it is absorbed into your skin,

Taking with it all its healing properties,

So that they sink deeply into your body and mind.

You dry yourself and slip on the clean house robe.

Then you walk back to your comfortable reclining seat and relax into it.

It is so comfortable here,

And quiet.

Listening to the gentle song of the water,

That you may feel you wish to sleep,

Or simply sit back and relax.

Do whatever feels right for you in this moment.

But remember,

Once you wake,

Try to recall any insights or thoughts that you may have had during your experience here,

As they could be useful.

And remember that you can come back here and choose any colour whenever you wish.

You begin to hear the sound of birds.

The gentle rustle of leaves as a soft breeze combs through them.

You find yourself on a track that leads between open woods that run up into little hills.

The sunlight is thick,

Golden,

Slanting down as the sun sinks closer to the horizon.

It throws beams of light deep into the trees,

And the air is filled with the scent of sun-warmed grass.

Birds sing their last notes before going to roost for the night.

You walk slowly,

Filled with a sense of peace as the evening fades and the sky darkens above you.

The shadows are deep in the woods now,

And the stars are coming out,

Bright points of fire against the dim sky.

The cool scent of the night awakens.

It is very quiet.

Quiet enough for you to hear a distant music.

You stop,

Listening,

Tilting your head,

Wondering if you are imagining it,

For who would be making music in these woods?

You begin walking again.

The sound becomes more distant,

Yet still there is something quite otherworldly about it.

You wonder if your eyes are playing tricks on you as you see a light moving among the dark trees.

A luminous,

Misty glow in the near distance.

You are not nervous,

But rather intrigued as you move closer.

After a while,

You see a procession passing through the trees.

Tall beings,

Elves,

With long hair flowing behind them,

Shimmering in the dim light of dusk.

You see the glint of jewels,

The glitter of bright eyes.

You can't hear their footsteps,

They are a silent company,

Like something out of a vivid dream.

As they pass,

They seem unaware of you.

As you watch,

A nightingale calls from deep within the woods,

And you experience a strange,

Shifting sensation.

As if these legendary people have drawn closer to your world,

Or you to theirs.

One of the elves turns their head and smiles at you,

As if at a friend they were expecting to see on this path.

Come,

They say,

And hold out a hand.

Without conscious thought,

You are drawn in to the company.

They walk through the woods as if they can see in the dimness,

Utterly without sound.

Although none of them speak,

Apparently intent on their journey,

You feel a relaxed sense of acceptance.

The track rises,

And you come to a level place,

Like a lawn,

Surrounded on three sides by trees.

Looking back,

You can see the night-cloaked lands unrolling below,

And the glow of lights from some distant small village.

The sky is a vastness of stars,

For the moon has not yet risen.

The elf with you gestures,

And you follow to a narrow opening that comes out into a wider space,

Almost roofed by tree branches.

The tree trunks resemble the pillars of some great hall,

And you pass between them to the centre,

Where a welcoming fire is burning.

Hanging lamps cast a comforting glow,

And there is the smell of food and wine,

As elves walk to and from with plates and flagons.

They are not silent now,

Some sit playing on lutes or harps,

Others talk softly together.

They glance at you with those ageless luminous eyes,

And smile,

Accepting your presence as if you are one of their own.

You find yourself staring,

Seeking almost to look behind their eyes,

To their memories,

Their long and fascinating lives.

As you stare,

Your mind begins to fill up with bright and descriptive images that you quickly suspect may not be from your own imagination.

You see deep halls of pale stone,

White buildings in a valley fringed by waterfalls.

A ship,

Its sails taunt with the wind,

And a great star above it,

Blazing like a jewel.

The images leave a lasting impression in your mind,

Even as they gently fade and your awareness returns to your present surroundings.

You are presented with food and drink,

And offered to take what you wish.

The elf who guided you here,

Remains sitting at your side.

The elf turns to you,

And asks if you know why you are here.

You reply that you do not,

But are thankful to be there.

They say that few people come now from your world,

But there will always be some who feel the call.

They say that they know the images you just saw in your mind,

And that you may go,

If you wish,

To the great underground halls of the Elven King,

The hidden valley in the mountains,

And at the last,

On the last great journey across the sea.

But it is rare indeed,

They say,

For any mortal to go across the sea to the west.

It is a matter of legend,

Written of in their great tales,

And sung to the music of harps.

The elf looks at you,

As if searching for something within you.

You feel a reverent connection to them,

And to the others around you.

You can't explain it,

But there is a longing within you.

A longing they may hold the key to answering.

An elf brings you a warm looking coverlet,

And you sink down into the soft grass,

Thinking,

Your mind filling with music and visions of the elves and their world,

Lost now in forgotten ages,

But not forgotten by everyone.

Slowly,

With the harp notes lulling you,

You drift into peace,

Into sleep,

Looking forward to the great journeys that lay ahead.

You find yourself sitting on a long,

Quiet beach.

You are in the shade,

Deeply comfortable on a reclining chair that cushions your limbs.

You can see the blue and green ocean,

Calm under a summer sky.

It spreads a fretwork of foam on the wet sand before gently withdrawing.

Seagulls wheel and call in the sunny air,

And there is a rustle as a small breeze stirs the palms under which you sit.

Observe the sea for a time,

Its steady,

Everlasting movement against the shore.

Smell the scent of it,

Let it enter your lungs and spread through your body.

Now,

Close your eyes and listen to the serene music of the outgoing tide,

The gulls calling.

Peace enters your body and mind softly as the rhythm of the ocean.

Your limbs relax into the chair.

The small breeze is warm against your skin.

There is complete peace here.

Tranquility.

It is a time out of time.

As you breathe and as you rest,

Your body and mind seem to float.

You drift deeper into relaxation.

Feeling the calming ebb and flow of the ocean bring healing and serenity to you.

Enjoy being here in this quiet place,

This haven of peace.

A warm breeze drifts across your face.

You smell summer in a high place,

Tints of flowering gorse,

Heather,

Pine trees warmed by the sun.

Opening your eyes,

You find yourself sitting beside a wide track that runs between banks of heather and the tough,

Bright wildflowers of upland places.

Butterflies dance across your vision,

Whirling in the breeze.

High up,

Some great bird of prey circles on the updrafts.

You stand up.

There is no one around,

You are completely alone.

You realise the track must lead somewhere and so you follow it,

Strolling unhurriedly as it gently curves downwards.

Far ahead in the east,

Mountains hold up the sky,

Stern crumbling titans with frost white hair.

But your path continues downward.

Rock walls begin to rise on either side,

Firred with moss and fern.

A tiny stream breaks from the wall,

Accompanying your steps downward.

It is cooler here and the air smells of water.

You are uncertain of how long it takes before the path widens,

Turning as it does so.

The sun slants in,

Making the air glow and you squint in its brightness.

A valley opens before you.

It is bounced by cliffs from which waterfalls hang like gossamer threads,

Rainbows dancing in their glimmering mist.

A bridge arches across a river and beyond it,

Buildings rise,

Shining white in the gold.

Slender covered walkways and sleeping steps connect them one to the other.

As you stare,

A bell rings one sweet high note.

More slowly now,

You take the last steps to the bridge and cross it,

Hearing the fume of water far below.

You come to an open square where statues of elf kings from long ago watch with proud,

Stony eyes.

A sense of ancientness comes upon you,

Of dreams lost in ages past but never forgotten.

