Relax and drift into a deep sleep with a bedtime story and sleep meditation.
You are listening to Summerland.
In tonight's sleep story,
You travel through time in a vignette of summer landscapes like a dream within a dream within a dream.
As a memory collector,
You celebrate the best moments that summer has to offer.
You begin at a summer camp in the woods and reconnect with your inner child and the joy that comes with being free.
You then relish the splendor and independence of adolescence with a loved one on a perfect summer night enjoying a carnival on the boardwalk.
You then travel forward through time and connect with your future older self on the dock of a sleepy lake beneath the stars.
Fireflies and dragonflies,
Evergreen trees and campfires,
Salty air and candy apples await you on this epic journey before sleep.
And through the landscape of time,
You realize with wonderment how the most important things stay the same as if no years have passed.
It's time to dream away.
I would like to welcome you to Michelle's Sanctuary.
I am Michelle and as you are listening,
You may think of me as your friend and ally.
I am here to help you connect to the parts of yourself that you have loved the most through time.
By using the healing,
Soothing powers of your imagination,
You will be reminded of the essence of you that is always there.
Find a safe and comfortable place to settle down and snuggle up for sleep.
It's time to nurture yourself and surrender to the simple act of feeling good.
Free of distractions,
You're safe to let down your guard and glide on the words that lead you to the powers of your creative mind.
You're also free to bob on the silent spaces between words and softly drift to sleep.
You may let go of my voice at any point.
If sleep appeals to you more,
The choice is yours.
Your breath is your vehicle and your mind is the driver.
In your waking life,
You may take control of it at any time to find peace.
Support your lips slightly and let out a generous sigh.
Let everything go.
Cast away any thoughts or concerns that are in the way and set them out into the night,
For they are not needed now.
And then sip in a deep breath through pursed lips as if taking in a clean,
Purifying sip of water through a straw.
You fill your belly with this cleansing breath.
Your chest rises,
Your collarbones ascend towards the sky and then open your mouth into a yawn.
Signal to your body that it is time to shut down for the night.
That yawn turns into a delicious sigh in this beautiful cycle of breath.
Make a sound if that feels right and then again inhale as much cleansing air as your body will allow and open your mouth into a yawn.
And as you exhale,
Follow the breath as you travel back in time and once again become a child.
It always feels like the first time you encountered the clean,
Luscious smell when you step out of the car and are cloaked in the pine-perfumed air upon your arrival at summer camp.
Located in the foothills of a small mountain town,
The mineral smell of the pond weaves with the notes of cedar and sweet decaying leaves on the refreshing breeze.
You are smaller,
Younger,
Sprightly,
And full of a sense of adventure.
The sounds of joyous laughter from fellow campers and counselors join the orchestra of birds singing and the lapping waves of the pond in the distance.
You walk on the damp earth with shoes you recall loving at a different stage in your life.
They fit comfortably and give you the freedom to explore without concern as you traipse across the blanket of freshly fallen pine needles.
You pick up a pine cone from the earth's floor and bring it to your nose,
Inhaling its invigorating sweetness.
You run your fingers along the encrusted pine pitch that has hardened like dried frosting.
Your fingers run over the scales of the pine cone that are as perfectly aligned as the burnt orange terracotta tiles and the roof of a desert home.
Magical gifts from Mother Nature may be found in every crevice of the woodlands where the summer camp was founded decades ago.
The happiness from the earliest campers still permeates the landscape of cedar and white pine trees.
The woodlands still tell their stories.
You walk past the mess hall where the spring door squeaks and often slams from exuberant campers,
Grabbing a snack and running blissfully towards their friends and favorite activities.
On occasion you have also forgotten to close the door gently behind you and while the sound would be cacophonous in any other time or place,
The camp it is but a reminder of joyous youthful energy.
Some tiny branches break and snap beneath your feet while others are damp and bend like braided rope.
The air is warm but the nip of impending nightfall slips into the summer breeze as a reminder of the cool night to come.
Since the camp is nestled in the foothills of a mountainous landscape,
Even the warmest days turn into crisp nights that are perfect for sleeping.
