A warm welcome to this fantasy sleep saga,
Where you are the main character.
Throughout this bedtime story series,
You will be guided on an epic adventure,
All the while accompanied by soft,
Soothing music,
Helping you to sink into an effortless sleep.
Here there is magic,
Wonder and mystery waiting round every corner.
Before we begin,
We will do a short guided breathing pattern called 3-4-5.
This will allow you to slow down and relax,
Preparing your body and your mind for a wonderful,
Peaceful rest.
When you are ready,
Breathe in through the nose for three,
Hold for four,
And breathe out for five.
Let all of it go now.
Again,
That's in for three,
Hold for four,
And release,
Blowing away the thoughts of yesterday,
Today and tomorrow.
Again,
In for three,
And let it go.
Now,
Continue to breathe in this way in your own time,
And with each breath out,
Allow your body to sink just that bit deeper.
And gradually,
Allow your breath to fall back into a natural rhythm.
Enjoy this new peace flowing through your body.
And now,
Let us continue your fantasy sleep saga,
And enjoy episode 7,
Your Arrival at the Golden Wood.
The old wizard places a hand on your shoulder,
And you look up at him with a beaming smile.
Somehow,
The lines on his face have softened,
And a youthful radiance lives in his eyes again.
And you can feel it,
Too.
Any stiffness is melting away,
And a childlike wonder fills your heart as you gaze around this majestic land.
Enormous trees tower above you,
Each with their own spiral staircase.
Among the different levels,
You can see hand-carved houses built within the trees.
The treetops are pulsing with a golden glow,
And a soft stardust mingles through the air.
To your left,
A waterfall cascades out of the woodland into a small silver lake.
A white haze swirls above the water,
And there,
Through the mist,
You see two elves tying up your boat.
As you turn back around,
You are met by the soft face of a tall,
Proud elf.
He dons a gray cloak and hood with thin,
Delicate armor covering his chest,
Shoulders,
And forearms.
A huge wooden bow rests on his back with a satchel of arrows at his side.
Here is the captain and commander of the wood,
Second only to the lord and lady.
As the elf captain removes his hood,
His golden hair frames his face with a soft glow,
And he greets you with a half-bow,
Welcoming you to the kingdom of the woodland elves.
You return the bow and admit your surprise but deep honor to receive such an invitation.
The captain reassures you that any friend of the wizard is a friend of the elves,
And they have been looking forward to your arrival.
This elf will be your guide tonight,
Taking you high up into the treetops and to the palace of the lord and lady.
But first,
You must eat,
He adds,
And gather your strength.
From under his cloak,
The elf reveals a parcel wrapped in dark green leaves tied with string.
This is the bread of our kin,
He tells you.
One small bite is enough to fill the stomach of a grown man.
It is made deep within the enchanted wood where no mortal has ever stepped foot,
And the magic within this bread will cleanse your mind and fill you with a renewed strength.
You unwrap the parcel and remove a thick white bread with a lovely golden crust.
It is freshly baked and still warm to the touch.
You break it open and take your first bite.
The bread is soft and fluffy with a beautiful buttery flavor.
There is a deep satisfaction in the pit of your stomach,
Like a mini fire bubbling away.
Filling you with a comforting warmth.
You feel this warmth rise into your chest and pulse with a beautiful radiance.
It trickles through your body,
Down into your legs and feet,
Along your arms and up into your head.
For a moment,
You have forgotten where you are.
Your eyes are closed and you are feeling every single beautiful sensation running through you.
You take a deep breath and smile at this wonderful moment.
As your senses come back to the golden wood,
The elf captain cannot help but chuckle at your reaction.
You can see the flashes of an old memory in his eyes,
And he tells you that he can remember taking his first bite of this wonderful bread as a small elf child over a thousand years ago.
A thousand years!
You suddenly find yourself marveling at the smoothness of his skin and the glow of his young eyes bubbling with energy.
The magic of the elves really is remarkable.
With another bow,
The captain bids you follow his lead,
And with an excited smile to your wizard,
You shadow the elf through the wood,
Your feet treading on the soft floor of the forest.
You walk through a series of white wooden archways,
Delicately carved with elegant patterns and inscribed with old elvish script.
The archways are wrapped in pink and blue flowers,
And a beautiful smell dances through the wood.
With every breath you take,
You find yourself becoming just that bit more relaxed.
And then,
You arrive at the most majestic tree you have ever seen.
It appears to be wrapped in the most delicate starlight and pulses with a soft radiance.