Then you hear,

Quite clearly in your mind,

A rich voice say,

Be welcome here.

You want to absorb all you see as you walk.

The elegance of the buildings,

The sunny,

Secret nooks where small streams run through green fern.

Where flowers overarch seats or lawns of grass.

The open galleries with their views across the valley.

And of course,

The elves.

You see one with hair the colour of polished bronze flowing thickly almost to his knees and bound back from his face in braids.

He wears a deep red and black embroidered with an eight pointed silver star.

His eyes are the same silver.

He wears a sword at his side,

One great ruby flashing on its pommel.

He walks as if on some important errand,

But he takes the time to smile at you.

The expression that transforms his face from statuesque sternness to kindness.

He gestures with his hand as if indicating you should walk on,

Then passes you with a long stride.

You pause for a moment watching him as he turns up a curl of stairs.

There does seem to be an air here of business.

Nothing urgent,

But something is happening under the timeless peace.

As you walk further,

Breathing the golden air,

You see more elves.

A woman with hair like a spill of midnight smiles at you from a balcony.

Another,

Very fair,

In green and brown,

Half raises a hand as he crosses a walkway.

You look down.

Without realising it,

You have climbed to a high elevation and you can now see down onto many of the buildings.

All of them lit with that strange and mystical glow.

You wonder if the light comes from those that live here rather than the sun that is now moving westward across the sky.

Its light burning in the waterfalls.

You come to a small garden where a seat waits under an arch of pink roses.

You sit down and after a moment an elf woman comes bearing a tray of food and drink.

She sets it down beside you.

She smiles and nods to you,

Indicating that you may help yourself.

Then,

Without a word,

She turns and leaves with a rustle of her long robes.

You rest a moment,

Absorbing the atmosphere of this amazing and beautiful place,

Deciding yourself whether or not to try the refreshments that have been brought to you.

When you decide to walk on,

The long,

Gentle light of late afternoon lays gold across your path.

The path takes you past a group of halflings sitting in a small,

Sun-filled garden.

They look up and wave as you pass and you are sure you see,

Looking down to a lower level,

A man striding across a courtyard and a group of dwarves,

Heads together,

Talking.

After a while,

Passing the long buildings,

You come to an open door and look into an empty chamber where a fire burns despite the summer warmth.

A great harp stands within the chamber.

There seems to be an echo in the air of songs sung both sad and beautiful.

You walk on,

Drinking in the wonder of it all.

Every one you meet acknowledges you,

As if they have been expecting you to come here.

The shadows lengthen,

The sinking sun paints the western sky lilac and purple,

And the evening star rises,

A spark of brilliant white light.

You see a movement of people drifting toward the chamber you looked into earlier and you follow them.

The bronze haired elf that you first saw appears and with a move of one hand,

He encourages you to enter the chamber.

There are elves,

Dwarves and men here,

And halflings too.

You are shown a cushioned seat and you sit back as the elf walks to the great harp.

The gentle murmurs of conversation dwindle and there is silence.

The first notes weep from under his fingers.

An outpouring of love,

Even sorrow.

It is like a soul taking wing on music.

You can imagine the harp song reaching across the wild leagues of middle earth,

Over wood and mountain,

Across the lakes and meadows,

To touch the margin of the land where the sea casts itself onto rocky shores and the west wind sighs among the breaking waves.

The music is a deep enchantment that takes you far away toward the endless stars.

It becomes part of your heartbeat,

The rush of your blood.

Perhaps you are already half asleep when a kind hand guides you from the hall.

You are led under moonlight to a room where a comfortable bed awaits.

The sheets smell of flowers and the bed is soft and cool as you relax into it.

You can still hear the music and a voice through it telling you to be at peace and to sleep in comfort.

Your eyes weigh heavy,

Your limbs relax and sink into the bed's softness.

You are cradled in music and beauty.

It seems to lift you up through the night and into the stars.

You are at peace,

Safe in the knowledge that you will be welcome back in the valley whenever you wish to return.

You stand on a path that runs up the slope of a green hill.

One lone tree stands tall and proud on the otherwise bare grassy summit.

The tree seems to beckon you to join it and you start to walk up the path.

As you approach the tree you can see and hear the gentle rustle of its leaves in the wind.

You halt in front of the tree and gaze across the far distances.

The hill drops to a rich valley where a river curves in silvery blue gleams.

Lush fields and small woods roll to a line of mountains that challenge the air with their snowy peaks.

Little rafts of white clouds drift lazily across the calm sky.

Now,

Simply stand still and think for a couple of minutes about all the things you wish to release into this bright,

Fresh air.

All the things you wish to be cleansed of.

Name them in your mind.

Say,

I wish to release,

Then name whatever it is.

And,

I wish to be cleansed of,

And then name that too.

I wish to release,

I wish to be cleansed of.

You can feel the breeze begin to pick up.

It comes from those high snow capped mountains.

You take a deep breath.

The air smells as if it has never touched another living thing,

Never been tainted by pollution.

You breathe its purity into your lungs.

For a while,

Just breathe and release the things you wish to be free of on the exhale.

Breathe in,

And envisage breathing out those things that you want to let go of,

To cast away into the cleansing wind.

Now,

The wind becomes stronger.

You hear it like the sound of surf in the tree behind you.

You stretch out your arms,

Feeling as if this wind not only blows over you,

But through you.

You experience a feeling of being cleansed,

Of everything you no longer want being carried away from you,

And far away.

The cool wind seems to pass through your clothes,

Your skin,

Through your muscles,

Blood and bones.

Cleansing as it does so,

Sweeping through you,

Light and fresh.

Simply allow yourself to experience this,

To feel the purity of the wind,

Its power and cleansing.

Be aware of your breathing,

And on each inhale,

Visualise that clean,

Cool air filling your lungs.

When you exhale,

Know that you are releasing mental and physical debris.

The wind will carry it far away,

And scatter it into nothingness.

This is your time to be energised,

To be cleansed both mentally and physically.

To be rejuvenated,

And to feel the new possibilities and desires flow into you.

Driving away all that needs to be cleared.

Repeat to yourself,

I breathe in health and wellbeing.

I breathe out,

And then say to yourself again those things you wish to be rid of.

I breathe in health and wellbeing.

I breathe out.

The wind increases,

Racing from those far away mountains.

And you stand still,

Feeling its breath flowing around you and through you.

For this time,

You are a part of it.

Eventually,

The wind drops back to a soft breeze,

Having completed your cleansing and healing.

You are standing in a quiet art gallery.

People speak in very soft voices as they look at the paintings.

You are gazing at a painting on the wall.

It's a simple but beautiful landscape of a smooth hill against a sunset sky.

The colours are serene,

Smoky violet and red,

With a few feathery clouds tinted by the sinking sun.

A path winds gently up the slope and over the ridge.

It is flanked by long grasses and wildflowers.

There is a great sense of tranquility to the picture.

It invites you to walk the path to see what lies beyond.

You step closer,

Absorbing the colours,

The peaceful beauty of the scene,

And you close your eyes,

Imagining.

A soft breeze touches your skin,

And you find yourself standing in the tranquil scene you've just been looking at.

The low hill rises before you against the coloured sky.

A great sense of peace lies over the land.

You begin to walk slowly,

Your feet treading dry earth,

Brushing against the grasses that stir in the light wind.

The flowers that line the path.

The sky fills your sight,

Wonderful and vivid.

Unique,

As is every sunset in the world.

