A Soothing Sleepy Story: The Garden of Letting Go

hello my friend welcome to your sleep story my name is Steven Dalton I'm an Irish Storyteller and it's my great privilege to be the voice that you listen to as you go to sleep tonight in tonight's story you will follow a day in the life of a woman and her cut to visit a very special Garden The Garden of Letting Go and in this special place the woman will find peace through the deliberate Act of letting go of the past and things that aren't useful and maybe you can find your own peace as you listen

whilst going to sleep and it will be followed by sleepy affirmations one small thing if you're a regular listener and you're not subscribed I'd be so grateful if you could thank you okay let's do the relaxation session now which will take a few minutes before tonight's sleep story I'm going to count down from 10 to 1 and as I do allow yourself to let go more and more 10 feel the support of the bed beneath you or the floor or whatever you lie upon tonight and beneath all of that feel the support of the earth

our home our constant support and as you become aware of that deep constant support see if you can let go a little more now PE into this moment a little more now nine you are safe allow my voice to be an anchor of safety tonight to be a friend know that my voice will only ever take you to safe place faes and with that feeling of safety that is offered to you tonight allow yourself to sink into this moment more now eight feel in into your body now where are you still holding where do you

still feel tension or even pain maybe it's in your feet maybe it's in your lower legs maybe it's in your thighs maybe it's in your belly maybe it's in your chest maybe it's in your neck and shoulders maybe it's in your hands or your arms or maybe it's in your face just let go now seven the day is done whatever has been has been whatever will be will be whatever thoughts you might be having no matter what they are they don't serve you now so when and if thoughts arrive don't fight them see them for

what they are thoughts a part of being human and as they arrive see them and let them go go let them drift away like leaves on a moonlit River or clouds passing in a Starlit Sky six this is your a moment this is your time you deserve rest we all do allow that fact to enable you to arrive in this moment more and more now to move closer to deep rest more and more now to continue to let go more and more now five peace lives within you it is always there waiting to be found

waiting to be felt it is a constant friend see if you can find that friend tonight find that peace within you for perhaps allow a little gratitude now gratitude for this moment gratitude for the simple [Music] things for the shelter you have tonight for those you love for the opportunity to rest three begin to engage with your imagination now begin to see the most magical Walled Garden a garden filled with beauty a place for letting go begin to hear the birds in the distance the river and the sound of the leaves in the trees two

checking in with your body one more time now your body has worked hard for you today it's time to give it rest and one completely letting go now as I tell you tonight's sleep Story the woman walked through the gate it was an iron gate rusted at the hinges left open just enough for her to sleep slip through without touching it the latch had long since broken it was better that way some things were not meant to be locked the garden was wide and beautiful there were Birds just about Audible the sound of a distant

River the light Breeze catching the leaves as it passed the walls around it were Stone low in some places covered in Ivy and others the path was uneven made of old bricks that had sunk in to the Earth over time the grass grew tall where no one had to cut it wild flowers had taken what space was left she walked slowly her steps measured not because she was tired but because the there was no need to hurry the air smelled of warm Earth and fallen leaves the cat followed behind her it was a small cat

black with a white patch on its chest it walked with the shity of something that had never doubted itself when she stopped it stopped when she [Music] moved it [Music] moved it had followed her for years she did not know why she had come today she had not planned had not set out with for the purpose she had only walked and the road had led her here she had not seen the Garden in years though she had thought of it often she moved towards the bench beneath the old apple tree the tree was gnarled its

branches bent with age the apples were small and green not yet ripe some had fallen resting in the grass untouched she sat the cat jumped onto the bench beside her and curled its tail around its pors it did not look at her it watched the garden the garden was as it had always been she let out a breath she had carried many things in her life some she had sat down some she had not she looked at the Garden at the weeds growing between the bricks at the soft Petals of the late summer roses at

the way the ivy climbed the stone without hesitation she thought maybe she had held on too long the past did not live here only what remained she placed her hands in her lap and watched the leaves move in the light Breeze there was time there had always been time she reached down and plucked a fallen Apple from the grass it was small firm beneath her fingers it had not rotted it had not broken it had simply let go the cat flicked its tail she turned the Apple over in her hand she thought of all the

things she had carried regrets small and sharp edged losses heavy and unwieldy she thought of the faces she had held in her mind long after they had gone she had been afraid that if she let [Music] go she would lose something of herself that the past once released would take some part part of her with it but the Apple was still whole she set it down beside her on the bench she did not need to hold everything she did not need to remember it all the garden was quiet the cat closed its eyes she sat

back her shoulders settling she let the past stay where it was not erased not forgotten just no longer something she needed to carry the wind shifted just slightly rustling the leaves overhead she stayed like that for a long time a leaf drifted down from the apple tree it turned once twice before settling on the grass it had not fought the wind it had not not clung to the branch it had let [Music] go when it was time the old woman watched it for she thought of a name she had not spoken in years a name

she had carried tucked away in the quiet corners of her mind held close like something Fragile the leaf rested in the grass and she let the name rest with it another rela fell this one caught the light as it turned a brief flash of gold before it joined the first she thought of a regret small but something she had turned over in her hands too many times as if the way of it might change the past it had not it never would she let it fall with the leaf the wind stirred the branches more leaves

