Charlotte's Ladies: Sleep Meditation And Bedtime Story

Welcome to this evening's calming,

Meditation style,

Bedtime story for adults of all ages.

Wouldn't you agree that there's something incredibly beautiful,

Warm,

Soothing,

And most definitely nurturing about listening to a voice whisper a story into your ear as you fall asleep?

My name is Lisa Watley and I will be the soothing voice for you throughout this journey tonight,

Whispering the story into your ear as you fall asleep.

It is my intention to distract your mind so you can effortlessly slip into a deep sleep,

Just like you used to when you were a child.

And you know,

I'm pretty certain that almost everyone loves a bedtime story,

No matter how old you are.

So I encourage you to share the link to this soothing sleep story with adults of all ages,

But especially with those who you know have a difficult time falling asleep too.

This relaxing bedtime story is a sweet one that I have ever so slightly modernized and it definitely has a happy ending.

It's the heartwarming,

Timeless tale called Charlotte's Ladies by Andrew Lang and I hope that my voice and storytelling style lulls you into a deep,

Peaceful sleep long before the story ever ends.

May you fall asleep quickly and sweet dreams,

My friend.

As you continue to listen,

Making yourself super comfy in your bed,

I remind you to use your imagination and I invite you to engage all your senses as you immerse yourself into your inner experience so that you can let go completely of the outside world.

Allow yourself to visualize in full detail the scenes that will unfold before you.

Now of course,

After lying down and getting into your most comfortable sleeping position,

I invite you to close your eyes,

Excusing yourself from everything around you except for the peaceful assurance of these whispered words and the trusted voice that carries them into your conscious mind.

And now,

As you settle in,

Breathe in deeply and exhale slowly,

Relaxing,

While noticing that your body is getting heavier and more relaxed than it was just moments ago.

As you allow your mind and body to completely relax while you listen to my voice,

Just imagine that this voice that you hear is that of an old trusted friend,

One who is aligned with nothing but goodness and has your very best intentions at heart.

Now give yourself permission to fully surrender,

Allowing your mind and body to completely relax even more.

And now set your intention to rest deeply,

To sleep fully and be at peace.

You may let go of my voice at any time during our journey together,

Drifting into a deep healing sleep,

Where you will be welcomed into your inner world,

The place where magic happens,

The place where you will experience an abundance of healing energy and sweet,

Peaceful dreams.

And you will find,

My dear friend,

That the more you listen to my sleep story meditations,

Infused with healing energies,

The faster you fall asleep with every single listen.

Now just be aware of my voice and breathe,

And know that you may never cautiously reach the end of the story,

For my voice will become a trigger that sends sweet messages to your body that it's time to relax,

Time to feel sleepy and completely at ease.

Just think of my voice as a natural sleep aid,

Helping you to drift off quickly within moments of closing your eyes.

That's right,

Drifting,

Drifting quickly off to sleep now.

And when you awaken in the morning,

You will love how rejuvenated you feel.

You will have experienced a healing,

Restorative,

Deep,

Relaxed sleep.

You will awaken feeling fresh and renewed,

Full of health and vitality,

Ideas and creativity,

Happiness and peace of mind.

Your skin will glow with radiance,

And your life will flow with ease.

Are you ready?

Come with me.

This journey deeper and deeper within.

Right now,

As you are drifting off to sleep,

Your body is slowing down,

As though everything is beginning to move in slow motion.

And notice,

With every word you hear,

How you feel more and more relaxed,

More and more peaceful as you sink deeper and deeper into your warm,

Soft bed.

Moment by moment.

Your body is becoming more and more relaxed.

Relaxing,

Allowing the sounds to wash over you.

Breathing easily.

Sinking deeper and deeper into your warm,

Soft blankets.

Allowing your breath to calmly slip in and out of your body.

Feeling totally relaxed.

Hoping to receive grace,

Energy and healing.

Are you still with me?

Okay.

Now that you are fully relaxed and snuggled deep into your bed,

Before the story begins,

I want to wrap you in loving light.

This light is a beautiful healing energy from divine source.

This will help you to rest peacefully,

Fully and safely throughout the night.

It will help to take you into a space where dreams are sweet and love is unconditional.

Begin to imagine now a pure white light energy appearing like a divine mist directly above your bed.

And notice as you inhale that this white light gently glides down closer and closer to you.

Noticing that it is spreading out the full length of your bed.

And now,

Feel this white light settle down over you like a warm,

Smooth blanket of silk.

Covering you with the elation only love can offer.

Connecting you fully and deeply to the power of love.

Feeling how this light feels like you are wrapped completely inside the arms of an angel.