You reach the top of the hill and stand,

Looking out.

A great ocean stretches before you,

Luminous and calm,

With the setting sun casting a golden path from the horizon to the shore.

Not far below is a crescent shaped beach of white sand,

And the light of a small fire,

But there is no one around.

You walk down to the beach,

Feeling the warm sand crunch under your feet.

You approach the fire.

Sitting down,

You watch the flames lick lazily at the evening air as the dusk deepens.

The lovely colours of the sky gradually fade as the sun sinks below the rim of the world.

One by one,

Stars begin to appear across the night sky.

More glowing embers and sparks from the fire,

Drifting up like fireflies.

Allow your thoughts to drift away with them.

Thoughts you no longer have use for,

Or thoughts that do not serve you.

Send up your thoughts inside the sparks from the fire,

And watch them fade away under the blaze of stars.

Feel yourself absorbing the peace.

Breathe in the starlight,

As if it is falling on you in clouds of silver.

Let it melt through you,

Filling you with light and serenity.

Listen to the gentle waves as they cast pale fretworks of foam onto the sand,

And then withdraw.

Restfulness and relaxation moves like a gentle tide throughout your whole body and mind.

That warmth spreads through you like comfort.

Accept it,

And allow it to sink into every cell of your body.

You are sinking gradually towards a restful,

Healing sleep.

And feel the clean,

Fresh air entering your lungs.

Exhale hot,

Tense air.

Allow your whole body to relax as you feel the cool,

Refreshing air entering your lungs.

Take another deep,

Refreshing breath of cool,

Clean air,

And exhale slowly,

Allowing any tension to leave your body through your breath.

Give your mind the opportunity to slow down.

During this calming process,

It is completely normal to experience thoughts and internal mental chatter.

You don't need to interact with your thoughts.

You can just watch them come,

And watch them go.

If you have something on your mind,

Or are experiencing persistent thoughts,

That's ok too.

Just allow yourself to set those thoughts to one side for now,

Noting that you can deal with them another time.

Think of this whole process as a gift.

A gift to yourself,

And a gift to your mind.

This is a gift that will bring you a higher state of calmness and clarity of thought in your day to day life.

Take another deep,

Relaxing breath,

Inhaling cool,

Refreshing air.

Now,

Just breathe normally,

With a calmness of mind,

Body and spirit,

And an intention of deep,

Deep relaxation.

As you drift deeper and deeper into this calming state,

Notice how your entire body is becoming more and more relaxed.

The wonderful sense of deep relaxation.

You are standing within an arrangement of ancient stones.

A column of brilliant energy rises up to the vast,

Glowing seep of the Milky Way.

An orb of energy blooms before your eyes,

Growing stronger,

As if gathering power from these monoliths.

In this place of ancient power,

You may ask of the universe any questions in your mind.

Send your thoughts toward the orb,

And allow the light to bathe your mind.

The orb gradually starts to ascend towards the star field overhead,

Carrying your questions with it.

Stillness falls upon the stones.

Fireflies gleam among them,

As if mirroring the stars overhead.

It seems to be waiting,

Anticipating,

Like an indrawn breath.

As if in answer to the waiting,

Shining figures take shape,

Some higher form of wisdom perhaps,

Allowing you to see it.

You may feel a sense of recognition,

As if they are friends you have not seen in a long time.

The questions you have sent out into the universe are now being answered.

You may interpret the answers in dreams,

In something you read,

See or hear.

But be assured,

The answers will come to you.

You are connected to this vast,

Eternal wisdom that has come to you in this ancient,

Powerful place.

Absorb the energy,

The knowledge,

The promise of answers that will aid you in your life,

Guide you on your path.

Power radiates in the luminous night air.

You are at one with the stones,

The brilliant stars,

The cool night air and the ground beneath you.

You stand radiant and strong,

Wise and light filled as the figures leave,

Having accomplished what they came here to do.

The galaxy shines and the fireflies glimmer and you rest in your enlightenment,

Knowing all will be well.

There is no feeling of time passing,

Just the beauty of the moment and you become that moment.

Sink into absolute peace,

Into sleep.

Imagine yourself sitting or lying in a beautiful garden.

You are wearing light,

Summery clothing that is extremely comfortable.

The weather is perfect.

A cloudless sky sits above you with just a very slight haze.

You can feel the wonderful sensation of the sun's heat soaking into you like a warm blanket.

Notice how relaxed and at ease it makes you feel.

The tiniest movement of air dances against your bare skin.

It barely qualifies as a breeze but it's just enough to keep you at the perfect temperature.

The only sound you can hear is the pipe of birdsong all around you and the trickle of water from the natural stream nearby.

It is so peaceful,

So relaxing to just be.

To allow yourself the opportunity to just sit or lay there,

With no agenda,

Nothing else to do.

It's just you enjoying a wonderful moment with nature.

Allow nature to look after you.

Feel it's wonderful warmth embracing your whole being.

Smell the sweet delicate scent of the flowers all around you,

Uplifting your mood,

Raising your vibration.

Feel the rich oxygen from all the green plants and trees filling your lungs,

Cleansing and renewing you from the inside.

Take a deep breath of this elixir of life and notice how wonderful it makes you feel.

Take a moment to appreciate how the sun kissing your bare skin is allowing your amazing body to produce all the vitamin D it needs,

Keeping you healthy and safe.

Allow yourself to just bask in a feeling of well being and complete relaxation.

It is so peaceful,

So relaxing to just be.

To allow yourself the opportunity to just sit or lay there,

With no agenda,

Nothing else to do.

It's just you enjoying a wonderful moment with nature.

Allow nature to look after you.

Feel it's wonderful warmth embracing your whole being.

It is so peaceful.

Smell the sweet delicate scent of the flowers all around you.

Uplifting your mood,

Raising your vibration.

Feel the rich oxygen from all the green plants and trees filling your lungs,

Cleansing and renewing you from the inside.

Take a deep breath of this elixir of life and notice how wonderful it makes you feel.

You are walking down a narrow road.

It is just wide enough for one vehicle,

But there are no cars on it.

This is the road that leads to your house.

The verges are thick with grass and dotted with flowers.

It is evening and a few rabbits have come out to nibble at the grass in the quiet.

They hop a little away seeing you,

But they do not run and soon settle down again.

To your left,

Gentle hills pour along the skyline like gentle waves.

To your right,

The land slopes down toward a peaceful sea,

Bright with sunset.

You can see a few other houses dotted about,

A cluster of roofs from the village a little way away.

You pass a gate into a field.

A path bordered with wildflowers wanders across the field to a nearby wood where you often walk.

The road rises to cross a stream and you stop for a moment to look down into the water blooming in glassy sheaths over tumbled boulders.

Ferns,

Lush and cool looking,

Nod their green fronds over the bank.

Trees patch the road with shadow,

Then those patches of light melt away as cloud spills across the sky.

The wind rises a little,

Streaming through the branches.

There will be no storm,

Just a night of mild gusty winds and perhaps a little rain.

You quicken your pace.

Just along the road is your house.

It is set back from the road amid quite peaceful gardens.

You let yourself in the front door and take a moment to appreciate your perfect home.

The decor,

The walls,

The floor,

The fabrics and scents that make this place your own personal haven.

You walk into your sanctuary room,

With everything within that creates such a peaceful atmosphere.

A small fire already crackles cosily behind its fire guard.

As the light grows dimmer,

It becomes brighter,

A warm centre point of the room.