In this special respite,
Sleep arrives with the ease of nightfall as so much laughter and adventure has exercised all your muscles and left you with contented sighs and languid motions.
The campers will soon gather around the daily bonfire with twigs they've collected to roast marshmallows.
And while camp rules exist,
Everyone is given freedom and independence before nightfall to explore on their own.
The sun disappears like a glowing magenta ball that melts behind the jagged tops of evergreens.
Muffled giggles are heard throughout the camp.
Some nervous and others tittering on excitement for the magic the darkness brings.
You walk past the hollow of an elm tree where a family of raccoons nest.
A baby peeks out of the nook and meets your gaze cautiously.
You pause and smile before he tucks back into the shadowy dwelling.
You walk by the nurse's station and a cottage that serves as the theater where talent night is held.
It's easier for you to be brazen at camp and explore your hidden talents because you know that any mistake will be forgotten in the year's span before returning to camp.
This pocket of magical time allows you to be daring and to reinvent yourself.
You try out new possibilities with a bold confidence that does not exist in the mundanity of your normal life.
The arts and crafts cabin is perched on a hill overlooking the pond.
You peer through the screen-covered windows.
The last rays of sunlight illuminate streaks of glitter,
Permanently marking the small stools and tables that were already dappled with royal blue,
Yellow,
And red paint spills.
Dozens of tie-dyed shirts are strung on the back deck of the studio,
Their colors as field of rainbow-hued wildflowers that pop against the neutral browns and dark greens of the forest.
The first firefly appears like a messenger of twilight as you make your way towards the center of the camp.
Along the way,
Friends join you.
Their friendship is special because they only know the version of you who shows up each summer.
The version that is fun and carefree and dares to try new things.
The youngest campers and most beloved of counselors have gathered around the roaring bonfire as twilight cloaks the camp in darkness.
Marmalade sparks from the crackling fire and neon yellow flashes from the ubiquitous lightning bugs light up the sky.
You look to the stars,
Drifting away on the familiar melody of a song that the young campers sing with more enthusiasm than proper pitch.
You feel the glow of the fire on your sun-kissed cheeks and hug your arms around yourself.
Grateful for your snug camp hoodie,
Images of blazing marshmallows accompany the smell of burnt sugar and burning fire logs.
Slowly the night wanes on,
And campers are led back to their bunks to sleep.
The camp lifeguard comes over and slips you a note.
You feel the tattered paper in your hand and cannot wait to read its message in the glow of the burning embers.
It reads,
Meet us for a night swim beneath the moon.
You've heard of such night swims,
But this is the first time you've been invited.
Your swimsuit,
Now dry,
Is under your layers of camp attire.
The doors of the sleeping cabin swing and slam across the camp while you steal away towards a hidden path that leads towards the dock on the pond.
You carefully balance down a hill.
Your calves work in overdrive as you balance and place your hands on the smooth trunks of maple trees.
Fireflies dance around you,
And the soft,
Persistent hoot of a nearby owl carries across the rippling pond.
The rising,
Luminous moon is days away from being full and illuminates the darkness.
Like a silk sheet rippling in the night,
The silvery blue pond reflects the moonlight.
You arrive at the rocky shore of the beach and walk towards the dock.
Some of your friends stop splashing in the pond long enough to acknowledge your arrival and wait for you to join them.
You remove your dry clothes and pile them in an Adirondack chair and leave your shoes on the shore.
The weathered boards of the dock are cool and grainy against your bare feet.
Your breathing matches the undulations of the dock as it rides on the waves created by night swimmers.
You sit along the edge of the dock and dangle your feet in the water as you look to the moon.
This is the perfect moment.
A dragonfly hovers above the metallic water like a mythical being.
Its iridescent purple and teal body flutters and glides across the water with the grace of a conductor's wand.
The water is warmer than the air.
You lift yourself off the dock with your strong young arms and slide off it into the water.
You join your friends.
You swim towards the heart of the pond with the counselors and lucky campers invited for this moonlit adventure like a pod.
The water gets cooler the farther you go.
It remains silky and comfortable.
