A Husky Sled Ride ✨ Soothing Sleep Meditation

[00:00:10] Hi there Sleepwavers, Carissa here. So happy to have you with us tonight. Let's all get comfy as we settle in for a story meditation that is simply dreamy. If you love this episode, and I know you will, please share it with your family and friends. Everybody needs better sleep, and we have something for everyone here on Sleepwave.

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[00:00:57] You are in the water and listen to your podcast. But, hui! That pletschern of water will come to the sea and suddenly fly you to the south. Egypt, Canaren, Griechenland, Turkey, Karibik. The warm sand between the hands and a cold drink in hand and the sun on the face.

[00:01:17] Not dreamy. Altus buchen. Alles drin, alles gut, alles für dich. Altus. Alles aber günstig. Jetzt im Reisebüro oder auf altus.de. Oh, schau mal, ich... Alles okay, Schatz? Oh, ich glaube, ich krieg ne Erkältung. Wenn Erkältung entsteht, Immopret. Mein Geheimtipp für dich. Immopret N kann bei Beginnender Erkältung die Erkältungsabwehr stärken, Erkältungserreger bekämpfen und den Verlauf mildern. Probier Immopret aus.

[00:01:47] Alle Infos auf immopret.de. Zu Risiken und Nebenwirkungen lesen Sie die Packungsbeilage und fragen Sie Ihre Ärztin, Ihren Arzt oder in Ihre Apotheke. Hey, Sleepwave-Listens. If you have little ones or just love the nostalgia of the bedtime stories on Sleepwave, this announcement is for you. I'm Abby. I'd like to tell you about Koala Moon, my podcast of relaxing tales that turns restless nights and bedtime battles into a magical treat at the end of the day.

[00:02:16] Each Monday and Thursday, I'll bring you original children's bedtime stories and calming sleep meditations. Whether you're helping your children drift off or enjoying a peaceful wind-down yourself, our stories and meditations are designed to help you relax and unwind with episodes full of cozy nostalgia. Our episodes start off really rather magical, then gradually slow into a gentle, calming pace to help you relax.

[00:02:46] And if you drift off before the story ends, don't worry, you can always catch up tomorrow. So, snuggle down, get comfy, and let Koala Moon whisk you or your little ones away into a night of restful sleep. You can find Koala Moon Kids' Bedtime Stories and Meditations wherever you get your podcasts. That's Koala Moon, and I'll see you there.

[00:03:18] Tonight's story features one of the most magical things ever, the Northern Lights. If you've been lucky enough to see them, then you know what I'm talking about. I lived one summer in the northernmost tip of Wisconsin, nearly to Canada, and on the very last night of the summer before I was due to head back home to Texas, the sky erupted in this swirling green light.

[00:03:42] I remember laughing with the friends I was with and being in total awe of the light show this guy was putting on. It was amazing. Let's all enjoy the amazing Northern Lights together as we go on a wintry sled ride.

[00:04:09] Start by lying down on your mattress in any way that feels most comfortable for you. Allow the mattress to cradle your body in a position that feels safe and natural. Experiment with different positions to find an effortless state where your body feels totally at peace and still. As you melt into the bed, you will notice that all the problems,

[00:04:39] all the stresses, and all the complications of life easily fade away. There is no need to strain or think of the best way to relax. Just be. There is nothing else for you to do at this moment. Just be exactly where you are.

[00:05:08] That's right. This moment is an opportunity for you to unwind and drift off to sleep. Notice how your body is feeling right now. Effortlessly observe. Notice the sensations as you sink deeper into the mattress. You might feel an itch or a feeling of tightness.

[00:05:39] That's okay. Just allow yourself to put your awareness on the sensation. Don't try and change what is there. Just consciously observe the feeling. Where is your tension stored? You find that you can easily move your attention to the part of your body that feels most tense.

[00:06:09] Notice how it feels. Take a deep breath in. And with a big sigh, let all that tension go. You might have thoughts about problems you have faced today. Or things you need to do tomorrow.