loosened floating gently toward the Earth she watched them [Music] go one by one and with each she let go of something she had held too tightly a word left unsa a love not returned a fear that had outlived its purpose the leaves gathered in the grass and she felt lighter the cat stretched beside her yawning unbothered it had never carried such things she looked at the branches [Music] above still full still reaching the tree did did not mourn what it had lost it knew there would be more leaves more seasons more Beginnings the old woman

let out a slow breath she had spent so long holding on but now she knew it was time to let go she reached into the pocket of her coat and pulled out a small book the cover was worn the edges of the pages soft from use she had carried it with her for years she placed it on her lap and took out the pencil tucked inside she did not rush she turned back last old Pages words written long [Music] ago things that had once seemed important she found a blank space and set the pencil to

the page I have carried too much the pencil so moved slow and steady some things I have held because I did not know how to put them down some because I thought they were part of me but they are not I see that now she paused listening to the wind to the birds in the distance to the river she wrote again the past does not need to be carried it does not need to be turned over and over like a stone in the hand it has already happened that is enough the cat flicked its tail

she looked down at the words they were not beautiful they were not profound but they were true she closed the journal and set it beside her on the bench the pages would hold what she no longer needed to she Rose from the bench the cat stretched Then followed walking behind her as she moved along the path the stones were uneven worn by time and weather the garden had no order to it things grew where they wished where the wind had carried their seed where the rain had soaked the Earth just long enough for roots to

take cold she walked past the low wall where Ivy climbed thick and wild past roses that had shed their petals in careless abundance she run her fingers along the stone rough and cool beneath her touch at the edge of the garden she stopped a tree stood there split down the middle its trunk cracked and hollowed by time it must have been struck once Long Ago by lightning or by wind that had been too strong for it to withstand it should have fallen but it had not one half of the trunk was charred Dred open to

the sky the other half stood T branches reaching leaves still turning toward the sun she touched the bark tracing the line where the wound had been made the tree had lost something it had broken perhaps beyond what seemed possible to heal and yet here it was still standing still alive she let her hand drop to her side not everything that breaks must end she she turned walked back toward the fountain the cat followed stepping lightly over the fallen leaves she had let go of many things today and she had kept something too she walked back

through the garden the air was cooler now the light softer folding into itself as the evening settled in the leaves stirred gently overhead the river kept its slow steady Rhythm the cat followed close behind silent watchful she had not planned to stay but there was nowhere else she needed to be she found a place near the low stone wall where the grass grew thick and the ivy curled lazily along the edges a broad oak tree stretched its branches wide above her its roots twisting deep into the Earth she sat down pressing her hand to the

ground it was firm solid unshaken by time or worry the cut circled once then curled against her side tucking its PS beneath itself it let out a slow breath the sound of quiet [Music] contentment of knowing it was safe she leaned back resting against the curve of the tree the garden moved around her in its own quiet way the rustling of leaves the distant River she closed her eyes she did not need to hold on to anything anymore not the past not the future she let herself rest the cut sighed against her the wind passed

gently through the trees the garden remained and so did she and she slept your body is softening your mind is quieting you are exactly where you are meant to be you can let go of any thoughts that do not serve you you are wrapped in warmth and safety in rest the world is taking care of itself you can let [Music] go you are supported just as the Earth supports you your breath is [Music] slow steady peaceful every part of you is unwinding into rest you are allowed to rest without guilt or worry you are floating

deeper and deeper into sleep you can trust that everything is unfolding as it should you are weightless [Music] come breath you can surrender to the quiet Rhythm of the Night sleep is washing over you like a gentle tide you are drifting into deep nourishing rest your thoughts are soft like clouds passing by you are welcoming sleep with open arms you are loved you are cared for you are enough nothing is urgent the night holds you you can let your body sink into comfort and ease your breath is guiding you into sleep everything you need is

already within you the world is quiet and you are part of that quiet you are arriving into the deepest peace you have ever [Music] known sleep is a gift and you are accepting it fully you are safe you are at peace you are asleep your body is softening your mind is quieting you are exactly where you are meant to be you can let go of any thoughts that do not serve you you are wrapped in warmth and safety in rest the world is taking care of itself you can let go you are supported just as

the earth support towards you your breath is [Music] slow steady peaceful every part of you is unwinding into rest you are allowed to rest without guilt or worry you are floating deeper and deeper into sleep you can trust that everything is unfolding as it should you are weightless [Music] come breathe you can surrender to the quiet Rhythm of the Night sleep is washing over you like a gentle tide you are drifting into deep nourishing rest your thoughts are soft like clouds passing by you are welcoming sleep with open arms you are loved you are cared

for you are enough nothing is urgent the night holds you you can let your body sink into comfort and ease your breath is guiding you into sleep everything you need is already within you the world world is quiet and you are part of that quiet you are arriving into the deepest peace you have ever known sleep is a gift and you are accepting it fully you are safe you are at peace you are asleep e for for for for e e for for e for for for for e for e e for for e for

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