Although it is not cold,

There is a great comfort in the dancing flames.

You sit down on the recliner and make yourself comfortable,

Pulling a soft throw over yourself.

You stretch and then let yourself relax.

Outside,

You can hear the wind in the trees,

A little stronger now.

A mist of rain dots on the glass of the window.

You listen to the rustle of the leaves and,

Under that sound,

The deeper sway of the branches.

The two sounds meld to create a soothing music as the light begins to fade.

You let your limbs grow heavier,

Relaxed,

As if the wind is brushing all tension away.

Here,

In this place,

You might be a million miles away from the rest of the world.

Perfectly sheltered,

Quite safe,

And the small beach of pale sand,

The sea beyond,

All seem to embrace and protect your house and yourself.

When you are here,

You are calm,

Quiet,

Connected to the stillness within your soul.

Your sleep is always deep and rejuvenating and you wake feeling restored.

Slowly,

Like a leaf drifting toward the ground,

You feel sleep spreading through you.

Your mind is relaxing along with your body,

From the tips of your toes all the way up to the crown of your head.

It feels as if you are melting into tranquility,

You feel warm,

Utterly comfortable.

The wind blows its lullaby around the house,

Through your mind.

Listen to these quiet words amidst the wind as you begin to fall asleep.

Everything is going to be alright,

You are perfectly safe.

You will come through this time,

You will be fine.

You will do what you wish to do in life,

You will make plans for the rest of your life.

You will enjoy all the days to come.

Everything is going to be alright,

You are perfectly safe.

You will come through this time,

You will be fine.

You will be well,

You will enjoy all the days to come.

Everything is going to be alright.

You will probably still have thoughts or mental chatter going on in your mind.

But that's perfectly ok,

It's completely normal and absolutely fine.

Just think those are thoughts,

They just come and go in time as you continue to listen to my voice.

They will eventually fade into the background where you won't notice them so much.

If a thought does come,

Observe it as if you are outside of it.

This immediately puts you into the present and gives you control.

Then as if you are giving it a push,

Send it away.

It is very possible you may fall asleep during this talkdown.

Or you may just experience a profoundly deep state of relaxation.

It really doesn't matter which.

What's important is to understand that every moment you are engaged with this recording,

You are experiencing rest that will benefit your body and your mind,

Giving them a time of intentional,

Focused relaxation.

A short breathing exercise known as 4-7-8,

Which has a naturally calming effect on the nervous system.

Inhale through the nose to a count of 4,

Hold to the count of 7,

And then exhale through the mouth to a count of 8.

If you can't reach these numbers,

Don't be concerned in any way,

Just do what is comfortable.

Remember,

This time is for you.

Continue with this breathing exercise a short while,

That's in through the nose for a count of 4,

Hold for a count of 7,

Exhale through the mouth to a count of 8,

That's in through the nose for a count of 4,

Hold for a count of 7,

Exhale through the mouth to a count of 8.

With your eyes closed,

Feel the sensation beginning at your feet,

Imagine any tension draining away,

This sensation slowly moves up,

To your thighs and lower stomach,

Your chest,

Imagine any stiffness or tension just draining away,

It's as if you have been sitting in a warm spa bath,

And are now warm and dry,

As it passes in and out of your lungs,

Just give yourself a little more time to enjoy that state of grace,

Imagine it as a wheel,

That has been spinning fast,

And is now slowing down,

Just drifting,

The simple and what most of us do without thinking,

In relaxation like this,

Thoughts may enter your mind,

Or you may see images,

If this happens,

Without interacting,

Just make a mental note of them,

And set them aside,

Where you can deal with them another time,

Healing is spreading light throughout your body,

You sit in a peaceful room,

Outside you can hear the sound of wind in the trees,

Just listen to it for a moment,

And then begin to relax,

From your toes,

Upward,

Gently stretching and moving each body part to relieve tension,

Gradually move up to your calves,

Gently stretch them,

Then slowly move on without hurrying to your thighs,

Just imagine warmth flowing into them,

Making them soft and relaxed,

Scan on upward through your whole body,

Relaxing and gently stretching each muscle,

There may be areas with more tension than others,

Such as the jaw or shoulders,

If you can flex any part,

Then gently do it,

If not,

Just envisage warmth and softness flowing into it,

Place your attention on the breath that moves in and out of your nostrils,

If you are breathing through your mouth,

Focus your attention there,

Listen to the sound of the wind,

And the affirmations that will now be spoken,

Allowing them to sink into your mind,

If you want,

You can repeat them silently to yourself,

Or just listen,

Things are getting better every day,

Things are wonderful,

I live in the expectation of great things happening,

I am healing all the time,

Here and now my body is healing,

At this moment health is happening in my body and mind,

I allow myself this time for healing,

Green is a healing colour,

Think of a warm green light bathing you from head to toe,

Sinking into every cell of your body,

Wrapping you in a wonderful healing glow,

It is powerful,

But also gentle,

Being wrapped in a soft blanket or duvet,

You lay within its healing energy,

Safe and secure as these new affirmations are spoken,

I am rebalancing now,

I am reenergizing now,

There is harmony of mind and body,

I give myself up to peace and healing energy,

I feel wellness in my body and mind,

I rest within peace and comfort,

I give myself up to tranquility and gentleness,

Just enjoy the tranquility of being in this deeply relaxed state,

Let yourself gently rest within the light and warmth,

As you listen to the sound of the wind,

And slowly,

Softly drift toward a peaceful and healing sleep,

The meditation takes you into a quiet park,

The grass is cut damp with dew,

And there are still a few autumn flowers blooming there last,

Small paths wind through trees,

A creek,

Small ponds,

The leaves glow yellow,

Burned bronze and scarlet,

Red berries gleam on bush and shrub,

The air is still,

With a faint mistiness through which the sun glows,

You walk slowly along one of the paths,

Just taking your time,

Further away,

You can see a few other people,

Walking their dogs,

Jogging,

Or just strolling as you are,

The path curves past a small pond,

There is a tree beside the pond,

Its leaves burning with autumn colour,

And underneath it is a wooden bench,

You sit down on the bench,

Take a few breaths of the air,

Rich with the scent of fall,

The gentle fading of the year before its winter sleep,

From somewhere,

A garden or elsewhere in the park,

Comes the faint smell of wood smoke from a bonfire,

On the pond,

Two ducks paddle and dip,

Fallen leaves pattern the water like brocade,

There is barely any wind today,

But still they are letting go,

Drifting down,

Nature knows when its time to let go,

Before rest and rebirth in the spring,

Landing on the seat beside you,

You pick it up,

And consider those things that you too wish to let go of,

When another leaf drifts down,

You imagine it carrying one of those things that you want to release,

Take a moment to consider,

And from a calm distance,

The things you don't emotionally need,

The feelings that will make you feel lighter when you let go of them,

You need not think of them too deeply,

Or become entangled with them,

Try to see them as the leaves,

They have grown out of you and your life experience,

But they can also be detached if you are kind and patient with yourself,

Your eyes follow the fall of another leaf,

Imagine setting one thought or emotion within it,

And letting it fall away,

Easily to the ground,

There it will decay,

Go into the earth and trouble you no more,

You listen to the gentle patter as the leaves fall,

Some patterning the water,

Others the grass,

Let your unwanted emotions fall like these leaves,

Without stress or effort,

Begin to let them go,

Give them up,

There is a great sense of release in it,

Sit for a moment in the calm peace,

Just breathing,

Just as the trees can now begin to sink into winter slumber,

You can also rest,

Waiting for the spring,

For new and more positive experiences to grow out of your life,

You get up from the bench and slowly walk out of the park,

Along the small street,

Houses are lit as dusk begins to set in,

Although the sky to the west still burns brightly,

You reach your own house,

Welcoming,

Cosy,

Beautiful,

Your own haven of peace and quiet,

You take off your coat and make yourself a drink,

Taking it to sit in your favourite room,

You light some candles and their warm glow adds to the comfort,

In a while,

The crockpot will be ready and you can eat,

But for now,

You drink and relax,

Sitting back,

Leaves are falling past the window as the light outside fades into a misty dusk,

And you close your eyes and drift,

Warm and comfortable,

Toward sleep,

You are standing on a narrow lane winding towards a village tucked among trees and hills,