[00:06:36] Maybe you are worried about one of your relationships. Or financial worries. Maybe work is giving you a hard time. Just as you did for the bodily sensations. Consciously observe the movement of your thoughts. Just watch them.

[00:07:08] Don't try to stop them. Or manipulate them. Just let them be.

[00:07:41] Thoughts are not damaging. It is the power that you give to them that is damaging. By letting the thoughts drift on. Like a cloud passing in the sky. They cannot hurt you. This is a safe, protected place for you to relax.

[00:08:08] And when you are ready, drift off to sleep. You are feeling cozy and warm now. Moving to a deeper level of relaxation. This is what you needed.

[00:08:43] You are finally getting the rest your body and mind deserve. You have been working so hard. Now is the time to give yourself a great gift. Choose to accept this gift from yourself.

[00:09:11] And when tomorrow comes, you will notice that you are refreshed and energized. Enabling you to take on whatever life throws at you. Now, slowly move your awareness to your breathing.

[00:09:40] Watch each inhale and exhale. Observe how it feels to breathe. The sensation of air rushing in your nostrils. Your lungs expanding and filling with fresh, revitalizing oxygen. Then, as you breathe out.

[00:10:10] Feel your lungs deflating and your diaphragm contracting. As air rushes out of your mouth or nose. As you breathe in. Inhale stillness and equanimity. As you breathe out.

[00:10:38] Exhale all negative energy and suffering. As you breathe in. You are filled with relaxation and peacefulness. As you breathe out. You let go of stress and strains.

[00:11:10] Keeping an easy awareness of your breath. Follow my guidance for your breathing. We will breathe in for 4 seconds. Hold the breath for 7 seconds. And exhale for 8 seconds. Let's breathe in. 1, 2, 3, 4. Hold it.

[00:11:38] 1, 6, 7. And let it go. 1, 2, 3, 4. 5, 6, 7. Breathe in. 1, 7.

[00:12:08] And release. 1, 2, 3, 4. 2, 3, 4. And let it all go.

[00:12:32] 1, 2, 3, 6, 7. Now return to the most comfortable way of breathing. At a pace that is comfortable for you.

[00:12:55] You will find that you can easily keep to this comfortable pace and follow my voice. Enjoy the feeling of letting go into the experience of listening to my voice and being exactly as you are.

[00:13:22] As you let go deeply, notice a deep sense of comfort and equanimity. A peacefulness that resonates right throughout your body. Imagine yourself in a cozy yurt.

[00:13:47] In the center of the yurt is a fiery log stove radiating heat, spreading to all corners of the yurt. You feel so at home. You look outside and see a winter wonderland.

[00:14:18] In the center of the view is a tranquil glacial lake, reflecting the sky and mountains. Left of you, the sun rises over the mountains in the east, turning the snow a blinding white color. Snow-dressed trees frame the beautiful scene.

[00:14:48] The surroundings look crisp and chilly. Perfect weather for an adventure into the untouched landscape. Although not in your eyesight, you hear the huskies waking up from their slumber.

[00:15:19] One howls to greet the morning sun. Despite your cozy state, you feel the urge to explore this wintry landscape.

[00:15:39] Without a second thought, you put on your undershirt, t-shirt, fleece, and winter coat. Along with warm trousers, boots, and snud. You feel so snug.

[00:16:05] You are now ready and equipped to start your adventure. As you step outside, the cold wind hits your nose immediately. You pull your snood tighter above your nose to cover your face, making you feel totally warm and content.

[00:16:32] You turn your attention to the huskies. Tails wagging. Tongues out. Happy faces. They are so happy to see you and go on another journey together.

[00:16:58] You hold so much trust in these dogs. Based on the look on the dog's smiley faces, this feeling is reciprocated. They trust you to guide them to the next destination just in time for dinner.

[00:17:24] You take a deep breath in and look around at the scenery. A large, ancient rock was placed on the edge of the lake. You have a deep intuition to take a moment for yourself and sit on the rock and take in the incredible view.