Completely safe.

Completely protected.

Fully loved.

As you continue to breathe naturally,

This warm and delicious energy easily and with guidance of its own flows down,

Down through your body.

You are so gently touching your heart.

Feeling this soothing energy cascading down and down.

Letting the magic flow.

Enveloping every part of your body.

Enclosing you in warmth.

Snuggling your blanket a little tighter.

Sinking deeper and deeper.

Feel the gentle caress of love as the stress of your day ebbs away.

And this soft,

Current of relaxing,

Loving energy flows down,

Down throughout your entire body.

Gently penetrating every cell of your being.

This loving energy washes through you.

Entering your health and fills you with peace.

Definite realities exist beyond the physical plane.

The world is opening to you now.

And the story begins.

Just as soon as dinner was over at the orphanage,

Charlotte ran quickly to the gap in the fence,

The northwest corner gap.

There was a gap in the southeast corner too.

The orphanage fence was in a rather poor condition,

But the southeast gap was interesting only after tea,

And it was never,

At any time,

Quite as interesting as the northwest gap.

Charlotte ran as fast as her legs could carry her,

Because she didn't want any of the other orphans to see her.

Now,

As a rule,

Charlotte liked the company of the other orphans and was a favorite with them,

But she did not want them to know about the gaps.

She was sure that they would not understand.

Charlotte had discovered the gaps only a week before.

They had not been there in the fall,

But the snowdrifts had lain heavily against the fence all winter.

And one spring day,

When Charlotte was creeping through the shrubbery in the northwest corner,

In search of the little yellow daffodils that always grew there in spring,

She found a delightful space where a board had fallen off,

Where she could look out on a bit of woodsy road with a little footpath winding along by the fence,

Under the wide-spreading boughs of the orphanage's trees.

Charlotte felt a wild impulse to slip out of the gap and run fast and far down that lovely,

Sunny,

Tempting,

Fenceless road.

But that would have been wrong,

Because it was against the orphanage's rules.

And Charlotte,

Though she hated most of the orphanage's rules with all her heart,

She never disobeyed or broke them.

So she subdued the vagrant longing with a sigh and sat down among the daffodils to peer with regretful longing out of the gap and feast her eyes on this glimpse of a world where there were no brick walls and prim walks and never-varying rules.

Then,

As Charlotte watched,

The pretty lady with the blue eyes came along the footpath.

Charlotte had never seen her before and hadn't the slightest idea in the world who she was,

But that was what she called her as soon as she saw her.

The lady was so pretty,

With lovely blue eyes that were very sad.

Although,

Somehow,

As you looked at them,

You felt that they ought to be laughing,

Merry eyes instead.

At least Charlotte thought so,

And wished at once that she knew how to make them laugh.

Besides,

The lady had lovely golden hair and the most beautiful pink cheeks.

And Charlotte,

Who had mouse-colored hair and any number of freckles,

Had an unbounded admiration for golden locks and rose-leafed complexions.

The lady was dressed in black,

Which Charlotte did look like,

Principally because the matron of the orphanage wore black,

And Charlotte didn't exactly like the matron.

When the pretty lady with the blue eyes had gone by,

Charlotte drew a long breath.

If I could pick out a mother,

I'd pick out one that looked just like her,

She said.

Nice things sometimes happen close together,

Even in an orphanage.

And that very evening,

Charlotte discovered the southeast gap and found herself peering into the most beautiful garden that you could imagine.

A garden where daffodils and tulips grew in great ribbon-like beds,

And there were hedges of white and purple lilacs and winding paths under blossoming trees.

It was like the garden that Charlotte had pictured in her happy dreams,

But never expected to see in real life.

And yet,

There,

It had been all the time,

Hidden from her by a high wooden fence.

I wouldn't have supposed that there could be such a lovely place so near an orphanage,

Me of Charlotte.

It's the very loveliest place I have ever seen.

Oh,

I do wish I could go and walk in it.

Well,

I do declare,

If there isn't a lady in it too.

Sure enough,

There was a lady who was helping an unruly young vine to run in the way that it should go,

Over a little arbor.

Charlotte instantly named her the tall lady with the black eyes.

She was not nearly so young or so pretty as the lady with the blue eyes,

But she looked very kind and jolly.

I'd like her for an aunt,

Reflected Charlotte.

Not for a mother.

Oh no,

Not for a mother,

But for an aunt.

I know she'd make a splendid aunt.

And oh my,

Just look at her cat.

Charlotte looked at the cat with all her might and mane.

Oh,

How she loved cats.

But cats are not allowed in an orphanage.

The tall lady's cat was so big and furry,

With a splendid tail and elegant stripes.