You flip over to carelessly float on your back and look to the canvas of glittering stars overhead.
You inhale the crisp,
Cool air that smells of wet earth and balsam fir and clean water.
And as you simply float,
Weightless and relaxed,
You close your eyes.
The lukewarm pond water covers your ears and quiets the songs of crickets and frogs and the laughter and sighs of fellow campers.
You surrender to this floating sensation and drift through the darkness.
You find once again you are traveling through time and space like a dream within a dream.
You sense you are being transported to another chapter in your life.
You smell saltwater air and candy confections carried on a warm sea breeze that rustles your hair.
Your eyes open and your feet land on the boardwalk of a popular summer destination.
The wooden planks creak beneath the weight of families and couples who set out for a night of splendor.
You are dressed in attire that makes you feel your best.
Comfortable,
Yet an expression of your personality and style as a teen.
Your skin is soft and was freshly bathed after a day lounging on the beach beneath the full glory of the summer sun.
The air is humid and thick and the people on the boardwalk rely on the gentle ocean breeze to make the night temperate.
Revelers crowd around the rainbow-striped walls of carnival booths.
They are eager to play with hopes the carny will pluck an oversized stuffed animal from the dozens of cotton candy-hued prizes hanging from the rafters.
Every so often,
A celebratory cry of a winner is followed by the gleeful cheers of others vying to win.
Those sought-after prizes become cherished mementos that enliven the smell of the ocean and warm summer nights when brought back to the normal routines of life at home.
As you walk through the crowds,
You sense someone is here waiting for you.
You feel their energy before your eyes meet.
This is someone who conjures the hope that comes with adolescence.
You could have a romantic connection or platonic,
But this someone has enjoyed the roller coaster ride of your teen years and may even be someone you imagine and wish you had in your life at this time.
You brush shoulders with strangers in the crowd,
Weaving through a sea of nautical patterns and flowing summer fabrics.
You take in a deep breath and once again smell the sweet confections of saltwater taffy and fresh fudge,
Of kettle corn and funnel cakes you pass by a family perched on a bench.
As they carefully savor shiny red apples that are almost too beautiful to be consumed.
You see your person in the crowd and your eyes meet.
You both begin to laugh and walk towards each other.
You pause in the kaleidoscope of carnival lights that swirl around as if you are both stationary in the center of a carousel that spins around you.
Everything appears gauzy and dreamlike.
You embrace one another as if no time has passed.
It makes you wonder if time was ever real at all.
With fingers laced together,
You hold hands and walk through the brilliant lights and festivities on the boardwalk.
A jug band plays familiar tunes on their mixture of conventional instruments and household items like milk jugs and washboards.
Your loved one leads you towards the carnival booths and a game where you must toss a scarlet bean bag into a milk can.
The bean bag fits perfectly in the palm of your hand.
Holding onto it soothes you before you toss it in the air.
Together,
You both successfully land each bean bag in the heart of the milk can's opening.
When the carny asks what small stuffed animal you both desire,
Your friend offers to trade them in so you may take a bigger prize that catches your eye.
This act of generosity will be forever remembered because this loved one often puts your happiness as a priority.
The carny removes the plush toy with a long pole and places it in your hand.
You relish the cloud-like softness of the animal as you nuzzle it in the crease of your neck and inhale,
Once again smelling the salty sea mist as it meets the sweet smells of carnival treats.
Your beloved guides you towards the end of the pier where the neon lights of the ferris wheel reflect on the sparkling ebony ocean like oil pastels on a glistening blacktop.
When you come upon a photo booth,
Your loved one insists you capture this splendid night with a black and white strip of images.
You enter the booth and both cautiously balance on the singular royal blue stool and close the velvet curtain,
Blocking out the lights of the pier.
Together you pose freely and joyously,
Playful and daring with each successive flash and snap.
All self-consciousness has melted away to reveal the loving spirits within you both.
Together you are safe to be every expression of yourselves.
You rise and leave the booth,
Then patiently wait for the two strips to slide down the dispenser.
When the images drop down,
The vinegar-like smell of the photo-processing fluid fills the air as you both wave the developing strips on the summer's breeze.
