Karen Voss Good evening.
My name is Karen Voss,
And tonight I will be guiding you on a journey to a magical old forest.
This forest holds the stories and secrets of magic.
You know that there is an ancient and powerful energy around old trees.
It is transforming.
You want to see these ancient trees for yourself and experience the magic as you scan and release all tension in your body.
Before drifting off into a deep and restful night's sleep,
This meditation is a deep sleep story and body scan that will guide you into a deep and restful sleep tonight.
There is no better gift of healing than restorative deep sleep.
As you begin to relax and find yourself in a soothing environment,
Find yourself in a comfortable position,
One that is ready and offering you a time of relaxation.
As you start taking deeper breaths,
Notice that each breath out releases tension,
And with each breath in you invite more relaxation.
Releasing tension and inviting in peace,
With each breath you gift your body.
As you become deeper into this relaxation,
You can feel all parts of yourself,
Connecting body,
Mind,
And spirit.
Your breath is a natural connector of everything within you.
It is source energy,
A rhythmic healing force always available to you.
Let your breath slow down.
Let your breath slow your mind.
You deserve this time,
This deep sleep.
You may have already closed your eyes.
If not,
I invite you to close your eyes now.
Try to keep them closed and gently focused up and in at the brow point.
Inhale and hold your breath for a moment,
Pressing the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth.
Good.
This actually places your jaw in alignment and releases tightness that you might be holding there.
You are inviting vitality and healing,
Breathing in physical restoration,
And exhaling tension and dis-ease.
Powerful.
Meditation is the practice of allowing stress to slowly leave your system and giving your body and mind a chance to heal,
Deepening your experiences in life,
Living a life with more fulfillment,
Allowing space for wonder and gratitude as you rest deeper and deeper into this meditation.
Now as you continue to breathe,
Bring your awareness to your feet.
Feel your feet as they rest.
Allow your feet to feel heavy in your mind.
Tell your feet to relax.
Notice how all the muscles in your feet seem to soften as you suggest this.
Now bring your attention up to your legs.
Feel your legs under you,
Supporting you in the place you are in.
Allow your legs to feel heavy.
Allow your legs to relax and soften,
And tell yourself,
My legs are relaxed.
Moving your attention up to your hips,
Rocking them gently side to side.
Your torso,
Your belly,
Your belly that is rising and falling with each breath.
Your chest.
Feel the air on your inhalation move through your chest and into your belly.
Feel the tension move and dissolve.
Now your shoulders.
Gently roll your shoulders back.
Yes,
Your body is beginning to relax and get ready for a deep rest tonight.
Feel all your muscles now to lengthen and relax.
Feel the tension in those places melt away.
Now move your attention to your fingers and your hands.
You can gently wiggle your fingers and then feel them become heavier as they seem to melt.
Let all the tension in your hand drain out.
Feel your fingers and your hands softening.
Bring your attention now to your neck.
Tell all of the tension in your neck to melt away.
Feel your neck muscles relax and soften.
You can gently move your neck side to side.
Now bring your energy to your face and your head.
Gently move your jaw around.
Feel the muscles in your face start to relax.
Notice your jaw drop open as the tension there is released.
Feel yourself soften and let go of all the tension your body is holding.
Enjoy this relaxed and peaceful feeling.
If you haven't closed your eyes yet,
I invite you to do so.
Now imagine in your mind a forest,
The kind of forest that is beautiful,
Old,
And holds stories of all kinds from all places.
The stories of magic.
Artists,
Poets,
Scholars come to this forest for inspiration and deeper understandings of the world.
The footprints of ancient rites are buried in the soil here.
Perhaps alchemists came to these woods to find their herbs and make their potions.
The energy is strong here.
The stories are written in the soil,
The trees,
The deep gnarled roots.
You are drawn here.
Your steps feel like they have stepped here before.
You are pulled deeper and deeper,
The branches on your path opening as you approach.
Tonight you are visiting this remarkable forest.
You have heard so much about this forest.
You may have seen pictures,
And you have heard stories of the transformation that seems to happen when people visit.
You are excited,
And you are curious about this place.
You can already feel the magic present in the place.
The forest is quiet,
Yet it feels very much alive.
Such a remarkable place of grandness.
The air,
The space,
The place.
Breathe deeply.
You begin to relax into this space.
You can feel you are welcome here.
You are meant to be here.
The feeling of having one foot in the past and one in the present moves through you.
This is a timeless space.
You walk into the forest.
You have passed through here before,
In dreams,
In ancient days.
Whenever it was,
There is a knowing now within you.
You are ready.
You are open for what this forest has for you.
The scent of pine trees,
So fresh,
So wonderful.
You wish you could drink this air.
The moonlight shining through on this ageless night.
Intoxicating,
Your feet guide you further into a clearing,
A circle of tall trees.
You move around the circle.
You move,
You turn,
You turn back,
And there is a fire burning,
A fire kindled for you.
For this night,
An ancient song crackles as the birds fly over.
Your heart feels full.
The smoke and ashes spiraling up,
Releasing its protective powers over you,
Over this night.
Right there,
In the stillness of this night.
The daylight is growing shorter on these days now,
And the forest is entering the colder days.
You feel the warmth of the flames and your connection to the elements.
Let this fire awaken your passion.
Let it not sleep.
Fire can be dangerous,
But you know that life,
In balance,
Is full of a wide range of possibilities.
Fire.
The sun is needed in your dreams as you sleep your passion can burn and awaken into your day.
Promise yourself to take this fire with you.
Embrace what you see,
Feel,
And hear in this place.
The elements are bursting in fullness all around you.
This is a magical night.
You are safe to move,
To sway,
To dance.
This is your sacred place.
You are safe to be you here.
You are safe to take this place with you into your dreams.
Your eyes are resting,
And you begin to drift.
Drift.
You feel warm and so comfortable.
You lay a thick blanket that you have brought with you down beside the fire,
Laying there looking up at the stars in the circle of trees.
You can feel your head supported now.
You begin to hear the voices of the forest.
It is as though the words are merging with you,
And a voice is comforting you.
You are so comfortable and peaceful.
The forest is telling you something,
Sharing knowledge that you are meant to know.
It is all good.
Your mind and body and spirit are so relaxed,
Safe and warm.
Enjoy this time.
Enjoy this forest.
Drifting now,
Drifting into a relaxed sleep.
You are meant to be here right now.
This is your deep sleep tonight.
You can always come back here whenever you want.
For now,
Enjoy this place,
The place you are in.
Count from one to five,
And allow yourself to fall deeper and deeper into sleep.
Then,
Softly focus on the number one.
Take a deep breath in,
Inhaling that pine forest scent,
And let it all go.
You are inviting good dreams tonight.
Two,
You feel more and more relaxed.
You are looking forward to a nice,
Deep sleep.
Your mind is starting to find a place of stillness.
Positive thoughts are filling your head.
Three,
You are drifting now.
Your body is ready to take a break.
You are feeling safe,
And you are drifting.
Four,
So calm,
Ready for the magic of sleep.
Five,
Breathe softly.
You are ready to drift off and float away into dreamland.
Feel how heavy your eyelids feel right now.
Your body is warm.
Your body is safe,
So comfortable,
And you are drifting.
Feel yourself drift and drift and drift into your deserved rest.
Hearing the sounds now slowly fade as you rest into a deep,
Deep sleep.
Four,
You feel more and more relaxed.
Five,
Breathe slowly.
Four,
Breathe slowly.
Five,
Breathe slowly.
Four,
Breathe slowly.
Five,
Breathe slowly.
Four,
Breathe slowly.