[00:17:53] The lake looks so beautiful from this angle. The water is so calm, still, and peaceful. The shine from the sun rebounds off the surface of the lake in myriad directions, creating a kaleidoscopic interpretation in your awareness.

[00:18:23] Other than the sounds of the dogs panting, the surroundings are so calm. A fish jumps out of the water, causing concentric rings to emanate in the center of the lake. You watch the waves from the disturbance become more and more subtle

[00:18:53] and disappear back to stillness. You find yourself observing the state of your mind. Like the lake, your mind's eye is still and settled. With no expectations or effort,

[00:19:21] a state of beingness arises. A pure state of oneness with yourself. You feel connected. Connected to the unifying force within you and in the environment.

[00:19:53] They are one of the same. In this moment, you can intimately relate to the lake and feel its peacefulness as your own. You take some time to observe the internal silence within you.

[00:20:22] After some time, you shift your awareness to the sounds around you. You hear the huskies impatiently panting, itching to get on the icy trail. You don't want to deprive them much longer. You stand up, turn around, and slowly walk towards the sleigh.

[00:20:51] As you move towards the sleigh, the huskies' excitement level increases, howling and panting in anticipation of the next adventure. You strap them in securely, take a seat in your sledge, and with a swift command of mush-mush,

[00:21:17] the sled edges forward along the trail. As an experienced musher, you quickly slip into a state of flow, with the sleds and the huskies as an extension of yourself, just as the lake was. You feel the powdery snow beneath the sled as you skid along,

[00:21:47] crushing under the pressure of its weight. You feel the power of the huskies all pulling the sleigh in perfect unison. Without stressing or straining, they pull the sleigh so effortlessly, gliding along the surface of the snow.

[00:22:15] You feel that this is exactly what they were put on this earth to do. So perfectly suited for this environment and purpose, that they approach every moment with playfulness and curiosity. You let go of the experience

[00:22:43] of connectedness with your pack and the environment around you, allowing a feeling of playfulness and curiosity to arise within you. With this, questions arise in the mind. What is my purpose?

[00:23:15] What am I here to do? Let go deeper. An intimate voice appears. An intuition from your deeper self. The voice whispers, You are exactly where you need to be. To connect with me is your only purpose.

[00:23:47] What is me? You reply. I and all is one. You take a moment to experience the essence of this statement. In a flash, the environment around you, once a setting for your life,

[00:24:15] now feels more intimate than ever. You truly feel one with the environment. Looking around, you don't see trees, snow, water, and sky flashing by. You see life.

[00:24:45] The labels of your surroundings dissipate as your awareness softens into the connectedness of being. Inside you, bliss explodes as the sled glides along. You shut your eyes as the chilly wind gently caresses your face.

[00:25:15] You feel buoyant as you lean into a corner. You notice the sun tucking itself behind the mountain to the west, signaling that the day is coming to a close. You glance at your dogs. Despite their smiling faces, still excited about

[00:25:44] what is around the next corner, you sense they are tiring. It is time to find a place to rest for the night. Just as you make this faint intuition, in the distance, you see a small tent structure. As you get closer to the yurt, the dogs' panting gets louder.

[00:26:15] They are ready for a long, rejuvenating rest. You decide this is a great spot to stay the night. So you take off the straps and put away the sled for the night. As you relieve the huskies of their straps, they lay down around a well-used fire pit in front of the yurt.

[00:26:45] Despite being exhausted, they seem to radiate a deep state of satisfaction after their day trekking across the vast, wintry plains. You share their delight. What a wonderful day.

[00:27:16] Out of the back of the sled, you take out the stakes that you have been storing from the last town you visited. You have been saving these for a special occasion. And now seemed like a good time to reward your dogs. Instantly, the dogs' eyes light up,

[00:27:45] drooling profusely. You throw each of the dogs some steak, which is gratefully received. After they have finished their meals, you go over to the dogs and show them gratitude for their persistence in getting you to the destination.