A very handsome cat,

Charlotte called him mentally.

Charlotte's fingers tingled to stroke his glossy coat,

But she quickly folded them sternly together.

You know you can't,

She said to herself reproachfully.

So what is the use of wanting to,

Charlotte Turner?

You ought to be thankful just to see the garden and the very handsome cat.

Charlotte watched the tall lady and the cat until they went away,

Into a fine big house further up the garden.

And she sighed and went back through the cherry trees to the orphanage's playground,

Where the other orphans were playing games.

But somehow,

Games had lost their flavor compared with those fascinating gaps.

It did not take Charlotte long to discover that the pretty lady always walked past the northwest gap about one o'clock every day,

And never at any other time.

At least at no other time when Charlotte was free to watch her.

And that the tall lady was almost always in her garden at five in the afternoon,

Accompanied by the very handsome cat,

Pruning and trimming some of her flowers.

Charlotte never missed being at the gaps at the proper times,

If she could possibly manage it.

And her heart was full of dreams about her two ladies.

But the other orphans thought all the fun had gone out of her.

And the matron?

She noticed her absent-mindedness and dosed her with sulfur and molasses for it.

Charlotte took the dose meekly as she took everything else.

It was all part and parcel with being an orphan in an orphanage.

But if the pretty lady with the blue eyes was my mother,

She wouldn't make me swallow such dreadful stuff,

Sighed Charlotte.

I don't believe even the tall lady with the black eyes would,

Though perhaps she might,

Aunts not being quite as good as mothers.

Do you know,

Said Maggie Brunk coming up to Charlotte at this moment,

That Lizzie Parker is going to be adopted?

A lady is going to adopt her?

Oh,

Cried Charlotte breathlessly.

An adoption was always a wonderful event in the orphanage,

As well as a somewhat rare one.

Oh,

How splendid.

Yes,

Isn't it?

Said Maggie enviously.

She picked out Lizzie because she was pretty and had curls.

I don't think it is fair.

Charlotte sighed.

Nobody will ever want to adopt me.

Because I've mosey hair and freckles,

She said.

But somebody may want you someday,

Maggie.

You have such lovely black hair.

But it isn't curly,

Said Maggie forlornly.

And the matron,

She won't let me put it up in curlers at night.

I just wish I was Lizzie.

Charlotte shook her head.

Oh,

I don't.

I'd love to be adopted.

But I wouldn't like to be anybody but myself,

Even if I am homely.

It's better to be yourself with mosey hair and freckles than somebody else who is so beautiful.

But I do envy Lizzie,

Although the matron says it is wicked to envy anyone.

Envying the fortunate Lizzie did not long possess Charlotte's mind.

Because on that very day,

A wonderful thing happened at noon by the northwest gap.

Charlotte had always been very careful not to let the pretty lady see her.

But today,

After the pretty lady had gone past,

Charlotte leaned out of the gap to watch her as far as she could,

And just at that very moment,

The pretty lady looked back.

And there,

Peering at her from the orphanage fence,

Was a little scrap of a girl with mouse-colored hair,

Big freckles,

And the sweetest,

Brightest,

Most adorable little face that the pretty lady had ever seen.

The pretty lady smiled at Charlotte.

And for just a moment,

Her eyes looked as Charlotte had always known they ought to look.

Charlotte was feeling nervous in her heart,

But she smiled bravely back.

Are you thinking of running away?

Asked the pretty lady,

And oh,

What a sweet voice she had.

Sweet and tender,

Just like a mother's voice ought to be.

No,

Said Charlotte,

Shaking her head gravely.

I should like to run away,

But it would be of no use,

Because there is no place to run to.

Why would you like to run away?

Asked the pretty lady,

Still smiling.

Don't you like living here?

Charlotte opened her eyes very widely.

Why,

It's an orphanage,

She exclaimed.

Nobody could like living in an orphanage.

But of course,

Orphans should be very thankful to have any place to live in,

And I am thankful.

I'd be thankful,

Still,

If the matron wouldn't make me take sulfur and molasses.

If you had a little girl,

Would you make her take sulfur and molasses?

I didn't when I had a little girl,

Said the pretty lady,

Wistfully,

And her eyes were sad again.

Oh,

Did you really have a little girl once?

Asked Charlotte softly.

Yes,

And she died,

Said the pretty lady in a trembling voice.

Oh,

I am so sorry,

Said Charlotte,

More softly still.

Did she?

Did she have lovely golden hair and pink cheeks like yours?

No,

The pretty lady smiled again,

Though it was a very sad smile.

No,

She had mouse-colored hair and freckles.