The trees flame with autumn gold,

Scarlet and bronze,

And red berries gleam on branches of yellowing leaves,

There is no wind and a very faint mistiness to the air seems to make the colours glow more vividly,

You walk along the lane,

Breathing in the sense of autumn,

The gentle,

Sweet decay that heralds the fall of the year,

You smell wood smoke from cottage fires and chimneys that rises straight into the windless air,

A small pond appears on your right,

Brilliant leaves scattered upon its dark surface,

As you watch a few others drift silently down,

You sit for a while on a wooden bench watching the soft ripple of the water,

The floating leaves,

Bright as brocade,

You can hear the soft lowing of cattle,

And further away on the hills,

The bleating of distant sheep,

From somewhere comes the rhythmic sound of someone chopping firewood,

You let yourself relax listening to the quiet day to day sounds of the village,

And the countryside around it,

The day is darkening as you get up again,

And the lights of the cottages glow warm through their windows,

On one windowsill a kitten sleeps,

Curled up and content,

The door of a small shop is open and a welcoming light streams out,

Some of the cottage porches are decorated for autumn with garlands,

Lights,

Calved pumpkins,

Your feet brush through the crispness of fallen leaves,

All around you the gentle hills cup the village like a protective embrace,

Their woods ablaze with colour,

The last song of the birds is sweet and poignant as the dusk draws in around you,

You come to a gate and push it open,

Following the path up to your own house,

It welcomes you with lamps lit beside the door and set in lanterns on the porch,

Warm air encloses you as you step inside,

A fireplace crackles cheerfully,

You make yourself a hot drink and take it out to sit on the porch,

Wrapping your hands around the cup,

Breathing in the scent before sipping,

There is a silence in the misty twilight that is profound,

The world held poised for a while between day and night,

With a sound like a sigh a few leaves skitter across your porch,

The weather is changing and the trees respond to the first touch of the rising wind,

Near and far their coloured leaves rustle,

Tugging at the branches as the breeze rises,

It touches your face,

Sweeps across the village and the valley,

Stirring the light mist,

Brushing it away like a broom,

As you watch,

You see the clouds begin to flow,

And then the candle glow of the rising moon shows through,

Full and huge,

The wind strengthens,

Breaking the clouds into mottled shoals,

Shivering the trees,

A hunter's moon that blinks down at you through the clouds' ragged edges,

It rides the storm like a galleon,

After a time you finish your drink and step inside,

Listening to the storm outside as you sit before the fire,

The flames weave and dance,

Comforting,

Warming you,

As you close your eyes and drift gently into sleep,

You are standing under an archway looking into the lingering twilight of a tranquil garden,

In the dusk the flowers seem to glow with an internal light,

And their scent drifts into the air like the distillation of a summer evening,

Water falls somewhere,

A cool gentle sound,

The grass is short,

Soft under your feet like a bed of velvet,

You pass under an arch of white roses,

Paths lead in different directions,

Each of them inviting exploration,

You pause for a moment and choose one at random,

The air does not seem to grow darker as you walk,

Rather it takes on a luminous,

Liminal quality as little drifts of mist form over the grass,

You walk through them watching the vapour swirl and part,

Silky and nebulous,

Ahead of you is an arch cut into the wall,

A fountain and stone seat in the opening,

No water flows from the fountain,

And beyond you can see the dim line of a forest,

The treetops black against the stars,

You sit down on the stone bench,

From the forest comes the note of a nightingale,

A bird of deep woods,

The sound is resonant and seems to add to the quiet magic all around you,

There is a glimmer of light from the fountain,

You think for a moment that the water is beginning to flow,

But what rises from the stone is glittering light,

It rises and falls back,

The motion like that of a fountain but made out of tiny globes of glittering radiance,

As you watch,

A great peace and calm comes over you,

Slowly you stretch out one hand into the light,

It feels warm,

Almost like little bubbles bursting against your skin,

Gentle,

But with a sense of power,

Of electricity,

There is an immense strength to it,

Yet a gentleness too,

Like being wrapped in warmth and protection,

Your mind feels as if it is gaining a deeper awareness,

Like a locked door beginning to open,

The light that dances on your hand feels like an intelligent force,

Every grass blade,

Every flower petal,

Every open leaf is lined with a soft aura,

Blue,

The mist lifts and whirls into shapes,

Like graceful dancers trailing long hair,

Lift up your arm to your shoulder,

Spreading slowly through your chest,

Body,

All the way to your feet,

It seems to sweep away all weariness,

You feel as if you slept,

But on now,

It feels familiar you think with sudden insight,

Because the energy within you recognises it,

And the two seem to link,

To meld,

You raise your hands to look at them,

And your skin seems radiant,

Bright,

Lit from within,

You consider the truth behind this,

That what you thought was other,

An energy outside you,

Is in fact the same as the energy within you,

That you take for granted,

Or perhaps never think of at all,

You just sit for a moment as this energy blends with your own,

Feeling it as warmth,

As light,

As a thousand possibilities of healing and enlightenment,

You slowly rise to your feet and walk across the grass to where the mist swirls,

It seems to form the shape of dancers,

Robes and hair shimmering,

You step among them,

Feeling the energy of them,

Not human,

Something ancient and wild,

Like fire,

Or the sea,

And yet it is part of the same energy that runs in you,

Simply manifesting itself in a different way,

Now that you understand that,

You see the garden in a different light,

Every flower,

Grass,

Stone,

Every dewdrop,

Holds within it the same connecting power and energy,

The life forces are different but part of the same whole,

You stand for a while allowing the energy to settle within you,

To become truly a part of you,

You may see visions,

Flashes of thought about your life that come and go,

Just accept them and know that they will return when you need them,

You have been connected back into ancient energy and power,

It was never lost to you,

But forgotten by the busyness and white noise of your life,

You'll carry it with you when you leave,

And you can come back here to renew it whenever you want,

Returning to the stone seat,

You close your eyes,

Simply existing with the energy,

The nightingale calls again from the woods,

And even that seems to hold a deeper meaning,

You drift into complete relaxation,

Feeling at one with the night,

The garden,

The energy that now seems to be completely part of you,

Gentle,

Soothing,

Lulling you to a deep and relaxing sleep,

You are standing in a lush green meadow,

Soft with summer,

Flowers are scattered in the soft grass and the air smells rich and calm,

Stand for a moment,

Breathing in all the scents around you,

Feel the springing growth of grass under your feet,

The energy of the land under the sun,

Its warmth,

Its nurturing touch,

Its calming energy flows upward through your feet and legs into your whole body,

The sky is a deep serene blue,

Flowing to the horizon where hills rise,

Rolling like far away waves,

Trees flow down their slopes,

Dark,

With the cool promise of shade,

A few clouds lie on the calm sky,

Like great white feathers,

Beyond them the blue is dreamy and infinitely deep,

The sun,

The peace,

The scent of warm grass all fill you with a sense of comfort and profound peace,

The land basks under the eye of the sun and the gentle heat soaks into you so that you feel radiant,