Its twisted trunk towers above you,
Disappearing above the golden treetops.
Your elf guardian turns to you,
Smiling at your wide-eyed wonder.
This tree,
He tells you,
Was the very first to grow here,
And it is the center of all life on Earth.
It was the elves who brought it to life through an ancient song that lasted over a hundred years,
And from it,
This enchanted woodland was born.
For a moment,
You are daunted by the seemingly endless journey to the top of the tree.
But the kind elf places a hand on your shoulder,
And with a subtle smile,
He reassures you that the climb is far easier than it looks.
After a slight hesitation,
You take your first step,
And as soon as your foot touches the pure white wood,
You feel yourself lifting ever so slightly above the ground,
Until you are no longer walking,
But floating up this twisting stairway.
You are simply a passenger now,
You do not even have to try.
The old magic of the forest is bringing you up to the top of the tree and towards the golden palace.
You drift effortlessly higher and higher,
And gaze out through the woodland,
Peppered with stardust.
Down below,
You can see the waterfall and the small lake.
There are many elves mingling on the forest floor,
Crafting tools and instruments,
Foraging for fruit of the forest,
And tending to this ancient land.
It's as if these wonderful folk are completely at one with this golden wood.
Everything works in perfect harmony.
Already,
You feel that you belong here.
You feel safe and protected,
And this magical world is already healing your body,
Your mind,
And your soul.
Before you know it,
You arrive at the top of the tree and find yourself inside a beautiful palace of magic.
But this palace is not like those of the old fairy tales.
It is subtle,
Subdued,
And elegant,
And it is all the more beautiful for it.
Delicate white woodwork arches above and around you,
Carved in the most intricate detail.
Thin curtains with a misty blue haze flutter in the gentle breeze,
And the wooden floor is veiled with a blanket of silver moonlight.
There are two small water fountains flowing in a beautiful spiral.
The water is a pure sapphire,
Peppered with tiny crystals of white.
Up here,
The light has turned from a rich gold into a soft blue and silver.
A canopy of leaves creates an enchanting dome above you,
And there,
Through the gaps,
You can see the first stars peeping through.
The wizard places a hand on your shoulder and leads you over to two empty thrones,
Backed by a thin white veil.
Your heart flutters as you sense the presence of a deep and powerful magic pulsing through the palace and resonating in your chest.
And then,
The veil parts in the middle,
Revealing a soft white light,
And a wave of nerves washes over you.
The light slowly fades,
And you are met by the lord and lady of the golden wood.
Their delicate regality is coupled with an unspeakable kindness and the wisdom of a thousand years.
Your nerves fade to a beautiful comfort.
You are honored to be in the presence of such high and magical beings,
And you cannot help but smile.
The beauty and grace of this lord and lady is undeniable,
And your elf captain leads you all into a low bow as you gently drop to one knee.
With your eyes to the floor,
You feel the lady of light approach you.
Her magic is like nothing you have ever felt before.
It ripples through you like a heavenly starlight,
Filling you with absolute peace.
And then,
You feel a smooth hand taking your chin and lifting up your head.
As you stare into the dazzling blue eyes of the golden lady,
You feel a deep,
Healing love filling your heart.
A gentle glow pulses around her,
And you'd be forgiven for thinking that you had just met your first angel.
She smiles softly,
And just the simple touch of her hand evokes feelings of safety.
You know that under the watchful eye of this enchanting elf,
You are completely protected.
And then,
Without moving her lips,
The lady of the wood speaks to you,
As if calling out to your very soul.
You are so welcome here,
My lovely friend of the Shire.
Please,
Lay down your troubles,
And leave your worries behind.
I see you.
I truly see you.
And here,
We can wash away any burdens that you carry with you.
I see the warmth of your heart,
The beauty of your soul,
And all the wonderful things you have to offer.
So please,
It is time to be kind to yourself.
You deserve happiness,
And here you will find the comfort that you seek,
For there is a magic within you,
Too.
This is your sanctuary,
And you will leave this land refreshed,
Renewed,
And at peace,
Free to return whenever you need to.
You take a deep breath,
And allow all these beautiful words to fill your heart.
You enjoy this wonderful moment shared only between you and this ethereal elf.
You can feel the golden lady's healing magic coursing through you.
Your mind becomes clear and uncluttered.
Your breath is free.
Your body is relaxed,
And there is a smile on your face.
You vow from here on in to treat yourself with love,
Empathy,
And respect as you would your very best friend,
For that is what you deserve.