Oh,

And weren't you sorry?

No,

I was glad of it.

Because it made her look like her father.

I've always loved little girls with mouse-colored hair and freckles ever since.

Well,

I must hurry along.

I'm late now,

And schools have a dreadful habit of starting on time.

If you should happen to be here tomorrow,

I'm going to stop and ask you your name.

And of course,

Charlotte was at the gap the next day,

And they had a lovely talk,

And in a week,

They were the best of friends.

Charlotte soon found out that she could make the pretty lady's eyes look as they ought to for a little while at least,

And she spent all her spare time and even lay awake at nights.

Devising speeches to make the pretty lady laugh.

Then another wonderful thing happened.

One evening,

When Charlotte went to the southeast gap,

The tall lady with the black eyes was not in the garden.

At least Charlotte thought she wasn't,

But the very handsome cat was.

He was sitting under a lilac bush and looking quite proud of himself for being a cat.

You very handsome cat,

Said Charlotte.

Won't you come here and let me pet you?

The very handsome cat did come,

Just as if he understood English,

And he purred with the light when Charlotte took him in her arms and buried her face in his fur.

Then Charlotte thought she would really sink into the ground,

For the tall lady herself came around a lilac bush and stood before the gap.

Please ma'am,

Stammered Charlotte,

Utterly embarrassed.

I wasn't meaning to do any harm to your very handsome cat.

I just wanted to pet him.

I am very fond of cats,

And they are not allowed in the orphanage.

Well,

I've always thought orphanages weren't run on proper principles,

Said the tall lady briskly.

Bless your heart,

Child.

Don't look so scared.

You're welcome to pet the cat all you like.

Come in and I'll give you some flowers.

Thank you,

But I'm not allowed to go off the grounds,

Said Charlotte firmly.

And I think I'd rather not have any flowers,

Because the matron might want to know where I got them,

And then she would have this gap closed up.

I live in mortal dread,

For it will be closed anyhow,

And it's very uncomfortable living in mortal dread.

And the tall lady laughed,

A very jolly laugh.

Yes,

I should think it would be,

She agreed.

Then they had a jolly talk,

And every evening after that,

Charlotte went to the gap and stroked the very handsome cat,

And chatted to the tall lady.

Do you live all alone in that big house?

She asked one day.

All alone,

Said the tall lady.

Did you always live alone?

No.

I had a sister living with me once,

But I don't want to talk about her.

You'll oblige me,

Charlotte,

By not talking about her.

I won't then,

Agreed Charlotte.

I can understand why people don't like to have their sisters talked about sometimes.

Lily Mitchell has a big sister who was sent to jail for stealing.

Of course,

Lily doesn't like to talk about her either.

The tall lady laughed a little bitterly.

No,

Well,

My sister didn't steal.

She married a man I detested,

That's all.

Did he drink?

Asked Charlotte gravely.

The matron's husband drank,

And that was why she left him and took to running an orphanage.

I think I'd rather put up with a drunken husband than live in an orphanage.

My sister's husband didn't drink,

Said the tall lady grimly.

He was beneath her,

That was all.

I told her I'd never forgive her,

And I never shall.

He's dead now.

He died a year after she married him,

And she's working for her living.

I dare say she doesn't find it very pleasant.

She wasn't brought up to that.

Here Charlotte,

Is a turnover for you.

I made it on purpose for you.

Eat it,

And tell me if you don't think I am a good cook.

I'm dying for a compliment.

I never get any now that I've got old.

It's a dismal thing to get old and have nobody to love you except a cat,

Charlotte.

Well,

I think it is just as bad to be young and have nobody to love you.

But even a cat,

Sighed Charlotte,

Enjoying the turnover nevertheless.

Well,

I dare say it is,

Agreed the tall lady,

Looking as if she had been struck by a new and rather startling idea.

I like the tall lady with the black eyes ever so much,

Thought Charlotte that night as she lay in bed.

But I love the pretty lady.

I have more fun with the tall lady and the very handsome cat,

But I always feel nicer with the pretty lady.

I'm so glad her little girl had mouse-colored hair.

Then,

The most wonderful thing of all happened.

One day a week later,

The pretty lady said,

Would you like to come and live with me,

Charlotte?

She looked to her,

Are you in earnest?

She asked in a whisper.

Indeed I am.

I want you for my little girl,

And if you'd like to come,

You shall.

I'm poor,

Charlotte,

Really I'm dreadfully poor,

But I can make my salary stretch far enough for two,

And we'll love each other enough to cover the thin spots.

Will you come?

Well,

I should just think I will,

Said Charlotte.

Oh,

I wish I was sure I'm not dreaming.