You stroll slowly,

Without haste,

Feet bare,

Feeling the soft warm grass under you,

You feel a great connection to the earth and know that you are a part of it,

The earth feels vibrant,

Wonderfully alive,

You feel it nurturing a deep sense of connection with you,

You feel part of it,

An extension of this great heartbeat of life,

The sound of running water comes to your ears,

The playful rustle of leaves in the benign breeze and the pipe of birdsong,

The air is soft on your skin,

This is a place that knows nothing but tranquility,

A place out of time,

A dream of summer nights,

You turn toward the sound of water,

Willow trees curtsy to a bright shallow stream,

Its banks garlanded with sweet scented flowers,

Tall grasses whisper to one another as the breeze sleepily combs them,

Coming to a comfortable place,

You sit down and watch the glint and flash of sunlight on the clear waters,

The sound of the stream,

The brush of the wind,

The sleepy call of birds lull you as you lay back,

The grass comfortable as a bed,

The sky is a great bowl of blue above you,

The clouds drifting slowly across it,

There is no feeling of time passing,

Just the beauty of the moment and you become that moment,

Part of this timeless world where all is rich,

Beautiful and serene,

Air,

The earth beneath you all impart to you this great sense of quiet,

Of complete peace and tranquility,

And so you listen to the changeful waters,

The lilt of the wind and the birds hidden among the willow trees,

And slowly,

Slowly sink into absolute peace,

Into sleep,

You are walking through woodland blanketed by snow,

The sun dipping towards the west floods the trees so that the snow glitters in myriad points of white light,

You are warmly wrapped up against the winter and your boots crunch crisply into the snow,

A chill wind whispers among the branches and your breath mists in the air,

You know that ahead of you lies a cosy cottage,

But for the moment you are enjoying your walk through this winter wonderland,

Not far away,

Dark against the whiteness,

A little stream runs,

Chuckling to itself in the cold,

You see the prints of animals,

The tracks of birds,

Gone now to find shelter,

The tree branches begin to sway in a stronger wind,

A dark net of lines against a sky that is beginning to colour pink and ember red,

The colours are warm but the rising wind is a herald of more snow to come,

There is no sound but the wind and your own footsteps,

Eventually you come to the edge of the wood,

Clear of the trees you can see an ominous black line of cloud pushing into the sky,

The harbinger of a snowstorm,

High wild winds are driving the cold towards the lowering sun,

After a moment they engulf it,

A gloom settles upon the land leaving it stark,

Black and white,

Ahead of you runs the line of a hedge,

White above where the snow has settled,

Dark and evergreen below,

You walk toward it and come to a gate,

You open it,

Stepping into what would be a smooth green lawn in the summer,

But is now an expanse of snow,

At the end of the garden,

Nestled within a cluster of trees,

A cosy looking cottage glows with warm welcoming lights,

A fir tree outside has been decorated with a string of fairy lights,

And lamps beside the door guide you on,

You mount the steps as the first icy flakes of snow hit your cheeks and you open the door,

The wind rattles the last few withered leaves clinging stubbornly to the trees and you think there is no colder sound than dead leaves in the winter wind,

Warmth envelops you as you step inside and close the door behind you,

You take off your outer clothes and boots and go into the nearest room,

Here a fire burns merrily in the hearth,

Candles are lit and lamps shine in warm colours,

Everything here says welcome and relax,

The curtains have not yet been drawn against the oncoming night and show squares of darkness,

The snow batting against the glass,

You can still see the fairy lights of the tree sparkling through the night,

You stroll into the kitchen and make yourself a hot drink,

Carrying it back into the other room and sitting down in a wonderfully comfortable chair,

As you sip your drink you no longer mind the moan of the wind around the house,

Here you are safe and warm,

The house encloses you with its peace,

You smell the familiar scents that you adore and look around at the room that you love,

The colours and the ornaments you have chosen,

You watch the flicker of the fire as the storm rises outside and your muscles relax in complete contentment,

Later there will be a warm bed and a deep sleep,

But for now all you need to do is feel the tranquility of the moment as you listen to the wind,

See the dance of the flames and drift into complete relaxation.

Imagine yourself sitting on a comfortable reclining chair in a tiled spa room,

It is bright,

Clean,

Smells wonderful and the air is warm,

Pots of bright flowers lend their colour to the room and a central water feature sings quietly to itself,

Along one side are showers and beside them shelves with towels and house robes,

Each shower has a coloured tile beside it,

You walk across to the showers and study the colours,

There is red for physical energy,

The circulation for ambition and succeeding in your goals,

Yellow for emotions and regeneration of the body and for unravelling blockages,

Green for overcoming anger and long seated resentment,

For serenity and the eradication of anxiety,

Blue for communication and healing,

Soothing and calming,

Often used for the relief of many illnesses,

Violet for intuition,

Heightened spirituality,

For ideas and visualisation,

Memory and connecting with your higher self,

And there is white for the life force,

Spiritual protection and release of anxiety,

It is up to you to choose which one you feel you need today,

You remove your clothes and then place them on the shelf,

Then you stand under the shower of your choice,

There is a large button corresponding to the showers colour on the wall and when you press it the water begins to flow,

But this is not only water,

It is alive with the colour you have chosen,

It floods warm and comforting over your skin and you can feel the power of the colour sinking through into your blood,

Your bones,

Into your cells,

It is powerful and beautiful,

Allow your emotions to rise to the surface,

There is no need to hold them back,

Let the water cleanse you of anything you don't need,

It is alright to feel emotional as you do this,

We spend so much of our lives locking our emotions away that to release them is healing in and of itself,

Depending on which colour you use,

You may feel awakened,

Energised,

Relieved,

Have greater clarity of thought,

Any or all and more,

This is perfectly normal,

Just let the water and the colour flow over you,

The flow stops,

For a moment you can almost see your skin sparkling with the colour,

Like powdered jewels,

Before it is absorbed into your skin,

Taking with it all its healing properties so that they sink deeply into your body and mind,

You dry yourself and slip on the clean house rope,

Then you walk back to your comfortable reclining seat and relax into it,

It is so comfortable here,

And quiet,

Listening to the gentle song of the water that you may feel you wish to sleep,

Or simply sit back and relax,

Do whatever feels right for you in this moment,

But remember,

Once you wake,

Try to recall any insights or thoughts that you may have had during your experience here,

As they could be useful,

And remember that you can come back here and choose any colour whenever you wish,

You begin to hear the sound of birds,

The gentle rustle of leaves as a soft breeze combs through them,

You find yourself on a track that leads between open woods that run up into little hills,

The sunlight is thick,

Golden,

Slanting down as the sun sinks closer to the horizon,

It throws beams of light deep into the trees and the air is filled with the scent of sun warmed grass,

Birds sing their last notes before going to roost for the night,

You walk slowly,

Filled with a sense of peace as the evening fades and the sky darkens above you,

The shadows are deep in the woods now,

And the stars are coming out,

Bright points of fire against the dim sky,

The cool scent of the night awakens,

It is very quiet,

Quiet enough for you to hear a distant music,

You stop,

Listening,

Tilting your head,

Wondering if you are imagining it,

For who would be making music in these woods?

