Are you ready to meditate with Kori?
Climb into bed and get super,
Super comfortable.
Make sure that everything is just right in your room.
The lights are just right.
You're wearing your cozy,
Comfy pajamas.
And all is well in the world.
So that you can finally lay down and relax and possibly even fall to sleep as you listen to the story.
What if all of our cuddly teddies are stuffies?
What if inside they were real?
Petal was a pink bunny rabbit.
She had a heavy bottom.
She was weighted and she cuddled perfectly.
Everything about Petal was made and designed so she would be able to cuddle you just right.
Her fur was super soft.
And when you stroked her,
Her ears had different textures,
Furry on one side and smooth velvet on the other.
She had a bow at the top of her head that,
Subconsciously,
You played with while you cuddled her.
Her little bum had a button tail on it.
A cuff of furriness.
And it was really relaxing to just play with that too.
She had little arms that were nice to hold when you slept with her.
And when you laid her on your chest in bed,
The weight of her felt comforting and grounding.
Like she was holding you tight.
Petal was the best stuffie in the world.
That's what her owner told her all the time.
I love you so much,
Petal.
She hugged her and kissed her and smelt her.
She smelt her because she smelt good.
Her owner would rub oil called flower balm on her hands and then rub her hands all over Petal's head.
All over her ears,
Her tummy,
Her back.
A little puffball bum.
So every time she was hugged,
She smelt sweet like flowers.
And those flowers,
Whatever they were in that essential oil,
Were super relaxing and calming and familiar.
So every time her owner gave her a hug and sniffed deeply,
Petal had the power to make her feel calm and soothed and relaxed.
Petal knew that she was good at this.
That was her job.
She knew that she was there whenever her owner needed a snuggle or a hug or reassurance.
She was there to take on trips.
She was there every night for bed.
Petal was there even when her owner cried,
Tears that fell on her fur.
Petal even went shopping to the farmer's market one time with her owner because her owner didn't want to leave her alone in the house.
She needed Petal.
She needed her friend.
Petal was a friend.
Petal was a healer.
She took away loneliness.
Petal took away sadness.
Petal dissolved all stress when she was hugged and sniffed.
And kissed and loved.
Petal never knew she would mean so much.
But she does.
Now if you look at your stuffy,
The name that you gave it,
The way that you love it,
The hugs that you give it,
The way that you communicate with it,
It's like they're alive.
They're real.
Right?
You take care of them.
They're special.
They're with you all the time.
It would be very hard if you lost them.
Some of our stuffies have been with us our whole life.
My baby has a stuffy that's 26 years old.
Tiny little puppy that's all floppy.
It's bare in places.
It's been hugged so much.
It's called Toto.
Toto.
Like the dog on Wizard of Oz.
Jenna loves that little puppy very much.
And Isabel has a teddy bear that I bought her in kindergarten.
It's called Big Bear.
When she was in kindergarten and she had to take a nap,
That teddy bear was almost as big as her.
And it's gone through everything with Isabel.
She talks to it.
No one else is allowed to touch it.
Even to this day,
And she's 24.
When Isabel had her ears pierced,
Big Bear had his ears pierced.
It's like Big Bear will be with her forever.
He still sleeps on her bed.
She still hugs him.
Isabel's husband's not allowed to throw him or act like he's a teddy.
He's not a teddy.
He's real to Isabel.
Is your stuffy real to you?
It is,
Right?
It is,
Right?
Grab a hold of it.
Give it a hug.
Close your eyes.
Let's relax.
It's time to let go of your day.
You're safe and warm in your bed.
All is good in the world.
You have your stuffy with you,
Giving you a snuggle,
Keeping you warm.
You can relax.
No matter what's going on in your life,
Whether it's good things or bad things or scary things or sad things,
You have your teddy.
They love you.
They're with you.
Ellie,
My granddaughter,
Has a stuffy that represents all of the different people that she loves in her life.
She has an Izzy lion.
She has a daddy bear.
She has a mommy bear.
And when she needs extra love and she feels the need of love from that person,
She channels it through her stuffies.
And they love her just like Auntie Izzy would.
Or just like Nanan would.
It's normal to love your stuffy.
There isn't anything wrong with it,
No matter how old you are.
Petal is mine.
Petal's my stuffy.
My pink bunny rabbit.
And I love her very much.
Let's go to sleep,
Shall we?
Time for bed.
Snuggle your special stuffy.
Know that you're safe.
Sweet dreams,
My little friend.