I do love you so much,

And it will be so delightful to be your little girl.

Very well,

Sweetheart,

I'll come tomorrow afternoon.

It is Saturday,

So I'll have the whole day off,

And I'll see the matron about it.

Oh,

We'll have lovely times together,

Dearest.

I only wish I'd discovered you long ago.

Charlotte may have eaten,

Studied,

Played,

And kept rules the rest of that day and part of the next,

But if so,

She had no recollection of it.

She went about like a girl in a dream,

And the matron concluded that something more than sulfur and molasses was needed,

And decided to speak to the doctor about her.

But she never did,

Because a lady came that afternoon and told her she wanted to adopt Charlotte.

Charlotte obeyed the summons to the matron's room in a tingle of excitement,

But when she went in,

She saw only the matron and the tall lady with the black eyes.

Before Charlotte could look around for the pretty lady,

The matron said,

Charlotte,

This lady,

Miss Herbert,

Wishes to adopt you.

It is a splendid thing for you,

And you ought to be a very thankful little girl.

Charlotte's head began to whirl.

She clasped her hands,

And the tears brimmed up in her eyes.

I like the tall lady,

She gasped,

But I love the pretty lady,

And I promised her I'd be her little girl.

I just can't break my promise.

What on earth is this child talking about,

Said the mystified matron.

And just then,

The maid brought in the pretty lady.

Charlotte flew to her and flung her arms about her.

Oh,

Tell them I am your little girl,

She begged.

Tell them I promised you first.

I don't want to hurt the tall lady's feelings,

Because I truly do like her so very much,

But I want to be your little girl.

The pretty lady had given one glance at the tall lady and flushed red.

The tall lady,

On the contrary,

Had grown very pale,

And the matron felt very uncomfortable.

Everybody knew that Miss Herbert and Mrs.

Bond hadn't spoken to each other for years,

Even if they were sisters and alone in the world except for each other.

Mrs.

Bond turned to the matron.

I have come to ask permission to adopt this little girl,

She said.

Oh,

I'm very sorry,

Stammered the matron,

But Miss Herbert has just asked for her,

And I have consented.

Charlotte gave a great gulp of disappointment,

But the pretty lady suddenly wheeled around to face the tall lady with quivering lips and tearful eyes.

Don't take her from me,

Alma,

She pleaded humbly.

She is so like my own baby and I'm so lonely.

Any other child will suit you as well.

Not at all,

Said the tall lady briskly.

Not at all,

Anna,

No other child will suit me at all.

And may I ask what you intend to keep her on?

I know your salary is barely enough for yourself.

That is my concern,

Said the pretty lady a little proudly.

The tall lady shrugged her shoulders,

Just as independent as ever,

Anna,

I see.

Well child,

What do you say?

Which of us will you come with?

Remember,

I have the cat on my side and Anna can't make half as good turnovers as I can.

Remember all this,

Charlotte.

I like you so much,

Stammered Charlotte,

And I wish I could live with you both,

But since I can't,

I must go with the pretty lady because I promised and because I loved her first.

And best,

Queried the tall lady.

And best,

Admitted Charlotte,

Bound to be truthful even at the risk of hurting the tall lady's feelings.

But I do like you too,

Next best.

And you really don't need me as much as she does,

For you have your very handsome cat and she hasn't anything.

A cat no longer satisfies the aching void in my soul,

Said the tall lady stubbornly.

Nothing will satisfy it but a little girl with mouse-colored hair and freckles.

No,

Anna,

I've got to have Charlotte,

But I think that with her usual astuteness,

She has already solved the problem for us by saying she'd like to live with us both.

Why can't she?

You just come back home and we'll let bygones be bygones.

We both have something to forgive,

But I was an obstinate old fool and I've known it for years,

Though I've never confessed it to anybody but the cat.

The pretty lady softened,

Trembled,

And smiled.

She went right up to the tall lady and put her arms about her neck.

Oh,

I've wanted so much to be friends with you again,

She sobbed,

But I thought you would never relent and I've been so lonely.

They are there,

Whispered the tall lady.

Don't cry under the matron's eye.

Wait until we get home.

I may have some crying to do myself,

Then.

Charlotte,

Go and get your hat and come right over with us.

We can sign the necessary papers later on,

But we must have you right now.

The cat is waiting for you on the back porch and there is a turnover cooling on the pantry window that is just your size.

I am so happy,

Said Charlotte,

That I feel like crying myself.

In the end,

Thank you for joining me for this bedtime story.

Many blessings and sweet dreams,

My friend.

And until we meet again,

With peace and love,

From my world to yours.

Namaste.