You begin walking again,

The sound becomes more distant,

Yet still there is something quite otherworldly about it,

You wonder if your eyes are playing tricks on you as you see a light moving among the dark trees,

A luminous misty glow,

In the near distance,

You are not nervous but rather intrigued as you move closer,

After a while you see a procession passing through the trees,

Tall beings,

Elves,

With long hair flowing behind them,

Shimmering in the dim light of dusk,

You see the glint of jewels,

The glitter of bright eyes,

You can't hear their footsteps,

They are a silent company,

Like something out of a vivid dream,

As they pass,

They seem unaware of you,

As you watch a nightingale calls from deep within the woods,

And you experience a strange shifting sensation,

As if these legendary people have drawn closer to your world,

Or you to theirs,

One of the elves turns their head and smiles at you,

As if at a friend they were expecting to see on this path,

Come,

They say,

And hold out a hand,

Without conscious thought you are drawn in to the company,

They walk through the woods as if they can see in the dimness,

Utterly without sound,

Although none of them speak,

Apparently intent on their journey,

You feel a relaxed sense of acceptance,

The track rises and you come to a level place,

Like a lawn surrounded on three sides by trees,

Looking back,

You can see the night cloaked lands unrolling below,

And the glow of lights from some distant small village,

The sky is a vastness of stars,

For the moon has not yet risen,

The elf with you gestures and you follow to a narrow opening,

That comes out into a wider space,

Almost roofed by tree branches,

The tree trunks resemble the pillars of some great hall,

And you pass between them to the centre,

Where a welcoming fire is burning,

Hanging lamps cast a comforting glow,

And there is the smell of food and wine,

As elves walk to and from with plates and flagons,

They are not silent now,

Some sit playing on lutes or harps,

Others talk softly together,

They glance at you with those ageless luminous eyes,

And smile,

Accepting your presence as if you are one of their own,

You find yourself staring,

Seeking almost to look behind their eyes,

To their memories,

Their long and fascinating lives,

As you stare,

Your mind begins to fill up with bright and descriptive images,

That you quickly suspect may not be from your own imagination,

You see deep halls of pale stone,

White buildings in a valley fringed by waterfalls,

A ship,

It sails taunt with the wind,

And a great star above it,

Blazing like a jewel,

The images leave a lasting impression in your mind,

Even as they gently fade,

And your awareness returns to your present surroundings,

You are presented with food and drink,

And offered to take what you wish,

The elf who guided you here,

Remains sitting at your side,

The elf turns to you,

And asks if you know why you are here,

You reply that you do not,

But are thankful to be there,

They say that few people will know,

Where you come now from your world,

But there will always be some who feel the call,

They say that they know the images you just saw in your mind,

And that you may go if you wish,

To the great underground halls of the elven king,

The hidden valley in the mountains,

And at the last,

On the last great journey across the sea,

But it is rare indeed,

They say,

For any mortal to go across the sea to the west,

It is a matter of legend,

Written of in their great tales,

And sung to the music of harps,

The elf looks at you,

As if searching for something within you,

You feel a reverent connection to them,

And to the others around you,

You can't explain it,

But there is a longing within you,

A longing they may hold the key to answering,

An elf brings you a warm looking coverlet,

And you sink down into the soft grass,

Thinking,

Your mind filling with music and visions of the elves and their world,

Lost now in forgotten ages,

But not forgotten by everyone,

Slowly,

With the harp notes lulling you,

You drift into peace,

Into sleep,

Looking forward to the great journeys that lay ahead,

You find yourself sitting on a long,

Quiet beach,

You are in the shade,

Deeply comfortable on a reclining chair,

That cushions your limbs,

You can see the blue and green ocean,

Calm under a summer sky,

It spreads a fretwork of foam on the wet sand before gently withdrawing,

Seagulls wheel and call in the sunny air,

And there is a rustle as a small breeze stirs the palms under which you sit,

Observe the sea for a time,

Its steady,

Everlasting movement against the shore,

Smell the scent of it,

Let it enter your lungs and spread through your body,

Now,

Close your eyes and listen to the serene music of the outgoing tide,

The gulls calling,

Peace enters your body and mind softly as the rhythm of the ocean,

Your limbs relax into the chair,

The small breeze is warm against your skin,

There is complete peace here,

Tranquility,

It is a time out of time,

As you breathe and as you rest,

Your body and mind seem to float,

You drift deeper into relaxation,

Feeling the calming ebb and flow of the ocean bring healing and serenity to you,

Enjoy being here in this quiet place,

This haven of peace,

A warm breeze drifts across your face,

You smell summer in a high place,

Tints of flowering gorse,

Heather,

Pine trees warmed by the sun,

Opening your eyes,

You find yourself sitting beside a wide track that runs between banks of heather and the tough,

Bright wildflowers of upland places,

Butterflies dance across your vision,

Whirling in the breeze,

High up,

Some great bird of prey circles on the updrafts,

You stand up,

There is no one around,

You are completely alone,

You realise the track must lead somewhere and so you follow it,

Strolling unhurriedly as it gently curves downwards,

Far ahead in the east,

Mountains hold up the sky,

Stern crumbling titans with frost white hair,

But your path continues downward,

Rock walls begin to rise on either side,

Furred with moss and fern,

A tiny stream breaks from the wall,

Accompanying your steps downward,

It is cooler here and the air smells of water,

You are uncertain of how long it takes before the path widens,

Turning as it does so,

The sun slants in making the air glow and you squint in its brightness,

A valley opens before you,

It is bounced by cliffs from which waterfalls hang like gossamer threads,

Rainbows dancing in their glimmering mist,

A bridge arches across a river and beyond it,

Buildings rise,

Shining white and gold,

Slender covered walkways and sleeping steps connect them one to the other,

As you stare,

A bell rings one sweet high note,

More slowly now,

You take the last steps to the bridge and cross it,

Hearing the fume of water far below,

You come to an open square where statues of elf kings from long ago watch with proud stony eyes,

A sense of ancientness comes upon you,

Of dreams lost in ages past but never forgotten,

Then you hear,

Quite clearly in your mind,

A rich voice say,

Be welcome here,

You want to absorb all you see as you walk,

The elegance of the buildings,

The sunny secret nooks where small streams run through green fern,

Where flowers overarch seats or lawns of grass,

The open galleries with their views across the valley,

And of course,

The elves,

You see one with hair the colour of polished bronze flowing thickly almost to his knees and bound back from his face in braids,

He wears a deep red and black embroidered with an eight pointed silver star,

His eyes are the same silver,

He wears a sword at his side,

One great ruby flashing on its pommel,

He walks as if on some important errand but he takes the time to smile at you,

The expression that transforms his face from statuesque sternness to kindness,

He gestures with his hand as if indicating you should walk on,

Then passes you with a long stride,

You pause for a moment watching him as he turns up a curl of stairs,

There does seem to be an air here of business,

Nothing urgent but something is happening under the timeless peace,

As you walk further,

Breathing the golden air,

You see more elves,

A woman with hair like a spill of midnight smiles at you from a balcony,

Another,

Very fair,

In green and brown,

Half raises a hand as he crosses a walkway,

You look down,

Without realising it,

You have climbed to a high elevation and you can now see down onto many of the buildings,