With arms locked,
You excitedly walk down the pier and stop at a food vendor to pick out your favorite carnival treat.
You hug the black and white photo strip and stuffed animal against your chest.
You savor each taste of your mouth-watering confection and run up the platform to the ferris wheel.
The ride comes to a halt and you and your beloved get cozy in the passenger car.
The safety bar comes across your lap,
Securing you in a firm hug.
The ferris wheel begins its ascension and you feel lighter the higher you go.
Snuggled close,
You and your loved one sit in comfortable silence.
The faint music of the pier fades away and is drowned out by ocean whispers and crashing waves.
The ride swings you slightly back and forth as you rise towards the stars and crescent moon.
There is beauty all around you.
And with your loved one's insistence,
You close your eyes and make a wish.
You wish for this feeling of joy to return to you in times of stress.
This magical night is a bookmark in the novel of your life.
And you may always return to this page to feel alive and to remember life is beautiful.
And as you close your eyes,
Once again you feel yourself traveling through time and space.
You feel the soft cooling mist of the ocean as you are floating through the darkness,
Moving fluidly through time.
And when at last you open your eyes,
You find yourself in the future.
You are older than you have ever been or thought of being.
The unanswered questions of your life have now played out.
You are wiser.
You are a survivor.
And you feel remarkably the same in many ways.
You are seated in a rocking chair that contours to your older body and bask in the light of a full moon.
The indigo black sky is teeming with silver stars,
Like a permanent blanket of hope that has inspired you throughout your life.
Your wrinkled skin is luminous in the moonlight and creates an opal aura around you.
You sit on the porch of a lakeside cabin rocking deep into the stillness of the night.
The soundtrack of summer's end is abundant with crickets and frogs,
And accompanied by the solo cry of a loon.
Like a dove,
The loon symbolizes tranquility,
Peace,
And harmony.
At this stage in life,
You have learned to choose the path of least resistance and acknowledge what should be accepted and what is within the possibility for change.
The stuffed animal you won from the carnival long ago sits in the center of the porch sofa.
It has withstood the test of time,
Just the same as your sweet memories of that summer night remain,
For you have been a memory collector of the best moments.
Fireflies flicker above the grassy knoll that connects your cabin to the lakeshore.
Each neon yellow glow flashes like a memory of summer's past.
Barefoot,
You walk across the wooden planks of the screen porch.
You open and close the door softly,
But remember with a pang of nostalgia the reckless slamming doors of summer camp.
You float down the hill,
And your feet fall into the dewy carpet of grass and emerald moss.
You inhale the night air that is fragranced by the minerality of the lake and tastes like a cool metal spoon.
The neighboring cottages are dark.
Everyone has long since gone to bed.
But you are awake in the magic of the night,
And you walk down towards your dock.
The planks creak beneath your feet as you carefully walk towards the edge.
You slip into the seat of a weathered crimson canoe,
And find your balance in the light of the full moon.
Using your paddle,
You push away from the dock and then gracefully guide it through the water.
The softly lapping waves and splashes of the paddle carry over the quietude of the lake,
And when you reach the center of the lake,
You stop paddling and simply drift.
You rest the paddle on your bare knees when an iridescent purple and teal dragonfly appears,
Like the ones that hastened across the summer camp's pond on balmy nights when you stole away to swim.
And the words of E.
B.
White capture this moment perfectly.
It was the arrival of this fly that convinced me beyond any doubt that everything was as it always had been.
That the years were a mirage.
And there had been no years.
In this dream within a dream,
Within a memory within a dream,
It feels as if there are no years.
Tiredness sets in,
And you float across the sleepy lake,
Inhaling and exhaling for the contentment and peace of a slumbering child.
You drift further and further away towards peace and respite.
Your breath undulates with the rhythm of the slowly moving ripples on the lake,
And you surrender to all that feels good and feels right,
Drifting towards sleep,
Towards the dreamscape that awaits,
To the place that remains timeless.
And I am going to count you down to a night of healing,
Restorative sleep,
Balance,
Finding yourself,
Finding grace.