[00:28:14] You spend some time with the dogs, stroking and showing your appreciation. They reciprocate your love with a lick on the cheek and a look of love and compassion. Breakable bond you hold with these dogs.

[00:28:41] A kinship and reciprocal connectedness beyond words. As you stand up, a feeling of sleepiness cascades through your being. All the powerful insights and sledding have made you incredibly tired.

[00:29:12] Before you head to bed, you decide to make a warm fire and look up at the dreamy that were starting to reveal themselves as the sky turns from a turquoise to a dark, dreamy. Retreating into the woods, you collect firewood to build the fire in the yurt

[00:29:40] and in the fire pit. With the swift flick of a match, both fires erupt, pouring warmth into the surroundings. After shutting the yurt to conserve heat, you find yourself looking up to the heavens. The stars are now much more prominent, shining deep

[00:30:10] into your soul, bringing warmth to your heart. You feel immersed in the pearly mist and enjoy a moment of silence as you move your awareness to the present moment. Naturally, your mind shifts to your breathing.

[00:30:40] With each breath, you feel yourself melting deeper into the empty, yet vibrant sky. With each breath out, you feel any stress and strains floating and dissipating into the dark abyss. Problems fade.

[00:31:12] You take another deep breath in. A deep stillness emanates in your mind and body. You feel free. The fire is getting larger now. You sit back and watch the fire dance in myriad forms.

[00:31:40] You close your eyes and experience the scene without your sense of sight. Embracing the moment through your other senses, you notice a crackling and popping sound from the logs, dominating your sense of hearing. Listening deeper, you notice your dog's breathing.

[00:32:08] faintly twitching as they explore their dreamscape and alternate states of consciousness. You find yourself going deeper. At the most subtle level, you find a comforting silence. A stillness that surrounds everything,

[00:32:33] that resides behind every sound. You bathe in this silence for a moment. Easily, your awareness moves to your sense of touch. The warmth from the fire spreads across your skin,

[00:33:02] making you feel cozy. and this feeling transcends your skin, finding an inner warmth in your heart. You sit with all your senses, observing the intricate interconnectedness that binds and manufactures your experience. emotions.

[00:33:34] You find yourself playing with this feeling, enjoying the open and effortless observation. Consciously, you open your eyes, adjusting to your sense of sight. You notice a subtle glow in the jet

[00:34:03] black sky. Incrementally, to your amazement, this small glow slowly becomes a sky-wide illumination. Vivid colors of swirling greenish blue fill your consciousness.

[00:34:33] The light almost looks river-like as it sweeps and meanders across the horizon. A sky that was once dark and motionless is now a dancing flame bouncing along to a soulful rhythm. You

[00:35:03] are awestruck by this experience. A deep appreciation for the dynamic and joyful force of nature fills your being. You are so grateful that you got the opportunity to experience this beautiful sight.

[00:35:34] You curiously watched the dancing light for a few moments moments until just as quickly as it appeared the northern lights were gone leaving the omnipresent star-studded sky. You take one more deep breath in hold it in for a

[00:36:04] few moments moments and let it go. You look to your left and observe your huskies all of them fast asleep resting so deeply. Watching the dog sleep reminds you that now is the time for you to return

[00:36:34] to your warm and go into a deep deep sleep. As you walk into the yurt the warm air hits you like a sauna. The wood fire has been roaring making sure the yurt is nice and toasty. You collapse onto

[00:37:03] the bed and curl up tightly in the thick covers laying in the warm bed packaged tightly in fabric. You reflect on the deep insights from the day. You reflect on the feeling of connectedness to yourself that you felt when you watched the

[00:37:33] northern lights dance with that luminescent blue-green hue. The feeling of connectedness that you had with the environment and your huskies when riding in your sled. head. All of the transformative moments from the day come rushing back and a profound

[00:38:02] sense of fulfillment fills your being as you relax deeper and deeper into your and send into a deep state of relaxation slowly and

[00:38:32] effortlessly you slip into a deep reinvigorating and to to