All of them lit with that strange and mystical glow,

You wonder if the light comes from those that live here rather than the sun that is now moving westward across the sky,

Its light burning in the waterfall,

You come to a small garden where a seat waits under an arch of pink roses,

You sit down and after a moment an elf woman comes bearing a tray of food and drink,

She sets it down beside you,

She smiles and nods to you,

Indicating that you may help yourself,

Then without a word,

She turns and leaves with a rustle of her long robes,

You rest a moment,

Absorbing the atmosphere of this amazing and beautiful place,

Deciding yourself whether or not to try the refreshments that have been brought to you,

When you decide to walk on,

The long gentle light of late afternoon lays gold across your path,

The path takes you past a group of halflings sitting in a small sun filled garden,

They look up and wave as you pass and you are sure you see,

Looking down to a lower level,

A man striding across a courtyard and a group of dwarfs,

Heads together,

Talking,

After a while,

Passing the long buildings,

You come to an open door and look into an empty chamber where a fire burns despite the summer warmth,

A great harp stands within the chamber,

There seems to be an echo in the air of songs sung both sad and beautiful,

You walk on,

Drinking in the wonder of it all,

Every one you meet acknowledges you as if they have been expecting you to come here,

The shadows lengthen,

The sinking sun paints the western sky lilac and purple,

And the evening star rises,

A spark of brilliant white light,

You see a movement of people drifting toward the chamber you looked into earlier and you follow them,

The bronze haired elf that you first saw appears and with a move of one hand he encourages you to enter the chamber,

There are elves,

Dwarfs and men here and halflings too,

You are shown a cushioned seat and you sit back as the elf walks to the great harp,

The gentle murmurs of conversation dwindle and there is silence,

The first notes weep from under his fingers,

An outpouring of love,

Even sorrow,

It is like a soul taking wing on music,

You can imagine the harp song reaching across the wild leagues of middle earth,

Over wood and mountain,

Across the lakes and meadows to touch the margin of the land where the sea casts itself onto rocky shores and the west wind sighs among the breaking waves,

The music is a deep enchantment that takes you far away toward the endless stars,

It becomes part of your heartbeat,

The rush of your blood,

Perhaps you are already half asleep when a kind hand guides you from the hall,

You are led under moonlight to a room where a comfortable bed awaits,

The sheets smell of flowers and the bed is soft and cool as you relax into it,

You can still hear the music and a voice through it telling you to be at peace and to sleep in comfort,

Your eyes weigh heavy,

Your limbs relax and sink into the beds softness,

You are cradled in music and beauty,

It seems to lift you up through the night and into the stars,

You are at peace,

Safe in the knowledge that you will be welcome back in the valley whenever you wish to return,

You stand on a path that runs up the slope of a green hill,

One lone tree stands tall and proud on the otherwise bare grassy summit,

The tree seems to beckon you to join it and you start to walk up the path,

As you approach the tree you can see and hear the gentle rustle of its leaves in the wind,

You halt in front of the tree and gaze across the far distances,

The hill drops to a rich valley where a river curves in silvery blue gleams,

Lush fields and small woods roll to a line of mountains that challenge the air with their snowy peaks,

Little rafts of white clouds drift lazily across the calm sky,

Now simply stand still and think for a couple of minutes about all the things you wish to release into this bright fresh air,

All the things you wish to be cleansed of,

Name them in your mind,

Say I wish to release,

Then name whatever it is,

And I wish to be cleansed of,

And then name that too,

I wish to release,

I wish to be cleansed of,

You can feel the breeze begin to pick up,

It comes from those high snow capped mountains,

You take a deep breath,

The air smells as if it has never touched another living thing,

Never been tainted by pollution,

You breathe its purity into your lungs,

For a while just breathe and release the things you wish to be free of on the exhale,

Breathe in and envisage breathing out those things that you want to let go of,

To cast away into the cleansing wind,

Now the wind becomes stronger,

You hear it like the sound of surf in the tree behind you,

You stretch out your arms feeling as if this wind not only blows over you,

But through you,

You experience a feeling of being cleansed,

Of everything you no longer want being carried away from you and far away,

The cool wind seems to pass through your clothes,

Your skin,

Through your muscles,

Blood and bones,

Cleansing as it does so,

Sweeping through you,

Light and fresh,

Simply allow yourself to experience this,

To feel the purity of the wind,

Its power and cleansing,

Be aware of your breathing,

And on each inhale visualise that clean cool air filling your lungs,

When you exhale,

Know that you are releasing mental and physical debris,

The wind will carry it far away and scatter it into nothingness,

This is your time to be energised,

To be cleansed both mentally and physically,

To be rejuvenated,

And to feel the new possibilities and desires flow into you,

Driving away all that needs to be cleared,

Repeat to yourself,

I breathe in health and wellbeing,

I breathe out,

And then say to yourself again those things you wish to be rid of,

I breathe in health and wellbeing,

I breathe out,

The wind increases,

Racing from those far away mountains,

And you stand still,

Feeling its breath flowing around you and through you,

For this time you are a part of it,

Eventually the wind drops back to a soft breeze,

Having completed your cleansing and healing,

You are standing in a quiet art gallery,

People speak in very soft voices as they look at the paintings,

You are gazing at a painting on the wall,

Its a simple but beautiful landscape of a smooth hill against a sunset sky,

The colours are serene,

Smoky violet and red with a few feathery clouds tinted by the sinking sun,

A path winds gently up the slope and over the ridge,

It is flanked by long grasses and wildflowers,

There is a great sense of tranquility to the picture,

It invites you to walk the path to see what lies beyond,

You step closer,

Absorbing the colours,

The peaceful beauty of the scene,

And you close your eyes,

Imagining,

A soft breeze touches your skin,

And you find yourself standing in the tranquil scene you have just been looking at,

The low hill rises before you against the coloured sky,

A great sense of peace lies over the land,

You begin to walk slowly,

Your feet treading dry earth,

Brushing against the grasses that stir in the light wind,

The flowers that line the path,

The sky fills your sight wonderful and vivid,

Unique as is every sunset in the world,

You reach the top of the hill and stand looking out,

A great ocean stretches before you,

Luminous and calm,

With the setting sun casting a golden path from the horizon to the shore,

Not far below is a crescent shaped beach of white sand and the light of a small fire,

But there is no one around,

You walk down to the beach,

Feeling the warm sand crunch under your feet,

You approach the fire,

Sitting down,

You watch the flames lick lazily at the evening air as the dusk deepens,

The lovely colours of the sky gradually fade as the sun sinks below the rim of the world,

One by one stars begin to appear across the night sky,

You watch small glowing embers and sparks from the fire drifting up like fireflies,

Allow your thoughts to drift away with them,

Thoughts you no longer have use for or thoughts that do not serve you,

Send up your thoughts inside the sparks from the fire,

And watch them fade away under the blaze of stars,

Feel yourself absorbing the peace,

Breathe in the starlight as if it is falling on you in clouds of silver,

Let it melt through you,

Filling you with light and serenity,

Listen to the gentle waves as they cast pale fretworks of foam onto the sand and then withdraw,

Restfulness and relaxation moves like a gentle tide throughout your whole body and mind,

Gently protected as if held in warm and loving arms,

That warmth spreads through you like comfort,

Accept it and allow it to sink into every cell of your body,

You are sinking gradually towards a restful healing sleep.